Whoever told me to use weatherstriping under the tank needs a beating...

zanemoseley · #1 06/20/2006, 01:01 PM

2.5 years ago when I set up my tank several people said that you can put weatherstriping under the tank trim to help even out the weight in the event your stand isn't 100% perfectly flat. So I put I think 1/2" thick striping around the perimeter of the stand. Now fastforward to yesterday when I've spent like 8 hours disassembling the tank and transfering all inhabitants into a temporary tank. Then we try to lift the 75 off the stand and it won't come. Now there's oak stand trim that goes around 3 sides of the stand that covers up the tank trim so you can't cut the striping nor can you try to tilt the tank to get it off by leaning it forward because that would break the oak trim. So the only way you can go is up or tilt back, neither works. So we slide it to the living room where we have more room to work. We have to lay it down which I might add didn't even budge the tank from the sand. We then tried lifting on the stand toward the top and still nothing, this tank was stuck on there hardcore. So I went and got two 5lb plate weights that were about 1 in thick and put them under the stand at the very top of the frame. Then I held down the bottom of the stand and my father in law pushed down on the top of the tank kinda prying it off by means of the weights. It made a suction noise and finally came off. At this point I was kinda concerned if we screwed up a seal but I'm now filling the tank and I'm about 70% full and it isn't leaking yet. I would like to give a bit thank you to whoever came up with that genius idea.

SO TO ALL NEWBIES DON"T USE WEATHERSTRIPING ON THE BOTTOM OF YOUR TANK!!!!!!!

rustybucket145 · #2 06/20/2006, 02:12 PM

Superglue gel works better

Rendos · #3 06/20/2006, 02:27 PM

Why were you transferring things to a temporary tank? Did the 75 crack or leak? Why did you want to separate the tank and stand? Did the weatherstripping work as far as leveling the tank while it was running?

zanemoseley · #4 06/20/2006, 02:41 PM

I moved from an apartment to a house. I had to separate them so I wouldn't bust out a hernia while moving the tank/stand from the apartment to the 2nd floor of my new house. The stand is DIY and was made from a 2x4 frame covered in solid oak, its not light.

DGL · #5 06/20/2006, 08:29 PM

Something that does work without sticking is thin sheet Styrofoam cut to fit.

Saltz Creep · #6 06/20/2006, 08:44 PM

My empty 75 gallon stuck today too when I was trying to lift it. It was just easier to break the adhesion by just laying on my back and pressing the tank from the bottom plate with my hands like doing a bench press. Easy.

Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention that when I first bench pressed the tank the whole stand came up with it. Then I held the bottom of the stand with my back then while pressing it came free.

MJAnderson · #7 06/20/2006, 09:50 PM

All-glass says not to put anything between its tanks and the stand. Said it was bad for the tank. Including felt and styrofoam.

dandy7200 · #8 06/21/2006, 01:50 AM

I used my wifes old yoga mat at only 1/8" thick and it worked really well.

zanemoseley · #9 06/21/2006, 06:19 PM

Well its been full 2 days with no leaks so I guess I'm home free. The only thing I worry about is its on the 2nd floor now and the tank kinda shakes if you walk on the floor by it very hard, not crazy bad just enought to notice it. I don't think I'm in danger of it falling through the floor or anything but its just a litte weird after it being on a first floor for the last 2.5 years which was more sturdy.

davocean · #10 06/21/2006, 07:50 PM

Liquid nails will fix that!

tamsprk · #11 06/21/2006, 08:42 PM

Is it a big deal if you don't put anything between the tank and the stand? Does it matter if the bottom is fully supported? I ask because I have a 25 gallon acrylic and I'd rather know before I add any livestock and I still can can things easily.

raleighreefguy · #12 06/21/2006, 08:57 PM

Did anyone consider using a thin knife, x-acto or razor blade to cut the weatherstripping?

tatoofr · #13 06/22/2006, 08:45 AM

You could of slipped a nylon fishing line under thr tank to break the seal.

