Im setting up a 265gal (south American cichlad tank) in my basement. I just got a fluval fx-5 and are planing on adding a second canister with a 36 watt uv turbo twist. I plan on using about a inch to inch and a half of gravel substrate with aerators in the tank. my main concern is leveling my stand. It is a perfecto open top it has three five inch supports that make contacts with the tank frame im about 5mm off front to back and 5 side to side. how or should i use Styrofoam to level or should i put a sheet of ply wood down first. Please help this my first large tank other than several 55 gals over the years. i have never use Styrofoam in a set up before but i keep reading about it.
help with setting up a 265 gal from leveling to uv
- Thread starter svtim
- Start date
The best way that i now of is to put the tank on the stand to add some weight. Then measure with your level. Then go to a hardware store and purchase a bag or bundle or hardwood shims for a couple bucks. And use the shims to level it out to your liking. Once you have tapped all the shims in with your hammer the go around the tank starting at the shim and slide more shimms in that are thinner next to the biggest shim so that you are supported all around. Place the supporting shims no more than 6'' apart. For example if you have a 1/2'' shim on the end then the stand is not being supported the whole length so you add shims down that length that are just snuggly put in for support. Once you get it where you want it then you just break the shims off flush with the stand and tap them in a little to hide them and your done.----------------You have to have the weight so that you get a accurate smash of the carpet. I used my 220g and all the bags of substrate for smash.
Whats up man i did not even realize it was a local MFKer. i forgot to add that i have allways been told to level tanks so that they lean back 1/2 level bubble. It adds a little security to tipping.
I just know that Styrofoam should be placed under the entire bottom of an acrylic tank and the Styrofoam should only be placed under the frame of a glass tank.
The glass on the bottom of a glass tank is not designed to take the load, only the frame is. The opposite is true of acrylic.
It held for 5 years for the previous owner didn't it?
You can always beef it up if you are worried about the stand. The tank itself is only supported by the frame around the bottom of the tank, no worries there.
The glass on the bottom of a glass tank is not designed to take the load, only the frame is. The opposite is true of acrylic.
It held for 5 years for the previous owner didn't it?
You can always beef it up if you are worried about the stand. The tank itself is only supported by the frame around the bottom of the tank, no worries there.
The only input i have is that if this thing gets on your nerves just give me call and I will glady rush right over and get it out of your way.-----lol------Good luck man