Advisable to place tank on a surface that is slightly smaller than its footprint?
Hi fellows, I'm considering placing a small tank (1.5-foot) on a wooden shelf. The footprint of the tank is 20cm wide by 45cm long. The footprint of the shelf is 29cm wide by 37cm long. This means around 4cm of the tank will extend beyond the shelf on both sides, length-wise. The tank houses 17 litres of water when fulling filled. Is it still al right to house the tank on this shelf?
N.B. shelf itself is sturdy, with no flex/shaking experienced.
If the whole water column is not resting on a rigid surface, the stress is on the glass on either end. While in the short term there may not be any problem, the stress will be present especially on the silicone seal, which may result in leaks at a later stage.
It is best to get a piece of wooden plank (sealed & painted), or very thick glass same size as the tank, to put below the tank to protect the tank and also spread the load.
Last edited by tetrakid; 7th Apr 2012 at 13:43.
LIFE IS UNBEARABLE WITHOUT A FISH TANK!!!
Re: Advisable to place tank on a surface that is slightly smaller than its footprint?
Understood.Originally Posted by tetrakid
Was thinking along this line too; now...where to get a solid (really solid) piece of wood?
I wouldn't select glass as it's still brittle, & a piece of glass that thick should be extremely expensive.
In addition to the above possible solutions, even a piece of thick aluminium should be good. But each of these suggestions may not be readily available.
The idea is that it is not a good idea to place a tank on a surface smaller than the tank's footprint. Water is heavy stuff, and its forces bear on every part of the glass tank.
Anyway, found my piece of wood:
it's laminated & 1.5cm thick
It's amazing how things we need sometimes come to us in wonderful ways, lol. This the ideal solution for your need.
Actually for bigger setups, it is not advisable, but for a small setup like yours, I dont really see it as a problem. However, it is always better to be on the safe side since you are able to do so. Cheers.
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