Frank

Crusty Old Shellback · #14 06/22/2006, 08:54 AM

Glass tanks should only be supported around the perimiter of the tank. If you look at the trim peice that comes on them, that's exactly what it is doing, supporting the perimiter of teh tank.

Acrylic tanks should be fully suported on the bottom. Most people will use a sheet of styarafoam to support it. That way there are no imprefections from the wood top to affect the acrylic tank which could cause a crack and leak.

zanemoseley · #15 06/22/2006, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by raleighreefguy
Did anyone consider using a thin knife, x-acto or razor blade to cut the weatherstripping?

I did on the back but like I said above there's oak trim on the stand that comes up to cover the tank's stand so I couldn't do that unless I broke the trim.

maxalmon · #16 06/22/2006, 11:35 AM

I almost did the same thing except with a stand. New stand arrived and it had some seperation issues with the corners. Decided to use some "Gorilla" glue to glue the corners back into place along with some of the bottom molding that had come loose. I didn't read the directions and missed the part about "Glue will expand in a foaming type way" Well, the glue expanded and got underneath the stand in 5 locations. The next day we went to pick the stand up and it would not move, 5 people tried to pick it up with no luck. Finally had to take a chisel to it, still no good, removed the molding which was the original issue and still couldn't get the tank to move. Finally got some pry bars and managed to get one corner lifted up, by now the stand is totally beatup and not usable, I just had to get it out of the garage. It finally came loose with a huge BANG and liftedup 5 sections of newly, garage coated epoxy flooring. In the end I had 5 chunks of flooring missing that were 18" x6" and a wrecked tank. Cost $800 to have the garage floor fixed and $500 for a new stand.

Slickdonkey · #17 06/22/2006, 12:15 PM

The shaking is normal, don't be concerned about it. The tank is putting weight on the floor joists and just picks up vibrations easier. It doesn't mean it is less stable.

Quote:

Originally posted by zanemoseley
Well its been full 2 days with no leaks so I guess I'm home free. The only thing I worry about is its on the 2nd floor now and the tank kinda shakes if you walk on the floor by it very hard, not crazy bad just enought to notice it. I don't think I'm in danger of it falling through the floor or anything but its just a litte weird after it being on a first floor for the last 2.5 years which was more sturdy.

BS · #18 06/22/2006, 01:08 PM

Whoever told me to use weatherstriping under the tank needs a beating...

I think I told you that..... anyway I'm here at the house right now zanemoseley

bring it on..........
BTW did you use the weatherstripping with the adhesive on both sides

zanemoseley · #19 06/23/2006, 05:56 PM

LOL no I didn't use double sided adhesive stuff. Else I'd be too embarased to post this in the first place. Good try tho lol.

littlemannin · #20 06/23/2006, 06:13 PM

If your concerned about the vibration and tipping from walking by the tank. I heard weather striping works good! (just kidding)

TrojanScott · #21 06/23/2006, 06:16 PM

I've never put anything under a glass tank. My 80 gallon was up 9 years, and I KNOW it wasn't level. Various spills on carpet, warping wood (under carpet and the stand too) and I'm pretty sure you coule even SEE it wasn't perfectly level. Anyways, never had a leak, crack, nothing. Sometimes I think we go overboard with the things we think to do to our tanks.... don't bother putting anything under the tank. 9/10 if you put a level on your tank, it's gonna read level. If it's off just a tiny bit, it's probably not going to matter.

zanemoseley · #22 06/24/2006, 09:58 AM

I completely agree with you Scott. I was totally gung ho when I first started about getting everything perfect to the "t". In cases like this it causes more problems then it fixes. After seeing what punishment the tank can take when I had to basically pry it off the stand I have a little more respect now for its durability and don't feel I have to baby it as much as I once thought. I try and level it with shims but if its not 100% level you shouldn't call out the troops or anything.