Best way to pad an aquarium?

[Andy Sager]

Whys there always that one person to put me off something I've already done...


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Well I responded as soon as I saw the post in the active threads area. Not my fault you got bad info first You could have asked professionals first instead of on here and you would have gotten better info (hopefully) before you spent the time doing what appears to be a nice pattern under the tank. But nice doesn't always save the furniture and that IS what you are trying to do isn't it?
FYI: I have tanks I am currently using ( 10 gals, 20 gals, 30 & 40 gals ) that are over 30 years old and all are still on pieces of Styro. Most have original silicone as well even tho the tanks were empty for almost 10 years. That must mean something.

 

[Brookster123]

So he could still add a 1/4" foam board under the masterpiece? Save the trouble of peeling all that off there.

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[Andy Sager]

So he could still add a 1/4" foam board under the masterpiece? Save the trouble of peeling all that off there.

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I'd go a little thicker than 1/4" because of all those stickers. Standard polystyrene sheets at the local Home depot or Lowe's is either 5/8" or 3/4" would be a better thickness. Since the OP is in England, I don;t know what they have available there. Keep in mind, you are not dealing with a standard aquarium stand so there are no assurances that the piece is even level to start with. Glass is not forgiving.
As for removing the "decor" already there, it's best to have nothing between the glass and the styro. In theory, it shouldn't matter with a thicker foam pad. In reality, how much damage will be done to the piece of furniture if the theory is wrong? Is the OP willing to chance it?

 

[CCXGT]

Well:

It was fun while it lasted...

I'll get the stryofoam instead, I'm assuming to use silicone to glue it down?


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[Andy Sager]

I'll get the stryofoam instead, I'm assuming to use silicone to glue it down?
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No need to. Just lay the styro down, then the tank on top of it. The weight of the tank will keep it in place.
(You may want to put a towel or something thin and clean ( like brown wrapping paper NOT newspaper!!!! lol) under the styro to protect the finish on the furniture. Styro doesn't usually leave any marks but can get stuck to things like wax buildup from furniture polish. No sense going through doing it right then having something like furniture polish screw up your efforts.

 

[CCXGT]

Well at least there's one upside to this whole day:

The tank has never been cleaner :-/


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[Andy Sager]

Then it was all worth it. Right? lol

 

[Fresh2o]

I feel bad because I said it should be okay. But your tank looks very clean now.


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[CCXGT]

I feel bad because I said it should be okay. But your tank looks very clean now.


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Nah it doesn't matter, I've literally been home alone all day with absolutely nothing to do.

My hand is killing me after all that scrubbing.. THAT is your fault, haha


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[Andy Sager]

I feel bad because I said it should be okay. But your tank looks very clean now.

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Don't feel bad. It makes sense to think it's okay but the reality is, you need to know for sure something works before you advise that it can. I learned, the hard way and by the tank manufacturer we dealt with, that it isn't. I've cracked a few tanks in my day. That's why I don't crack them anymore.
FYI: The floating bottom molding was supposed to make tanks less likely to suffer stress cracks on the bottom glass. It's not 100% fail proof either. I use styro on those tanks too. If that molding cracks from age or wear or whatever, you are looking at a floor full of water.

 

[Fresh2o]

Thanks Andy! I looked back at my first post and I did mention a sheet of styrofoam. I guess I should have stuck to that. But this has been educational. Appreciate you chiming in. This is much better than a post down the road entitled "I just ruined my tank and floor because of crap advice I got on AA!"


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[fish wrangler]

Nah it doesn't matter, I've literally been home alone all day with absolutely nothing to do.

My hand is killing me after all that scrubbing.. THAT is your fault, haha


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When in doubt blame Fresh now...Lol jk Fresh

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[Andy Sager]

Thanks Andy! I looked back at my first post and I did mention a sheet of styrofoam. I guess I should have stuck to that. But this has been educational. Appreciate you chiming in. This is much better than a post down the road entitled "I just ruined my tank and floor because of crap advice I got on AA!"
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Absolutely. Just trying to help.
When you are in the business as long as I was, you hear about all those wonderful pieces of furniture that were ruined because they were NOT designed to hold a fish tank. I cracked the bottom of a 55 myself because I put it not exactly on top of the support leg of a home made bookshelf. Came home from school one day to squishy carpeting ( across the whole house. ) Expensive SW fish in 1" of water and really mad parents at the same time. Not a pretty picture to say the least. So I know, first hand, what the OP might face if this isn't done right.

