ollyhtafc
Fish Crazy
Is this really true? I just bought a new 20 gallon and was planning to put it on my desk.But apparently i should place it on something else (any ideas?) as the dust causes pressure to be unevenly distibuted?
A Speck Of Dust Can Crack A Tank?
- Thread starter ollyhtafc
- Start date
luque
Fishaholic
imo thats just being paranoid 
people have theirs on their desks,, id go for it
people have theirs on their desks,, id go for it
doresy
Sometimes Right, Sometimes Wrong but ALWAYS certai
Firstly what type of floor does your tank have? If it is a suspended floor type (has a bottom rim with the floor about 12mm off the ground) then you do not have to put anything under it providing the rim sits on a flat surface and is supported all round.
However, if the floor is flat from edge to edge then you MUST place something between the cabinet and tank. Use something like polystyrene ceiling tiles or the proper thing from your LFS.
A speck of dust may not do it but a grain of sand under it very much could. If a tank floor has scratches from gravel or decorations then a grain of sand directly under it could crack the floor the same way as a glass cutter
However, if the floor is flat from edge to edge then you MUST place something between the cabinet and tank. Use something like polystyrene ceiling tiles or the proper thing from your LFS.
A speck of dust may not do it but a grain of sand under it very much could. If a tank floor has scratches from gravel or decorations then a grain of sand directly under it could crack the floor the same way as a glass cutter
ollyhtafc
Fish Crazy
Damn PetsAtHome people making me paranoid! 'Pinpoints' of pressure apparently.
It's just a clearseal 20gallon so i presume it rests directly on the tabletop.From what i can see anyway.
Dammit.More things to buy.Could i just use an old towel?
It's just a clearseal 20gallon so i presume it rests directly on the tabletop.From what i can see anyway.
Dammit.More things to buy.Could i just use an old towel?
doresy
Sometimes Right, Sometimes Wrong but ALWAYS certai
If you can't get a couple of quids worth of polystyrene and do the job right then why are you starting out in a hobby that demands a few basic rules that if ignored will cost you later on.
Your tank
and you asked 
Nim
Fish Crazy
Most fish shops sell polystyrene sheets of 1SQFT for 50p. If you really want something cheaper for a much larger tank then get some ceiling tiles from b&q and use them.
Nim
Nim
ollyhtafc
Fish Crazy
If you can't get a couple of quids worth of polystyrene and do the job right then why are you starting out in a hobby that demands a few basic rules that if ignored will cost you later on.
Your tank
I'm a student and i like my hobby.I've just spent £70 on more sand, new tank and a new filter. That's nearly my monthly budget.But i did it because i like my hobby and i want the fish i currently keep to have as good life as possible.
If i can use a cheaper alternative, one that i have to hand, rather than spending yet more money on something then what's the harm if it'll work as well? (which was my question.)
I appreciate your help but i found your tone rude.
Thanks.
Mikaila31
Always Watching
My 20 gal sits on a desk. It is uneven too with the back half and inch high than the front. The tank really a glass terrarium that I filled with water and it is covered in dust and has lots of scratches. I've never even thought about it breaking.Nim
Fish Crazy
Ok. A clearseal bare tank say 60L would be applying 60kg of pressure on its base (weight of water). Now if you had an uneven table surface or not a spec of dust but a couple of MM piece of rock or dust or anything between the glass and the wooden table top, the pressure of water applying on the glass inside the tank can become uneven or this 60kg of pressure would be tilted to a corner of a 6mm glass which could crack.
But it is purely your choice if you want to risk 70 quid worth of equipment, A water logged keyboard or a PC, a soaked carpet and most of all dead fish to save £2?
Thats similar to the Northern rock business plan.
Nim
But it is purely your choice if you want to risk 70 quid worth of equipment, A water logged keyboard or a PC, a soaked carpet and most of all dead fish to save £2?
Thats similar to the Northern rock business plan.
Nim
doresy
Sometimes Right, Sometimes Wrong but ALWAYS certai
[/quote]
I've just spent £70 on more sand, new tank and a new filter.
I appreciate your help but i found your tone rude.
Thanks.
[/quote]
All the more reason to spend a couple of more £'s on the proper thing.
What I find rude are people coming on the forum asking a question then after I take the time to give (IMO) a detailed answer, I not only get no thanks but 'can't I use a towel'
I don't question your equipment or what it cost but was merely suggesting that another £2 more' wisely spent would, like many things in fishkeeping, save you and your fish a lot of bother later on.
