Floating Base Tanks

[tapscrew]

What are the fors and against of tanks with a floating base? I am after getting a new tank, I have seen a 4 footer without a floating base for under £100, are this type inferior or what? Advice please - dont want to make a costly mistake!

 

[Swart Skaap]

what exactly is a Floting Base Tank?

 

[tapscrew]

what exactly is a Floting Base Tank?

Well, slight typo there - meant floating base tank! The base of the tank doesn't touch the floor, because the sides of the tank come down about an inch lower. No wonder I hadno replies- no one knows what the hell I'm on about!

 

[Dorkhedeos]

arent all glass tanks like that? i thought that only acrylic tanks didnt need a frame so the bottom of the tank could touch the stand. did you tap on the walls of the tank to see if they were the same material? the one that doesnt have the frame might be an acrylic tank and the one with might be a glass

 

[windsor-aquatic]

Although a floating base is the widely accepted method of tank construction in the US and Canada, it's not used so frequently in the UK. The most common method here is to construct the tank with the front, back and side panels sitting on the base glass. It's important to realise that this method of construction requires that the tank is sat on a layer of polystyrene of 19mm to 25mm thick for the larger tanks.

 

[Torrean]

Is the purpose of "floating base" tanks to prevent a piece of gravel or other crud from getting between the stand and glass and causing a single point of pressure cracking the glass. Or is it just generally stronger. I've wondered why they would build them this way