Where Does A Glass Aquarium Need To Be Supported?

[wodesorel]

We got a second-hand 30 gallon (12in x 36in) glass aquarium, stand, and hood for $15 bucks. (Yay! I think...) The stand has since been painted and the tank has been checked for leaks (manufacture date of 1993). I was starting to fill it with water tonight so I could move over the fish from our established 20 gallon when I noticed that there is a considerable gap between the tank (the 36in ends) and the stand. The tank light is shining underneath the bottom rims of the tank, and the gap seems to be about 1cm wide. I can see the wall on the other side of the tank while looking between the bottom of the tank and surface of the stand. At some point the stand warped, but I'm not sure when.

Is this safe?

The tank makes solid contact on the short ends (12in) and for about the first 2in on either end of the long side (36in). I'm thinking it's not okay, but I had read something about glass aquariums only needing support on their corners, and that's what this technically has - all four corners firmly planted.

It's an odd-sized tank and finding a new stand would be hard. It is a true 30 gallon (12in x 36in), and NOT a 29 (12in x 30in), so it looks like in today's market it's considered a "custom" size? The one stand I came up with online is 100 bucks. Our budget is in the $10 range.

 

[K-Holed]

imo a tank should lie completey flat on any surface it is on. This can be aided by putting a sheet of polystyrene underneath it to even out any uneven surfaces.

 

[fatheadminnow]

If it was the other way around I would say it may be okay.

But not this way.

What you need to do is get a piece of plywood, or whatever kind of flat wood. Then cut it to the exact footprint of your tank, and put that wood on top of your stand.

-FHM

 

[wodesorel]

I like the plywood idea! Any idea how thick it would need to be to safely support the weight? We still have part of a 1/2 inch thick sheet left over from some project. I'm just ticked that I spent all that time painting the stand!

 

[Tolak]

That 1/2" plywood will work fine. It has enough compression strength to hold much more than your tank. It's basically being used to resurface the top of the stand to something level. I have 1/2" plywood under everything from 10's to 55's.

 

[Phantaz]

If the tank is tempered glass this is not a problem.

 

[shelaghfishface]

If the tank is tempered glass this is not a problem.

?? how does it being tempered glass stop weight being put on the seals when its not sitting flat??

 

[saz326]

You'know - not to hijack this thread - but Ive always wondered why the bottom of a tank is glass, and not solid, or glass ontop of plastic. I dont see why most tanks have gaps between the bottom glass and the top of the stand. Just seems to be there to aid in tank breakage (drop a rock on it and find out!)

 

[wodesorel]

Thank you!

We now have a new weekend project, to go along with about twenty others.

At least our gourami, who was supposed to max out at three inches and is currently creeping his way up to five, will be a bit less cramped in the 30 gal.

 

[fatheadminnow]

You'know - not to hijack this thread - but Ive always wondered why the bottom of a tank is glass, and not solid, or glass ontop of plastic. I dont see why most tanks have gaps between the bottom glass and the top of the stand. Just seems to be there to aid in tank breakage (drop a rock on it and find out!)

Glass is stronger than you think.

Glass wont break unless there is a huge amount of force on it, or if it is struck in a little concentrated area.

-FHM

 

[hollanda88]

You'know - not to hijack this thread - but Ive always wondered why the bottom of a tank is glass, and not solid, or glass ontop of plastic. I dont see why most tanks have gaps between the bottom glass and the top of the stand. Just seems to be there to aid in tank breakage (drop a rock on it and find out!)

Glass is stronger than you think.

Glass wont break unless there is a huge amount of force on it, or if it is struck in a little concentrated area.

-FHM

A friend at work ballanced an ocean rock on the side of a 60 gllon tank and it chipped the top, the chip then ran straight down to the base before anyone could run to the back of the shop. We did save all the fish and it didn't explode lucckily, otherwise we would have been knocked over from 60 gallons of watern falling on our heads lol

im so careful around tanks now

 

[leeandstacie]

We got a second-hand 30 gallon (12in x 36in) glass aquarium, stand, and hood for $15 bucks. (Yay! I think...) The stand has since been painted and the tank has been checked for leaks (manufacture date of 1993). I was starting to fill it with water tonight so I could move over the fish from our established 20 gallon when I noticed that there is a considerable gap between the tank (the 36in ends) and the stand. The tank light is shining underneath the bottom rims of the tank, and the gap seems to be about 1cm wide. I can see the wall on the other side of the tank while looking between the bottom of the tank and surface of the stand. At some point the stand warped, but I'm not sure when.

Is this safe?

The tank makes solid contact on the short ends (12in) and for about the first 2in on either end of the long side (36in). I'm thinking it's not okay, but I had read something about glass aquariums only needing support on their corners, and that's what this technically has - all four corners firmly planted.

It's an odd-sized tank and finding a new stand would be hard. It is a true 30 gallon (12in x 36in), and NOT a 29 (12in x 30in), so it looks like in today's market it's considered a "custom" size? The one stand I came up with online is 100 bucks. Our budget is in the $10 range.

Maybe being a bit stupid but have you put a level to the stand without a tank on
It could be that you just need to adjust the feet / legs of the stand or need to reposition it on the floor

Cheers

 

[fatheadminnow]

We got a second-hand 30 gallon (12in x 36in) glass aquarium, stand, and hood for $15 bucks. (Yay! I think...) The stand has since been painted and the tank has been checked for leaks (manufacture date of 1993). I was starting to fill it with water tonight so I could move over the fish from our established 20 gallon when I noticed that there is a considerable gap between the tank (the 36in ends) and the stand. The tank light is shining underneath the bottom rims of the tank, and the gap seems to be about 1cm wide. I can see the wall on the other side of the tank while looking between the bottom of the tank and surface of the stand. At some point the stand warped, but I'm not sure when.

Is this safe?

The tank makes solid contact on the short ends (12in) and for about the first 2in on either end of the long side (36in). I'm thinking it's not okay, but I had read something about glass aquariums only needing support on their corners, and that's what this technically has - all four corners firmly planted.

It's an odd-sized tank and finding a new stand would be hard. It is a true 30 gallon (12in x 36in), and NOT a 29 (12in x 30in), so it looks like in today's market it's considered a "custom" size? The one stand I came up with online is 100 bucks. Our budget is in the $10 range.

Maybe being a bit stupid but have you put a level to the stand without a tank on
It could be that you just need to adjust the feet / legs of the stand or need to reposition it on the floor

Cheers

If you set up a tank on carpet, this will most likely not work as well as you want.

With the tank off, it is a good time to level the stand, but once you add the tank and all the water, hundreds of pounds are added to the stand, and on carpet, the stand will work its way down into the carpet, and usually became un-level after all is done and said.

-FHM

 

[Tolak]

Leveling stands & tanks on carpeting is a pain. Best you can do is level it, fill it 1/3, and recheck. If it's out of level remember by how much, drain, shim, and start again. When it's level at 1/3 full, fill to 2/3, check and repeat.

As far as gaps between the tank & stand, I figure if I can fit a matchbook cover under the tank for more than a couple of inches the stand needs adjustment. This applies mostly to larger tanks, with 10 gallons & under you can get by with considerably less.

 

[keenonfish]

You'know - not to hijack this thread - but Ive always wondered why the bottom of a tank is glass, and not solid, or glass ontop of plastic. I dont see why most tanks have gaps between the bottom glass and the top of the stand. Just seems to be there to aid in tank breakage (drop a rock on it and find out!)

If the bottom of a tank were to ly flat on a surface and there was the smallest bit of gravel or something under that bit of glass the result of filling the tank or even just resting initally would be unthinkable. That is why there is a gap.