Incoming 120 (4x2x2). Needs styrofoam?

[bossanova]

Hi all, i've got my first big (to me) tank coming tomorrow, it's a 4x2x2 120G. My plan is to have the pine stand directly on hardwood floors, and the tank directly on top. Do I need to include pads or styrofoam under it for anything? I'll be lining the bottom of the tank with eggcrate and filling it with river rock, so it'll end up being pretty heavy.

I'm painting it black (as night) and using 3 big canisters for filtration.

Any advice welcome!

 

[jonclark96]

I've used compressible weatherstripping between my tanks and stands with good success. You it is self adhesive on one side, so it stays in place while placing the tank on the stand and should take up any irregularities that you have. A 10 foot roll costs about $4 at home depot. I use the 3/4" wide black type. Note that the stands I've used this on are both open topped so the tank frame just sits on the frame of the stand.

 

[jonclark96]

Something like this:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Frost-King-1-25-in-x-10-ft-Black-Foam-Door-Weatherstrip/3062411

 

[JLW]

A big, heavy tank will leave a permanent imprint on many floors, including hardwood. Putting a piece of foam, rubber, or similar underneath definitely helps to mitigate it. This can also help with water damage -- you spill a few cups of water, and some of it gets stuck between the tank and the floor, and it'll rot that floor.

I definitely prefer to have some foam between the stand and the tank, as well. It'll help with any irregularities that can cause a leak down the road. Plus, it adds thermal insulation.

 

[bossanova]

A big, heavy tank will leave a permanent imprint on many floors, including hardwood. Putting a piece of foam, rubber, or similar underneath definitely helps to mitigate it. This can also help with water damage -- you spill a few cups of water, and some of it gets stuck between the tank and the floor, and it'll rot that floor.

I definitely prefer to have some foam between the stand and the tank, as well. It'll help with any irregularities that can cause a leak down the road. Plus, it adds thermal insulation.

Good point, I wonder if I should just get a cheap 4x2 rug to put it on?

 

[JLW]

A rug would neither distribute weight, nor mitigate water damages -- in fact, since it soaks in water, it could make problems worse.

 

[olzkool]

What they said

 

[olzkool]

definitely put something down between the tank and floor of you don't want to mess up the floor and I always put that pink foam or something similar between the tank and the stand

 

[Robinhud]

A sheet of treated plywood is less than 45.00$ and will disperse the pounds/square inch so as to not mare the floor.