CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

I use 14mm styrofoam which in inches is about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick, costs about $2 AUD for sheets 1200mm x 1200mm from an insulation specialist just cut is to size and place it under the tank, between the tank and the stand - I cant beleive you guys have never used styro,,, every LFS here even the dodgy ones tell you that you have to have it. Its cheap and makes the tank less prone to cracking under the weight so why not.

Hey dethmunkee did you try and get the tank replaced under warranty at all??? If i had a tank 3-4 months old crack on me i'd be back to the LFS that i got it from in a flash telling them where they can stick there tank.

[This message has been edited by Qserv (edited 02-21-2002).]

You can by syrofoam insulation sheets from home depot they are down the insulation isle and they have many thicknesses up to 3 or 4" I believe... anything will work and I dont think you need anything over 1/2" for any reason. It's job is to absorb the pressure exerted on the tank by an uneven stand top or abnormalities in the plastic frame that runs around the outside. I have it on my 90 gallon saltwater tank but not my 80 gallon oscar tank, so it isnt necessary but is definately worth the alternative...

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Adam

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I agree with Qserve, that you blokes dont use or havent heard of using stryro.I cant imagine not using it.
New tanks are sold with them here.
You can also use thick carpet underlay.

Qserv, thats a good price for what you get, Ive been buying it from the lfs for $7 to $10 a peice.

If you have your tanks up for a long time then the chances of them cracking are very slim as the surface is probably dead flat. If you happen to have to move any tanks for any reason then I would suggest getting some stryo just for that added peace of mind.
No need for panic yet Candice

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TONY
Australian and proud of it!!
My Cichlidfish.com Home page

[This message has been edited by oscar2001 (edited 02-22-2002).]

when it is cut does it need to go under the whole bottom of the tank including the outer frame, or just on the exact glass size? I hope that you know what i mean by this
i will have to do this when i move my tanks next, man i am glad i found out about this before any more of my tanks broke. I have a plexiglass 5.5 gal hex tank that was in my brothers room and it actually cracked on the bottom, and I am wondering how to fix it, and if it is going to be worth it to fix it. Any ideas of how to fix it? I was contemplating trying to seal the bottom with silicone, but it would probably just crack further. I am probably going to just pitch the tank, since i only used it for one or two small tetras for my brother to have a tank. I will probably just give him a 10 gal that I have.

Qserv: yah, i have tried telling the LFS. i told the LFS that the tank cracked, and they said they would replace it. so then i had my friends help me haul it away to the LFS, when we got there, they saw the hair line crack on the bottom and they said that they couldnt take it because the manufacture (aquarium masters) doesnt take these sort of cracks. bastards.

aaron : wouldnt simple silicon work for that small tank? but if i were you, id go for the 10 gal. its a whole lot cheaper and you can stock a whole lot.

aaroncain
Just cut it to the size of the bottom of of the tank. Just place the tank on the foam and use a razor blade and cut it using the tank as the temp plate.

If you look close in the pic below you will see the foam under each tank.



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TONY
Australian and proud of it!!
My Cichlidfish.com Home page

Thats a new one to me too... never heard of putting stryofoam under the tank! Just think all this time of having tanks and you are just NOW telling us? LOL! Must be an Australian secret!Anything else you guys are hiding from us? LOL! MGHGrand

[This message has been edited by chartman (edited 02-22-2002).]

I have never heard that one either (SHHHH!!!! I wasn't supposed to know)


So how important is this really? I have a few "big tanks" and you guys have me worried. It would be really difficult to do anything now.

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Clint
CDevoe1111@aol.com

tony, since you are "the man" at repairing tanks, did you read the question earlier about the crack in the bottom of the little 6.5 hex tank. It is acrylic. It has a crack through the middle of it. I have the filter light heater and lid, so i hate to just toss it since it is hex and wont fit anything else. Do you think that it can be fixed and if so how should i go about doing it? Just use a layer of silicone and put styrofoam under the tank? I was hoping to put fry in the tank to let them grow big enough to put them into other tanks where they wont get eaten or picked on. If not oh well.
thanx
AC

Since it is acrylic have thought about taking it to an shop that sells and cuts acrylic? They could probely fix it easily. At my job we get pieces cut all the time and they will not sell "aquairums" but they do make "waterboxes" so they are not responsible for leaks. But I'm sure they could fix you up probely quite cheaply, look around in the phone book for some shops that deal in acrylic. MGHGrand

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Marty

aaron,

I havent had experience with acrlylic so thats why I didnt put any suggestions.
I actually have a broken one here which is a 4 or 5 gallon hex and am still toying on how to fix it.

Marty seems to have the idea if you want to spend a few bucks.
I was toying with the idea of using apoxey glue(meant for tanks) and then using silicon to seal it.
Mine is split down the side from top to bottom. It was one I got from a garage sale.

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TONY
Australian and proud of it!!
My Cichlidfish.com Home page
No Feeder Nazi

alrighty then
I might check for some acrylic cutters, and maybe try to have them cut a piece that will fit the bottom and seal around it, if not i might just try to put a layer of silicone over the bottom and try to get it to stop leaking. My main concearn isnt that it will leak, but that the crack will get larger once more water is put into it.

I have been told that silicon doesnt do a good job sealing acrylic - doesnt stick well so i have been told but never tried it, you need special glue as tony suggested or to have it plastic welded i beleive.