To Styro or Not to Styro?

[TwistedPenguin]

Oh great, doesn't sound promising. My brother replaced his the day after it broke out the bottom pane, used styrofoam and it's been set up now 8 or 9 yrs with no problem. We made the stand out of 2 x 6's for ours, the stand at the store was made of 1 x 6's and I didn't feel comfortable with that. It's 1/2" glass but I think it's the height that makes them more prone to failure. I'll never get a tank this tall again.

 

[dogofwar]

I use foam under nearly all of my 40+ tanks and especially the big ones.

My stands are all of the cinder block and 2x4 variety, so they're probably not as level as store-bought ones.

I've never had a tank break when I used foam under it (in this fish room or prior ones)...and I've had tanks bust/leak when I didn't use it.

I bought enough foam for my fishroom from Home Depot for probably $30-40...less than the cost of a single tank.

 

[LemonHead]

I haven't used any styrofoam, but on my 5'x2' tank I'll be using yoga mats underneath it.
Its going on a stand I built out of 2x4's. I hope this helps. As for me, I am still nervous

I like this discussion. Very useful

 

[12 Volt Man]

Here is a current list from aqueonproducts.com

pretty much everything over 37 gallons has a tempered bottom now:

Aquarium Dime nsi ons Empt y Full Tempere d
Size L x W x H* Weight Weight Bott om​

2. Mini 123⁄​

​

16 x 61⁄8 x 81⁄8 2.6 27 No
5. 163⁄16 x 83⁄8 x 10. 7 62 No
10 Leader 20. x 10. x 129/16 11 111 No
15 24. x 12. x 12. 21 170 No
15 High 20. x 10. x 18. 22 170 No
20 High 24. x 12. x 16. 25 225 No
20 Long 30. x 12. x 12. 25 225 No
25 24. x 12. x 20. 32 282 No
29 30. x 12. x 18. 40 330 No
30 36. x 125⁄8 x 16. 43 343 No
30 Breeder 363⁄16 x 18. x 1215⁄16 48 348 No
33 Long 48. x 12. x 133⁄8 46 382 No
37 30. x 12. x 22. 45 415 Yes
38 36. x 125⁄8 x 19. 47 427 Yes
40 Breeder 363⁄16 x 18. x 1615⁄16 58 458 No
40 Long 48. x 12. x 167⁄8 55 455 Yes
45 36. x 125⁄8 x 23. 69 515 Yes
50 363⁄8 x 183⁄8 x 19 68 600 Yes
55 48. x 12. x 21 78 625 Yes
65 363⁄8 x 183⁄8 x 25 90 775 Yes
75 48. x 18. x 211⁄8 98 785 Yes
90 48. x 18. x 253⁄8 135 1050 Yes
120 48. x 24. x 25. 191 1400 Yes
125 72. x 18. x 233⁄8 177 1400 Yes
150 72. x 18. x 29. 281 1800 Yes
180 72. x 24. x 255⁄8 282 2100 Yes​

210 72. x 24. x 295⁄8 343 2450 Yes

 

[SuperDave]

Hello All,

ok the type of foam I use, with me living in Germany, is only about 4mm thick and is already compressed pretty good. With my 570 Gallon Glass tank it compressed to about 2mm.
After leveling my Stand, and getting near perfect readings on my level. I filled up my tank. Once it started to settle the foam started to do its job, as with my tank it helped with the final leveling.
And the longer the tank is the harder it will be to get it leveled. My tank being around 10 feet long, and was only off 2mm it was pretty darn level, but it's near perfect now. That's allot of weight so i did not want to risk anything.

 

[rallysman]

I used foam under my acrylic 300 and I'm glad I did. As I go along the stand I see where it dips up and compresses. It keeps a flat bottom across the entire 8x2 platform. However, none of my glass tanks have styro under them.

 

[zennzzo]

I used foam under my acrylic 300 and I'm glad I did. As I go along the stand I see where it dips up and compresses. It keeps a flat bottom across the entire 8x2 platform. However, none of my glass tanks have styro under them.

You seem to have the most intelligent method and use for the foam...I like that reasoning.

 

[Pharaoh]

I used foam under my acrylic 300 and I'm glad I did. As I go along the stand I see where it dips up and compresses. It keeps a flat bottom across the entire 8x2 platform. However, none of my glass tanks have styro under them.

On an big acrylic, I would probably use foam too. But here is my thought. Just because the dips are there, does not necessarily mean that the tank is being support. Yes, the foam did not compress as much in that certain location, but is it really supporting the tank. In theory, the foam would have to be stronger/thicker in that location to offer the true support needed for a high spot.
For a simplistic explaination, that tank could still be off and the foam is just creating the illusion that it is aiding maintaining an eye view state of level.

What are everyones thoughts on that?

 

[Danger_Chicken]

EDIT: opps wrong thread

 

[12 Volt Man]

one thing I have wondered is this:

which is better: non tempered bottom or tempered bottom?

(if you are not drilling of course)?

my existing tanks do not have tempered glass anywhere.

my next tank, the Aqueon 150 gallon, will have a tempered bottom..

now, because I am not drilling, that is not a concern.

but which is better structurally, tempered or non-tempered?