Removing foam under 400 acrylic tank hard plumbed

[KNH]

That's interesting and the first time I've ever heard this. When I set up my tank years ago the prevailing wisdom was to add foam to counter any pressure points. I'd like to read up on this more. Where do you find this information?

 

[05spurky]

Im still not sure i understand why one would put foam under tank? There must be a reason?

 

[Woefulrelic]

Apparently foam is only appropriate for rimless or frameless glass tanks. For acrylic apparently it's fine if it's completely level, otherwise it tends to twist the tank and cause seam separation at pressure points. I had it there because i didn't know better, my seams are like 6/10 shape id say so I'd like to preserve them for as long as I can.

From what I understand foam is a bandaid for glass tanks, it helps to level a tank that can be unlevel. Acrylic seams are different and can't handle pressure at different levels. Being off level for glass is less detrimental to the seams than being off level acylic, and foam doesn't really do you and favors.

 

[KNH]

Is this an opinion or is there some science/engineering behind this?

 

[MonsterFishCreeper]

Not disagreeing with you and certainly don't want to spread misinformation or cast doubt on what your saying but don't some acrylic tank manufacturers recommend placing something under the tank? I have a mat of very thick rubber under mine that's got less give then foam but the stand is pretty level anyway and it's only a 55 gallon so there's not much pressure to worry about.

 

[davenmandy]

Truth be told, my trust is derived from wednesday13 experience. Very few people do I consider acrylic tank experts, and he is one of them. So far he told me where I would see most crazing / seam separation while using foam and bingo, that's where I saw it, so took foam out and tried to level.

 

[KNH]

Always appreciate different view points.

 

[Woefulrelic]

Is this an opinion or is there some science/engineering behind this?

I know that good posts exist, I've seen them in the past and with science backing them but I can't dig them up for the life of me. I found this post to be informative, but it is posted by wednesday so it might not be the best supportive argument.

An acrylic tank will sagg/deform with foam under it just the same. No matter what there will still be gaps under ur tank and foam/stand somewhere. It will kinda bow to the shape of any stand eventually. Never owned a new tank, but all my 10-20yr old acrylics came with bowed unlevel bottoms. Test of time.... Too many factors too give you an unlevel product in the end, even factory made new tanks. Kinda y the mfg. "Tanked" glues the piece of wood it was made on directly to the tank bottom. Cnc tables are unlevel, acrylic itself is not perfect, wood is unlevel, floors unlevel when tanks are made, so shims are necessary in any case, more the better imo... The outer seams are what matter to keep an acrylic box/bottom from blowing, not tiny gaps under the middle floor. The tank bottom will not bow past ur supports, the bottom seams cannot seperate if you have shims all the way around if necessary. If you have an "air gap" of foam supporting the seams, it can easily be comprimised allowing seperation and tank shifting. Even if ur super careful, the foam is already breaking down by the time u get it home and onto the stand. Call it preference...i call it observe and report. Most of the people i help fix acrylic tanks with bottom seam failure had them up on foam. Ive done it myself, seen the results, so i understand. Foam under acrylic is a very popular belief, doesnt make it right.

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