Gap Under New Tank

[ianfarn]

Hello All,

I have a new 50 gallon long tank that I just filled with water. The tank has a black frame around the bottom of the tank so the glass does not sit on the stand. The tank sits on what I thought was a flat 5 foot long stand/drawer. If I look under the tank I can see that the black frame is only touching to the stand surface in about 5 points. Each corner and one point in the middle. I can run a piece of paper under the black frame most of the way round. Does this matter? Should I place the tank on a large cardboard or polystyrene sheet? Does the black frame have a metal insert?

I'd like to avoid a flood or else the wife will end my fish keeping hobby!

Thanks

Ian.

 

[Philuk]

personally i would put a polystyrene sheet underneath to help disperse the weight. someone else might say otherwise tho.

 

[fluttermoth]

You shouldn't use polystyrene under tanks with floating bases.

You should have something else under the tank, but not cardboard; you need something much stronger; marine ply or something like that.

There's no metal in the frame (at least on the makes of tanks I'm familiar with); it's there to hold the glass away from the surface to negate the need for polysytyrene.

 

[Philuk]

does he not mean that in the middle of the black bit there is a gap between the solid base and the bottom of the tank? I might of read it wrong..

 

[fluttermoth]

I think you've read it wrong, phil! The OP does say between the the black frame and the stand surface

 

[doresy]

Firstly do NOT put any soft material under the tank!!!!!!

The black lower lip of the tank is designed to sit flat on a hard surface. The fact that yours is only touching in a few places would suggest that the stand you are using does not have a true flat top.

I would suggest a proper stand designed for your tank or get a 1" thick wooden board or better still, a piece of kitchen work top (slightly bigger footprint than the tank) and place that between the stand and tank. ASAP!

An unsupported tank may twist and crack, especially when water changing

 

[joefish72]

Hello All,

I have a new 50 gallon long tank that I just filled with water. The tank has a black frame around the bottom of the tank so the glass does not sit on the stand. The tank sits on what I thought was a flat 5 foot long stand/drawer. If I look under the tank I can see that the black frame is only touching to the stand surface in about 5 points. Each corner and one point in the middle. I can run a piece of paper under the black frame most of the way round. Does this matter? Should I place the tank on a large cardboard or polystyrene sheet? Does the black frame have a metal insert?

I'd like to avoid a flood or else the wife will end my fish keeping hobby!

Thanks

Ian.

This is not an issue at all since the tank touches on both sides and the middle. There is a good chance your base is fine and the black ring around the tank is not even. Most tanks today are mass produced and that plastic ring around the tank is meant to keep the sides from bowing out and also keep the edges of the glass from getting chipped.

I repair tanks all the time and I also build bases and I assure you the tank is fine. Most of the tanks I deal with are over 100 gallons and to date I've never had one leak, break, or fail in any way. In addition I keep several smaller tanks on racks and they all have gaps in spots around the base. I also know people who put 20 gallon long tanks on bases that leave both of the short sides hanging over the edge by about 2 inches (these are cheap tanks too) and they have no issues.

 

[OldMan47]

I'm afraid that I must agree with Doresy here. The black plastic that is designed to keep the bottom off the base is also designed to transmit the weight of the water through the plastic to a stand. If the stand is basically missing around much of the perimeter, you are trying to carry all of that water weight on the few points that are making contact. Since we often over design tanks and similar things, it may last for a while that way but it is not a good situation for the long term. I have tanks that I have owned for over 30 years now and they have done fine with a simple contact around the perimeter, but I have 2 that were not that well supported that are on my to do list to repair.

 

[ianfarn]

Thanks Everyone for the advice.

I am going to find a new stand for the tank and ensure the surface is flat. I think that is the best option. The only other thing I could think of it putting a strip of polystyrene all the way round the tank so that the black plastic frame sits on that. I understand that I should not put a full tank size sheet under the tank but I thought it would be ok with just a strip around the perimeter. Does that seem like a bad idea?

Ian.