Is my stand going to give?

[CEverii]

So i've got my 75gal on an Iron stand that came with the aquarium bought off of craigslist. The tank has been on the stand for roughly 3 months filled with water and no issues yet. However I was inspecting it the other day and noticed that the stand is actually bowing inward toward the floor a little bit. Right in the center of the stand where the middle support beam is, it's bowing. The aquarium is not resting on the middle beam at all. It's bowed in probably 2-3cm. Will this cause a problem in the long run?

 

[underdog5004]

I wouldn't trust it. Even if the metal isn't actually bowing (but was previously bent), you want even support over the entire bottom frame of the tank. Uneven distribution of weight WILL lead to leaks or even broken glass :/

Some folk will put a layer of foam-type insulation underneath the tank to allow some "molding" between the tank and stand. The foam conforms to any dips/bows (to a point) and allows an even distribution of pressure on the bottom of the tank.

 

[CEverii]

*Sigh* I was afraid someone was going to say that. Im dreading having to move everything OUT of my tank, move it around, get a new stand for it, and put everything back into it again....such a process is not a fun one to do.

 

[mattrox]

... but much better than mopping water, broken glass and dead fish... Might even be exciting if you can get a good looking stand for the tank. An extreme make over, aquarium edition.

 

[jcarlilesiu]

Hmmm. I think it really depends on the tank.

I have a 150 gallon cube, and the inside of my stand at the top is open. I can see the bottom of the tank. The tank is built with a band around the perimeter which all of the weight sits on. Thus, my stand just as a ledge around the outside perimeter for the tank to sit on. When I open my stand, I see the glass bottom of the aquarium.

If your tank is built a similar way, I would be more concerned about weather the side panels of the stand are bowing which is causing the center brace to bow.

Does your tank evenly disperse its weight on the stand, is the bottom of the tank completely flat?

 

[TwoTank]

Hmmm. I think it really depends on the tank.

I have a 150 gallon cube, and the inside of my stand at the top is open. I can see the bottom of the tank. The tank is built with a band around the perimeter which all of the weight sits on. Thus, my stand just as a ledge around the outside perimeter for the tank to sit on. When I open my stand, I see the glass bottom of the aquarium.

If your tank is built a similar way, I would be more concerned about weather the side panels of the stand are bowing which is causing the center brace to bow.

Does your tank evenly disperse its weight on the stand, is the bottom of the tank completely flat?

Mine is built the same way; at first I was really nervous considering the 1200+ pounds of water, but thus far, nothing has happened. *Knocks on Wood*

 

[ccCapt]

The aquarium is not resting on the middle beam at all. It's bowed in probably 2-3cm.

That bottom middle brace isn't there to support any weight. It's there to keep the front and back glass from bowing, just like the center brace on the top. It's probably good it's not touching because if it was bowed up, it could stress the bottom glass and make it crack.

 

[thincat]

I totally agree with ccCapt...check your edges, that's where the support of your tank is.

 

[CA_BroncoFan]

Any bowing would freak me out. Even if it hasn't done anything yet its like a ticking time bomb. I wouldn't trust it and if your any good with wood you could build a sweet stand. Check the diy section as there was someone who just built a 75 wood stand. Just a thought.

 

[CEverii]

Hey. Sorry for the late responce guys. My tank isn't flush around the edges. Be ause the stand bows in the middle, the middle of the tank isn't touching anything at all. So all the 4 corners touch just fine. But the middle front and back do not. Still think I need a new stand? I'm about to buy one just to be safe I think...

 

[thincat]

I have a question. Was the center always bowed or is it just now starting to bow?

 

[CEverii]

I have a question. Was the center always bowed or is it just now starting to bow?

To be honest I'm not sure. I only noticed because the sand in the front of my tank was shifted from the current of my powerheads. That caused the lights to shine through the bottom of the tank and I could see the gap in the front. So it may have been like that the whole time.

 

[jcarlilesiu]

Stands aren't that expensive. Better to be safe than sorry I suppose.

 

[jsoong]

I would get a new stand. A glass tank should be supported evenly all the way around the entire perimeter. If it is only touching around the corners, that is a cracked tank waiting to happen.

you can shim small gaps with a Styrofoam underlay, but that is meant for tiny gaps of maybe 1mm or less. Since you gap is 1-2cm, I'd be looking at a new stand.

 

[CEverii]

Ok so what would be the typical procedure for something like this. Im assuming taking all the water/rock out, putting it into a trash can with a power head, then moving the fish into probably a small rubber maid bin, keep the sand where it is, swap the stands, then put everything back? When putting the water back into the tank with the sand, if I mix up the sand in any way, is that bad for the fishes gills? I was thinking about adding some sand at this time, and I know it wouldnt settle right away.

 

[jsoong]

If you want to do a good job & not rush, it is best to setup a proper holding tank for the fish. I use a 30 gal rubbermaid bin for my redecoration. <That is also my QT/hospital tank.>

I fill the 30 gal with tank water, move the fish over. I put the filter & heater (and some of the decor) in the bin. I ran that for 3 days while I re-did my main tank.

Once you have the fish settled, you don't have to rush in re-doing the main tank. You can swap substrate, move things around, etc. You have time to wait for the tank to settle before moving the fish back. <I have a spare Marineland HOT filter, so I ran that with a water polishing filter for 4-5 hrs to get rid of all the fine sand/ crud floating in the water. If your holding tank is stable, you can afford to wait a day or 2 for your main tank to settle out on its own.>