oz_gooner Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 I am building a 6' tank and getting all the bits together at the moment and I am wondering if anyone uses anything to protect the bottom of the tank from rocks moving/falling? I have seen/read some articles on the net about a kind of plastic grid that you can use for this but not sure if it is a waste of time and money or if it would be suitable for a tank full of africans. I don't use anything in my 3' or 4' tanks and the africans dig right down to the glass. If I put this in would it cause any cleaning problems? Any info would be great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ant265 Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 My thoughts are that it would be a waste of money and i imagine it would make cleaning problems or just annoying. Ive never had a problem with fish digging down to the glass under rocks as they dont dig quick enough for the rocks to fall they just sink/slide down gradually HTH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fry_2_buy Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 If you really want to use something why not buy eggcrate? Will definately solve the problem and also prevent the fish exposing the bottom of the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobcas Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 I have use two different methods either a thin sheet of Styrofoam or I use light diffuser or egg crate not sure on the exact name (preferred method) as I found that my cichlids some times dug down and into the styro. It's not so much the weight of the rocks that are a worry but if the weight of the rocks is concentrated on a single piece of gravel or similar this pressure could crack the glass so by laying protection down before adding the substrate you more evenly disperse the weight. I also pile my rocks almost to the surface so use a bit of silicon to help secure them together. Better safe than sorry ! Ross Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazza Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 +1 for egg crate. If you buy it from a plastic supplier instead of electrical store, you will save 50-60%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobcas Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 +1 for egg crate. If you buy it from a plastic supplier instead of electrical store, you will save 50-60%. I got mine from the side of the road......save 100% Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genetik_defekt Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Like in the other thread, if your using 6mm glass then be careful, if your tanks 10mm then stack away. just use common sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIMO Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 You can use lots of aquarium safe silicon, squeezed out all over the base of the tank. Don't flatten or spread the silicon out, just squeeze it straight out and form lots of "s" shapes all over the base of the tank. When the silicon dries it will be tank safe and provide a barrier and cushioning between your rocks and your tank. Just make sure you allow ample time for curing and drying time. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
likadeefeesh Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 There are pro's and con's to both. It often seems like the one thing you thought most unlikely to happen...happens! I've got single, unstacked but heavy and sharp peices of Holey Rock in my tank and a fairly small Cobalt Blue that will easily dig a pit down to the glass while I'm at work, so for me it was not worth the risk. I stressed for about a week until leaving work one day and noticed an abandoned bread crate outside. (The big red ones that tip top and other delivery guys use) Needless to say...YOINK! I cut it up into 4 small peices and it was very very easy to do, took 5 mins. Soaked it for a week, did a big water change and that badboy went in. NO MORE STRESS! My coby can dig all he wants with no threat of heavy rocks leaning on glass. One negative though, when he does dig the red crate shows up underneath which doesn't look very natural in my otherwise natural looking tank but you just smooth it over once a week and it's not a big deal at all. BTW - it does not affect his ability to build breeding pits, had a spawn a week later. IMO - DO IT! It's not worth the stress! And bread crates also come in brown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxludo Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 I found a good one is just using an undergravel filter plate without anything attached to it. Provided you can find it cheaply which i did it provides a pretty good solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oz_gooner Posted May 1, 2009 Author Share Posted May 1, 2009 Thanks for the info guys. Looks like I'm off to get some eggcrate. With the amount my guys are digging at the moment I would rather be safe than sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CThompson Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 You can use lots of aquarium safe silicon, squeezed out all over the base of the tank. Don't flatten or spread the silicon out, just squeeze it straight out and form lots of "s" shapes all over the base of the tank. When the silicon dries it will be tank safe and provide a barrier and cushioning between your rocks and your tank. Just make sure you allow ample time for curing and drying time. Cheers. This is definitely the best all round solution. Polystyrene given long enough can break down. When burnt can give off toxic gas, when it biodegrades in the tank, can it give of poisonous substances? It also floats and is white and will look ugly when exposed. Egg crate can get a piece of gravel between glass and egg crate and should a rock fall the weight/impact will be transferred directly to the glass via the wedged gravel. It also is white and will look ugly when exposed. If the tank is empty/dry, make sure you use aquarium safe silicon. Incidentally, when aqua scaping don’t put gravel in with the rocks on top. Put the rocks in first and then the gravel, that way the rocks can’t be undermined. I paint the bottom (outside) of my tanks black, then use black silicon worms (bigger worms for more weight) inside the tank matching the approximate footprint of where I intend to put the rocks. Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oz_gooner Posted May 5, 2009 Author Share Posted May 5, 2009 Thanks Craig. I hadn't thought about particals getting trapped under the egg crate before. I will try the silicon and see how that goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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