Too Heavy?

[garybuk]

Hey im new to the forum! i have had my tropical fish tank a quite some time now! started off keeping mollys,platys ect got board moved on the angel fish got a set ov them breeding ! now moved on to cichlids!! but my concern is i dont have much rockery or hideing places for them!

i went out yesterday and brought alod ov slate but this slate is bid and heavy and now im worryed is it too heavy for my fish tank will it crack the bottom ov the tank?? also what if it moves n cracks the side ov my tank! i really dont want 150l ov water everyware and dead fish so hear i am asking for your peoples advice! and any advice is welcome and very greatfull! thanks in advaced Gary

 

[Dave Spencer]

This should put your mind at rest:

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgEwEiTyYcs

I put tons of rocks in my tanks with no problems. I guess you just need to make sure they cant shift about.

Dave.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

What size tank is it going in and what thickness is the glass?

I have quite a lot of slate in my 160l tank and that is only 4mm glass. So far no cracks.

Some things you want to make sure of are:
There are no stress points on the glass. IE you dont have the weight of a whole stack of slate pushing down on one small section of glass. To help spread the weight you can put a peice of "egg crate" (the plastic grid stuff that covers light fittings in offices) on the base of the tank, then arrange you slate on this and add substrate around it to cover it up. This spreads the weight of the slate and stops any stress points forming on the glass.

With regards to the slate falling over you could arrange the slate out of the tank and stick it together with either superglue or aquarium safe silicon.

 

[garybuk]

This should put your mind at rest:

[URL="http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgEwEiTyYcs"]http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgEwEiTyYcs[/URL]

I put tons of rocks in my tanks with no problems. I guess you just need to make sure they cant shift about.

Dave.

ahh nice one mate! but mine has 150l ov water too? ? ? i seen lots ov rock in fish display tanks i sopose it is ok but your mind makes you think! thanks for the reply and great website!

 

[garybuk]

What size tank is it going in and what thickness is the glass?

I have quite a lot of slate in my 160l tank and that is only 4mm glass. So far no cracks.

Some things you want to make sure of are:
There are no stress points on the glass. IE you dont have the weight of a whole stack of slate pushing down on one small section of glass. To help spread the weight you can put a peice of "egg crate" (the plastic grid stuff that covers light fittings in offices) on the base of the tank, then arrange you slate on this and add substrate around it to cover it up. This spreads the weight of the slate and stops any stress points forming on the glass.

With regards to the slate falling over you could arrange the slate out of the tank and stick it together with either superglue or aquarium safe silicon.

im not sure on the thinkness but its the juwel 150l tank? or 120l i cant rember, i have water in my tank allready its all set up i just wana add the slate! iv got some ov the aquarium safe silicon! just really worried! as anyone would be i sopose??? have you got a pic of how much slate you got in yours?

edit: im inpressed with the fast replys!

 

[garybuk]

i just messurd my fish tank and got this

You provided measurements in inches:
Width: 47" (119.38cm)
Height: 17" (43.18cm)
Depth: 16" (40.64cm)
Your tank's volume is approximately 12784 cubic inches or 55.34 U.S. gallons, which is approximately 215.28 liters.

maybe i am wrong i thort my tank was 120l / 150l

 

[DarkEntity]

Just as a side note, you said you "brought" slate, where did you get it from? You have to be really careful in lifting slate from quarry's etc. Some of it isnt suitable for tanks.....or did you mean you "bought" it?

 

[garybuk]

Just as a side note, you said you "brought" slate, where did you get it from? You have to be really careful in lifting slate from quarry's etc. Some of it isnt suitable for tanks.....or did you mean you "bought" it?

Hey im no good with spellings as you already gatherd! i got it from a fish shop but it was made for ponds??? does this matter? im going give them a jetwash befor i put them in the tank! if im brave enuff to put them in

 

[SJ2K]

Course it'll be fine quik scrub and enjoy, pics would be nice!

 

[xxBarneyxx]

have you got a pic of how much slate you got in yours?

edit: im inpressed with the fast replys!

You tank is around the same size as my planted tank. Couple of photos below of the slate in mine when I was setting it up. I have pvc pipe under them to create caves but its quite a lot of slate. I just haveing it sitting on the substrate, not stuck together. If I had big fish I would stick them together but as it is i just made sure everythig was quite solid.

 

[garybuk]

thats nice! but my slate is way bigger then that lol! ill try get some pics of my slate and my tank and post it hear!

 

[chr15_8]

any help?

more pics in my journal.

tank is 185 litres.

chris

 

[xxBarneyxx]

any help?

more pics in my journal.

tank is 185 litres.

chris

That does look like at least 10mm glass though. I wouldn't want to put that much weight in a tank with 4mm glass. Thsat being said though they can take quite a lot of weight if it is spread out evenly.

 

[chr15_8]

its about 8mm.

but it dont make a difference tbh.

the tank sits on a flat surface. which is more important imo. the base the tank sits on is around 16mm.

im more worried about the stand collapsing (tbh im not worried at all about the stand collapsing as its very sturdy)


edit: none of the slat is glued/attached to each other


chris

 

[garybuk]

that is nice! i see that when searching thur google im sure i did!!

well hears a few ov mine !!! best ov luck me

now the slate!

(Testing in the back gardon)

( thats kinda showing how big it is )

right sorry for the crap pics ill going look for my digi cam now!