stacking rocks and sand depth?

[addicted2cichlids]

I have $10 more than you and I have just as much peace of mind. As soon as someone names me someone they know who had the bottom of the tank crack from the weight I will look into it.

Here's a question you should ask yourself. If there was so much risk of the glass bottom breaking, then why is it suspended off the stand by a centimeter or so by the frame? Why not just put the bottom of the glass right onto whatever stand it is to reside on? A frame can be attached around the bottom edge with glue without having to wrap around the bottom of the tank and lifting the bottom pane off the ground.

Why is there no extra structural support on the bottom? If there was a risk of that glass breaking and and subsequent lawsuit would've caused the tank manufacturers to add extra support years ago along with a warning label. I bought a 75 and a 20 long in the last 3 months. Neither had a warning label.

it does make sense! ive never used light crates and have had rocks fall off/over without any problems.

 

[mike dunagan]

The egg crate is not for the overall weight. It is for the pressure points that rocks can create. Cichlids will dig and shift rock. If all the load of rock comes into contact with bare glass the sharp point can cause the glass to crack....

The the idea of working on pressure. Who puts more pressure down on the floored. A large man or a girl in high heels. The girl in high heel spreads the weight over a smaller area putting more pressure down. You do expect the it to happen but if 100 lbs of rock is resting on only a few pressure points it can cause the glass to crack.

Someone did have the glass crack on here. That is why I started using it.

 

[Sic_Maggot13]

The egg crate is not for the overall weight. It is for the pressure points that rocks can create. Cichlids will dig and shift rock. If all the load of rock comes into contact with bare glass the sharp point can cause the glass to crack....

The the idea of working on pressure. Who puts more pressure down on the floored. A large man or a girl in high heels. The girl in high heel spreads the weight over a smaller area putting more pressure down. You do expect the it to happen but if 100 lbs of rock is resting on only a few pressure points it can cause the glass to crack.

Someone did have the glass crack on here. That is why I started using it.

good point, i ran into that problem with the ground tho. i originally wanted a tall tank but in a condo that wouldn't work. might have to look into that stuff before i put the tank up so i have nothing to worry about for like a 6x2 sheet the cost around 20 bucks?

 

[Robertshadow]

I'm not sure. If a rock falls in my tank it's going to land on the sand. Plenty of cushion....

pfft the sand just flutters out of the way and the rock hits the glass...

 

[addicted2cichlids]

pfft the sand just flutters out of the way and the rock hits the glass...

must have a thin layer of sand then!

 

[TheFanatic]

pfft the sand just flutters out of the way and the rock hits the glass...

Uh, no. Not unless you have about a quarter inch of sand. I can't imagine a rock falling with enough force underneath it to push away 3 inches of sand.

Again, can someone tell me of anyone they know of that had a tank bottom crack?

 

[Robertshadow]

Uh, no. Not unless you have about a quarter inch of sand. I can't imagine a rock falling with enough force underneath it to push away 3 inches of sand.

Again, can someone tell me of anyone they know of that had a tank bottom crack?

Before I used it I lost a 40 gallon breeder because of it, it's pretty much agreed in the cichlid comunity that it should be used in all tanks for a reason... because it works maybe? who knows, I guess everyone's wrong and you're completely right. It's just one of those *just in case things* you will think is useless until it actaully happens to you.

You want a good 1 inch of sand, 3 inches of sand is just messy and pointless.