I found out about the furniture polish buildup vs styro by accident. It's not in any book. I was taking a 30 gal tank off a customer's hands, who had it on styro on an antique table. The tank came off fine but the styro stuck. When we applied some pressure, the styro took some of the finish off with it. The guy said he knew he should have put something under the foam because had other things stick to that table after it was polished. Live and learn.

So now you know for the next time. No guessing necessary

 

[CCXGT]

WAKEY WAKEY!

Hello again.. Don't suppose there's any way of painting the styrofoam?


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[fish wrangler]

DONT use spray paint...it melts it.

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[BillD]

The styro can be painted with latex paint or probably even craft paint. Only the visible edges need to be done.
Andy has covered point loads from outside the tank, but, they can occur inside the tank as well. A rock sitting on a single grain of gravel can bust the bottom (a friend lost two this way). The very first all glass tanks, which originated in my home town in 1957, were built like the one in the picture, with no trim. After numerous broken bottoms from people setting the tank on a grain of gravel, a frame was added to lift the bottom.
I am a big fan of styro under tanks. However, it must be noted that styro will not help with level. It will aid with uneven surfaces, or those that aren't perfectly flat. Contrary to what is often stated on forums, it will also add support to the bottom glass, if there is no frame as in the tank in question, just as it does with an acrylic tank.

 

[CCXGT]

The styro can be painted with latex paint or probably even craft paint. Only the visible edges need to be done.
Andy has covered point loads from outside the tank, but, they can occur inside the tank as well. A rock sitting on a single grain of gravel can bust the bottom (a friend lost two this way). The very first all glass tanks, which originated in my home town in 1957, were built like the one in the picture, with no trim. After numerous broken bottoms from people setting the tank on a grain of gravel, a frame was added to lift the bottom.
I am a big fan of styro under tanks. However, it must be noted that styro will not help with level. It will aid with uneven surfaces, or those that aren't perfectly flat. Contrary to what is often stated on forums, it will also add support to the bottom glass, if there is no frame as in the tank in question, just as it does with an acrylic tank.

I'm not too worried about the decorations sitting on the sand since I'll be shaping the rocks and will be putting them in before the sand.


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[Andy Sager]

I am a big fan of styro under tanks. However, it must be noted that styro will not help with level. It will aid with uneven surfaces, or those that aren't perfectly flat. Contrary to what is often stated on forums, it will also add support to the bottom glass, if there is no frame as in the tank in question, just as it does with an acrylic tank.

Good point Bill. I may have used the word "Level" incorrectly. What I meant was that the tank wouldn't have any stress points on the glass from an uneven surface when using styro not necessarily that it would be "level" as in "Put a round object on the thing and it won;t move because it's level." Right now I have 7 tanks on a rack that is far from level but since they are on styro, you can see from the compression of the foam just how bad the level is. LOL But they have been there for over a year so I have no worries

Thanks for the correction

 

[PB_Smith]

The styro can be painted with latex paint or probably even craft paint. Only the visible edges need to be done.
Andy has covered point loads from outside the tank, but, they can occur inside the tank as well. A rock sitting on a single grain of gravel can bust the bottom (a friend lost two this way). The very first all glass tanks, which originated in my home town in 1957, were built like the one in the picture, with no trim. After numerous broken bottoms from people setting the tank on a grain of gravel, a frame was added to lift the bottom.
I am a big fan of styro under tanks. However, it must be noted that styro will not help with level. It will aid with uneven surfaces, or those that aren't perfectly flat. Contrary to what is often stated on forums, it will also add support to the bottom glass, if there is no frame as in the tank in question, just as it does with an acrylic tank.

after having a wet rock slip from my grasp and hit the bottom and hearing that distinct TINK! sound of cracking glass many, many years ago, I have always used something in the bottom of the tank if it's glass. Whether it be an undergravel filter plate, eggcrate, or sheet of corrugated plastic (my new fav), that way when I drop something the bottom is protected.

 

[CCXGT]

I've done some rummaging and found some Acrylic paint back from my school days.

This stuff should be fine, right?
I've used it on canvas before.


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