plecostomus-mad
Fish Addict
how much weight can you put on the aquarium floor? does it need to be spaced out? should i put egg crate under it? my glass is 6mm i think.
How Much Weight Can A Fish Tank Bottom Hold Safley?
- Thread starter plecostomus-mad
- Start date
Bebobb
You can't get like me
Oldman might be able to help you here. But I also think that if the tank is built to hold water (heavy) then I think it should be able to hold rocks...
OP
OP
plecostomus-mad
Fish Addict
lol, i want a natural look, fake may look good but i know its fake, and that will bug me.i was going to do a fake rock background but again, the word fakeBuy resin rock (fake stuff), its lightweight and you dont have to worry
maybe....
BUT the amount of pressure already on the glass ie:a 200l tank holds 200kg of water....plus 30-40kg of rock and 20kg of substrate means that bearing down on that glass is 260kg.
hunter001
Fish Fanatic
Buy resin rock (fake stuff), its lightweight and you dont have to worry
Thats ok, but Its usually way more expensive than using the real stuff. Id consider it if it was cheaper as they tend to displace less water so you keep the volume of your tank closer to the original size.
It should be fine as long as the tanks supported properly underneath. I would use some egg crate underneath the substrate though to spread the weight over a larger area and you should be able to stack the rocks easier on it (depending on what your using)
demasonisrule
Fishaholic
I have tons of rock in my mbuna tank, and with egg crate on the bottom, it held up just fine 
Ryandsimmons
Fish Fanatic
lol, i want a natural look, fake may look good but i know its fake, and that will bug me.i was going to do a fake rock background but again, the word fakeBuy resin rock (fake stuff), its lightweight and you dont have to worry
maybe....
BUT the amount of pressure already on the glass ie:a 200l tank holds 200kg of water....plus 30-40kg of rock and 20kg of substrate means that bearing down on that glass is 260kg.
Not really. The substrate and rocks displace the water, so depending ion the density of the substrate you could have 15kg of gravel that uses 10 litres of volume. Thus the net effect of the gravel only adds 5kgs not 15 to the tank. Same as a large rock may weigh 20kg, but displace 10 litres of water. In a 200l tank therefore you'd have:
200kg if just water
220 if water with 15kg of gravel and a 20 kg rock. (rather than 235kg)
if your tank is a manufactured tank and not hand built, these things are taken into account. It should be fine.
OP
OP
plecostomus-mad
Fish Addict
is there a difference? mine is glass and silicone, so im guessing its hand made, if i look close i can just make out clamp marks on the sides of the tank on the silicone.
this is true, it did slip my mind.lol but still the theory only saves 15kg so still alot of weight.lol, i want a natural look, fake may look good but i know its fake, and that will bug me.i was going to do a fake rock background but again, the word fakeBuy resin rock (fake stuff), its lightweight and you dont have to worry
maybe....
BUT the amount of pressure already on the glass ie:a 200l tank holds 200kg of water....plus 30-40kg of rock and 20kg of substrate means that bearing down on that glass is 260kg.
Not really. The substrate and rocks displace the water, so depending ion the density of the substrate you could have 15kg of gravel that uses 10 litres of volume. Thus the net effect of the gravel only adds 5kgs not 15 to the tank. Same as a large rock may weigh 20kg, but displace 10 litres of water. In a 200l tank therefore you'd have:
200kg if just water
220 if water with 15kg of gravel and a 20 kg rock. (rather than 235kg)
kaivalagi
Fish Herder
Take a look at this: http
/www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgEwEiTyYcs
/www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgEwEiTyYcs
if it was handmade, i doubt its been as rigorously tested as a manufactured.
OP
OP
plecostomus-mad
Fish Addict
lol thats a lot of rocks.i dont think i need to be that worried.lolTake a look at this: http
chrisbassist
Fish Addict
It will also depend on the size of the tank... what is the width X legth?
most tanks also tend to have a double thickness (or 2 layers) on the bottom.
If you a small area on the bottom, it will be able to take more weight than a larger area with the same thickness of glass.
Also, all this about spreading the weight evenly... Technically, you're best off putting more weight around the places the tank is supported. Which on mine is everywhere underneath... but in some case it may only be supported at the sides. in which case the weight will put less stress on the glass when placed closer to the edges.
if you fancy some confusing reading try this:
http/www.fnzas.org.nz/index.php?PG=glass1
most tanks also tend to have a double thickness (or 2 layers) on the bottom.
If you a small area on the bottom, it will be able to take more weight than a larger area with the same thickness of glass.
Also, all this about spreading the weight evenly... Technically, you're best off putting more weight around the places the tank is supported. Which on mine is everywhere underneath... but in some case it may only be supported at the sides. in which case the weight will put less stress on the glass when placed closer to the edges.
if you fancy some confusing reading try this:
http
/www.fnzas.org.nz/index.php?PG=glass1
chrisbassist
Fish Addict
just watched that vid
and i'd just like to point out that they use a tempered glass tank.
they don't normally use tempered glass in fish tanks. even though tempered glass is about 7 times stronger. because when tempered glass breaks, it shatters, but when the standard glass in most tanks break, it breaks in a predictable way, normally starting with a crack, giving you time to empty the tank, and rehome the fish temporarily while you get a new tank set up.
so don't look at the vid and think you're perfectly fine (which you stillmight be) instead divide the total weight applied there by 7, and you'll have a weight that the same size tank made from standard glass will safely take.
and i'd just like to point out that they use a tempered glass tank.
they don't normally use tempered glass in fish tanks. even though tempered glass is about 7 times stronger. because when tempered glass breaks, it shatters, but when the standard glass in most tanks break, it breaks in a predictable way, normally starting with a crack, giving you time to empty the tank, and rehome the fish temporarily while you get a new tank set up.
so don't look at the vid and think you're perfectly fine (which you stillmight be) instead divide the total weight applied there by 7, and you'll have a weight that the same size tank made from standard glass will safely take.
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