Tell you what, take the advice of the member that has a tank on an uneven desk, covered in dust and scratches. Obviously more helpful to you than me
Oh BTW...... is not rude...... 
is Lighten up student
I've just spent £70 on more sand, new tank and a new filter.
I appreciate your help but i found your tone rude.
Thanks.
[/quote]
All the more reason to spend a couple of more £'s on the proper thing.
What I find rude are people coming on the forum asking a question then after I take the time to give (IMO) a detailed answer, I not only get no thanks but 'can't I use a towel'
I don't question your equipment or what it cost but was merely suggesting that another £2 more' wisely spent would, like many things in fishkeeping, save you and your fish a lot of bother later on.
Tell you what, take the advice of the member that has a tank on an uneven desk, covered in dust and scratches. Obviously more helpful to you than me
Oh BTW......
is not rude...... is Lighten up student ollyhtafc
Fish Crazy
I didn't shun your advice.I asked if i could use an alternative. If no-one ever tried anything different then nothing would ever change.
I found it rude that you were questioning wether or not i should be starting out in this hobby, simply based on me asking if i could find a cheaper (and more readily available) alternative. There's a saying; "there's more than one way to skin a cat".
Like i've said, i appreciate you're help, and what you're saying makes sense.
I found it rude that you were questioning wether or not i should be starting out in this hobby, simply based on me asking if i could find a cheaper (and more readily available) alternative. There's a saying; "there's more than one way to skin a cat".
Like i've said, i appreciate you're help, and what you're saying makes sense.
ollyhtafc
Fish Crazy
Thanks for the advice to all in this thread-i'll use polystyrene roof tiles to put under my tank.
Doresy-i apologise. I admit to have been a little annoyed when i read your post, i obviously misenterpreted what you said.
I'm annoyed as i've just got the new tank to my room and it fits on my desk, but with about an inch of room either side (one side is my pc.) and that's just not safe in my opinion.
I'll have to save the tank for next year if i get a bigger flat
and make do with my little 10g.
Doresy-i apologise. I admit to have been a little annoyed when i read your post, i obviously misenterpreted what you said.
I'm annoyed as i've just got the new tank to my room and it fits on my desk, but with about an inch of room either side (one side is my pc.) and that's just not safe in my opinion.
I'll have to save the tank for next year if i get a bigger flat
and make do with my little 10g.
doresy
Sometimes Right, Sometimes Wrong but ALWAYS certai
Thanks for the advice to all in this thread-i'll use polystyrene roof tiles to put under my tank.
Doresy-i apologise. I admit to have been a little annoyed when i read your post, i obviously misenterpreted what you said.
I'm annoyed as i've just got the new tank to my room and it fits on my desk, but with about an inch of room either side (one side is my pc.) and that's just not safe in my opinion.
I'll have to save the tank for next year if i get a bigger flat
No problem, us Southern oldies have skin like a rino. Hey if your desk can take the weight and you use some polystyrene under your tank then you'll be fine. As far as your PC being right next to it then just drape that old towel you were on about over it when ever you have the top of the tank open
Go for it
and good night
fourthtimelucky
Fish Crazy
If your tank overhangs the desk and you're really worried then you can get a piece of wood / worksurface offcut etc the right size and sit that on top of the desk, then put the tank on that.
In terms of guarding against pressure points:
Pets@Home sell Tetra aquarium mats for a couple of quid. Probably not that much more than buying three or four polysterene tiles as you might have to buy a whole box of them.
A towel / carpet offcut would be better than nothing.
Or if you have an old foam roll mat (the type you sleep on when you're camping) then you could cut that to size, that would be ideal.
It's very easy to misread 'tone of voice' on forums... especially when people are in different time zones and countries... so I thought I would mention I type all this with a friendly, helpful smile on my face!
In terms of guarding against pressure points:
Pets@Home sell Tetra aquarium mats for a couple of quid. Probably not that much more than buying three or four polysterene tiles as you might have to buy a whole box of them.
A towel / carpet offcut would be better than nothing.
Or if you have an old foam roll mat (the type you sleep on when you're camping) then you could cut that to size, that would be ideal.
It's very easy to misread 'tone of voice' on forums... especially when people are in different time zones and countries... so I thought I would mention I type all this with a friendly, helpful smile on my face!
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