RD. Posted January 13, 2006 Report Share Posted January 13, 2006 Chris - try pulling your stand out from the wall a few inches, then check to see if it sits level. Is your tank flat bottom, or is the glass bottom recessed? Are there center braces on the bottom, such as in All-Glass designed tanks? http://www.all-glass.com/products/aquariums/index.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted January 13, 2006 Report Share Posted January 13, 2006 Are aquariums at Pisces, All-Glass-Aquariums? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canucklehead Posted January 13, 2006 Report Share Posted January 13, 2006 The foam can also compensate for any irregularities in the top of your stand, especially helpful if you build your own stands. I put 1/2" insulation under my tanks and also mount the background on the same stuff and attach it to the back, heaters dont come on as much and the tank stays at a more constant temp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finaddict Posted January 13, 2006 Report Share Posted January 13, 2006 (edited) If the floor is out to much maybe try difffrent location? we also used a few peices of carpet underlay in the front of our 45g to level it a bit.... How much is it out? how big is the set up? I thought u needed something underneath glass. sorry if i misundersttod the post Edited January 13, 2006 by finaddict Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmith Posted January 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2006 Currently I have a 40g (12" front to back) and I'm replacing that with a 90g this weekend. Right now the 40g is up against the wall (out enough for AC500's) and the water at the back is about 1/4" higher than the water at the front. Unfortunately, b/c the 90g is already going to stick out 6" extra I really can't affort to pull it away from the wall much, and, that's the only place for a tank to go. I assume, but haven't checked yet, that by sticking out further from the wall the slope will be worse. I thought u needed something underneath glass. sorry if i misundersttod the post No, you were right on finaddict. I asked about foam b/c my understanding was that that's the common way, apart from shimming the stand, to help level a tank. However, I do realize that just because something is common doesn't mean it's best for the tank. That said, if no one else has experienced problems that must count for something. (Though I don't want to be the first.) Are there center braces on the bottom, such as in All-Glass designed tanks? This tank does have the centre brace and recessed glass. At least I can definitely use the foam to insulate the back and I do have extra carpet and underlay around to use under the stand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD. Posted January 13, 2006 Report Share Posted January 13, 2006 Ok, I thought that perhaps the stand was right up against the wall, and the edge of the wall/floor might be causing the issue. Obviously that's not the case. If it was me, I'd shim the stand, and not count on foam to level the tank. I'm not sure how big of an issue 1/4" front-back is, perhaps not much at all, I honestly don't know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Majestic_Aquariums Posted January 13, 2006 Report Share Posted January 13, 2006 No, do not use the foam to compensate for an un-level stand...level it as best as possible, and try to have as much support (shims) as possible to avoid sag in your stand. Then, if you wish, you can use the foam to compensate for any slight shifting, ect. in the stand over time. Dimensional lumber-ie:2X4's for instance WILL shrink in time as they dry to the humidity levels in your home. If you have ugly shim spots in front of your tank, you can probably buy a molding from a DIY center to hide this. Hope I don't sound like a broken record, as other's have stated this as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD. Posted January 13, 2006 Report Share Posted January 13, 2006 The master has spoken ...... :bow: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Majestic_Aquariums Posted January 13, 2006 Report Share Posted January 13, 2006 Oh please now..that's just crazy dude! :bang1: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsmith Posted January 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2006 No, do not use the foam to compensate for an un-level stand...level it as best as possible, and try to have as much support (shims) as possible to avoid sag in your stand. Then, if you wish, you can use the foam to compensate for any slight shifting, ect. in the stand over time. So you think foam is okay under the tank? The master is confusing me . What about the idea of cutting it to fit the frame? At least that way I can feel like I didn't waste it. What do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunl Posted January 13, 2006 Report Share Posted January 13, 2006 No problem with a flat bottom tank, but with a floating bottom tank when the outside edges compress that 1" foam to next to nothing, the rest of the foam will be pushing up on the glass. I've yet to see an All-Glass tank with foam under it, and the manufacturer certainly doesn't recommend it. I still don't see how this is going to happen with 10lb/gallon water pushing down on the glass? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD. Posted January 14, 2006 Report Share Posted January 14, 2006 If the foam only compresses on the outer edges (on an All-Glass tank) the rest of the foam sheet will be pushing upwards, directly on the center brace/braces. While this may or may not cause any long term damage from stress on those braces, it's certainly not required, nor is it something that All-Glass recommends. Their tanks are designed to be supported directly on a flat wooden base, along the outer edges. If you take a look at the 125 at the local Petland, you'll see how they are supported. Adding 'extra' foam in the center portion of the tank, won't accomplish anything (even if the entire stand base is layered in plywood), and could possibly cause the manufacturer to void their warranty if any issues come up within the warranty period. (1 year for All-Glass) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snaggle Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 I thought that if you where adding foam to a raised bottom tank that you would cut it to fit in side the frame and the glass would just rest on it. It is putt in there to support the bottom of larger tanks to avoid the bottom collapsing. As for having the centre brace in the bottom of the tank, I would just cut away at the foam to fit around it. Brad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD. Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 You couldn't collapse a tank bottom with excess weight if your life depended on it. With a large sharp rock creating a severe pressure point, yes, but never from weight alone. The link below shows a 240 gallon with 1100 pounds worth of rocks in it, and I don't see any foam under it. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v627/Fis...dy/100_1043.jpg Different set ups may require different methods, but I've yet to hear or read of a manufacturer that uses raised bottoms (such as All-Glass) suggest placing foam under the tank, for extra support, or for leveling a tank base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arixonbarnes Posted January 19, 2006 Report Share Posted January 19, 2006 Most of the old tanks, framed or all glass, did not have any or hardly any clearance on the bottom glass. A small piece of aquarium gravel, if caught under the tank during placement of the tank, could cause enough pressure to crack the bottom glass. A piece of foam under the tank would allow the gravel to sink into the foam without putting any pressure on the glass. The new tanks all seem to be be built up of the ground. To ensure that a tank is even, even if the stand warps, I place a piece of 3/4" plywood, cut to size, under each of my glass tanks. That way the tank will always be level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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