To Styro or Not to Styro?
- Thread starter Pharaoh
- Start date
Assuming those are standard 8x8x16 inch cinder blocks; that tank has a 12" width. I don't think you would get away with suspending a 24" width tank with gravel and rocks on the corners like that.
see thats the thing - the tank manufacturerers tell us that you can. you may not WANT to, but you should be able to..according to them at least...
I guess the idea is that the bottom pane is very rigid and strong and would not sag/flex.
since once this happened, you would end up with a broken bottom.
but since the bottom pane is very strong, it would not do this, thus, making it possible to have tanks only supported on the corners...
I suspect this is their reasoning?
I guess the idea is that the bottom pane is very rigid and strong and would not sag/flex.
since once this happened, you would end up with a broken bottom.
but since the bottom pane is very strong, it would not do this, thus, making it possible to have tanks only supported on the corners...
I suspect this is their reasoning?
12 Volt Man;2587713; said:
A thread from a local forum with with pics of a double stack of 90s and end a 110 supported in the same fashion.
http://www.minnfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7119
I believe that the use of foam may explain why there are a lot of broken tanks out there.
I think people screw up their setups by using it improperly -ie not bothering to properly level and make flat their stand, with the mistaken belief that the foam will correct any problems.
so, they put foam under a tank that is:
a) not designed for foam -ie a glass tank with a floating bottom (most modern tanks)
and
b) not flat and or level
and they end up with a tank sitting on foam that is still uneven, unlevel etc.
and it eventually breaks because the foam didn't correct any of the levelling problems like they thought it would.
just a theory of course - but one that I have seen customers at the LFS where I used to work use first hand.
"did you shim the stand to make it level?"
"Naw, I just stuck some styrofoam underneath it. it should be good"
..hmmmmm...
I think people screw up their setups by using it improperly -ie not bothering to properly level and make flat their stand, with the mistaken belief that the foam will correct any problems.
so, they put foam under a tank that is:
a) not designed for foam -ie a glass tank with a floating bottom (most modern tanks)
and
b) not flat and or level
and they end up with a tank sitting on foam that is still uneven, unlevel etc.
and it eventually breaks because the foam didn't correct any of the levelling problems like they thought it would.
just a theory of course - but one that I have seen customers at the LFS where I used to work use first hand.
"did you shim the stand to make it level?"
"Naw, I just stuck some styrofoam underneath it. it should be good"
..hmmmmm...
12 Volt Man,
You can shim your stand and make it perfectly flat, but that evenness only last a short time. A wooden stand and wooden floor will always (and continually) sag and twist over time. A foam mat is one way to maintain a relatively even force on the tank bottom.
Think of it this way; adjust the springs & shocks on a car to make the car sit perfectly flat. Then weld them in place to lock in that perfect alignment. Now start driving the car over pot holes and speed bumps. The car frame will be under stress. The top of a stand is like a changing road surface.
A foam mat is like free floating shock absorbers; moving up and down to minimize stress on any one part of the frame.
You can shim your stand and make it perfectly flat, but that evenness only last a short time. A wooden stand and wooden floor will always (and continually) sag and twist over time. A foam mat is one way to maintain a relatively even force on the tank bottom.
Think of it this way; adjust the springs & shocks on a car to make the car sit perfectly flat. Then weld them in place to lock in that perfect alignment. Now start driving the car over pot holes and speed bumps. The car frame will be under stress. The top of a stand is like a changing road surface.
A foam mat is like free floating shock absorbers; moving up and down to minimize stress on any one part of the frame.
thats true - residental wood floors above ground level may shift with time.
I guess thats why I have always had my big tanks in the basement (slab concrete) and on steel stands. about as solid and stable as you can get.
this is how my 150 sits in my ground level basement:
I guess thats why I have always had my big tanks in the basement (slab concrete) and on steel stands. about as solid and stable as you can get.
this is how my 150 sits in my ground level basement:
I haven't had a chance to read the thread but I wanted to add how my Clarity Plus Acrylic tank is setup since I don't really see it much.
I've got a 72"x26"x24" Clarity Plus sump that is also the stand for the tank.
The tank is a Clarity Plus 72"x18"x20" with a eurobraced top, no trim on the tank.
Now this is where it gets tricky, the sump has a flat bottom which is sitting on my carpet floor. The tank also has a flat bottom and simply sits on top of the sump, however the top of the sump is not flat or even one solid piece. It just rests on the edges of the sump and the dividers for the sump. There are 5 dividers inside that go to the top of the sump which each support the tank every foot or so, aside from the side of the sump and back there is no other support other than the thin sump dividers. When I had the tank empty for polishing I could see the bottom of the tank sags between each divider, you can feel it with your hand. The back of the tank also has a little bow to it. Now this tells me two things, either Acrylic is really flexible or my tank is about to pop. It's an older system I got used, he had it setup the exact same way for years - so I am not really concerned at all.
I'll try to go back and read the entire thread but just wanted to add this.
I've got a 72"x26"x24" Clarity Plus sump that is also the stand for the tank.
The tank is a Clarity Plus 72"x18"x20" with a eurobraced top, no trim on the tank.
Now this is where it gets tricky, the sump has a flat bottom which is sitting on my carpet floor. The tank also has a flat bottom and simply sits on top of the sump, however the top of the sump is not flat or even one solid piece. It just rests on the edges of the sump and the dividers for the sump. There are 5 dividers inside that go to the top of the sump which each support the tank every foot or so, aside from the side of the sump and back there is no other support other than the thin sump dividers. When I had the tank empty for polishing I could see the bottom of the tank sags between each divider, you can feel it with your hand. The back of the tank also has a little bow to it. Now this tells me two things, either Acrylic is really flexible or my tank is about to pop. It's an older system I got used, he had it setup the exact same way for years - so I am not really concerned at all.
I'll try to go back and read the entire thread but just wanted to add this.
