Help File: Tank information

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pinballqueen

Roleplayer
Aug 4, 2002
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Okay, I have noticed ever since I have been here that a lot of questions have been asked about tanks in general, not the water, not the fish, etc.; just the tank itself. Questions like "is it safe to put this here, how much is this gonna weigh, how big is a X gallon tank..."

Sooo... I thought it would be good to post everyone's thoughts on the glass portion of our hobby in one thread so that it would be easier to find.

And now for the essay:

Whenever I first started in this hobby, I began with a fishbowl with a goldfish (I was one of those kids whose aim drastically improved when it came to throwing pingpong balls into fishbowls to win at the fair when a fish was involved). Fishbowls can go anywhere, but most of us will agree that a bowl is no place for any fish other than (arguably) a betta. So, when I got a little older, I saved my money and bought a 10 gallon tank. I had no clue that a fully loaded ten gallon weighs close to a hundred pounds and I put it on an antique piece of furniture and ruined it.

So, here are some good tips for someone who is unaware of tank weights and measures.

A tank is heavy all by itself if it is glass. Even acrylic tanks have a bit of heft, so any tank over 10 gallons or so should be carried by 2 people when it is being placed to avoid back injury or broken glass. (Move your tanks empty, of course, but you already knew that, right?) Now then.... once you have decided on the size of tank you want, you have to make sure you've got the space and a sturdy enough piece of furniture or floor to handle it. Please don't try and put a tank on one of those ten-dollar particleboard tables... you'll be sorry. All told, a fish tank is gonna weigh something in the region of 10 lbs to the gallon, more if there are a lot of rocks and heavy decorations, less for bare-bottom tanks. Therefore, a stand designed for aquarium (not terrarium) use is necessary for anything that is bigger than 30 gallon or so (less than that should do on sturdy furniture, but when in doubt, buy a stand in that case). When you're dealing with REALLY large tanks, you'll need to be absolutely sure your floor can withstand the load.

When you place your tank, especially a large one, it will need to be set perpendicular to the floor joists in your home (unless you're lucky and have concrete subfloor). That way more than one board is supporting the massive weight involved. If you are unsure about your floor, you can do one of two things: if you are handy, you can crawl under your floor and put steel braces on your floor joists, or if you aren't, you can call a contractor to do it for you. Please don't do anything you don't have the capability to do, and always contact someone qualified if you are in doubt at all. It will save you a ton of money in the long run (or in the short run if you have a poor choice of positioning :eek:).

Now that you have a good idea of the direction your tank needs to face, here are some things you also need to keep in your mind. Don't place your tank near a window unless you're into the green look. Make sure there are enough electrical outlets nearby for all your gadgets to plug into. Do place your tank near a water source, if you can, just to cut down time and lifting involved in water changes. Try not to put the tank near air conditioning/heating vents as it might alter the temperature of your tank.

Hmmmm.... anyone else have anything to add? Specific weights and measures for different standard tank sizes maybe?
 

VoodooChild

Kissin' the Sky
Dec 17, 2001
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If you ever move your tank, try and remove everything, including the gravel (place in a bucket, bacteria will be fine). If you can't remove everything, try to distribute the weight evenly. Tanks should have sturdy silicon seals, but every bit can be stressful on a tank and the last thing you need for your first tank is for it to bottom out.
 

mogurnda

vaguely present
Apr 29, 2003
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If you buy a used tank, fill it up first in an area that you don't mind getting wet.

Be certain that the tank is resting evenly on a flat surface. If the surface is uneven, it may not leak today or tomorrow, but the stress may get it to start leaking at a time when you really can't deal with it.

How many gallons is it? Divide LXWXH (in inches) by 230.
 

ChilDawg

Math is sexy.
Dec 26, 2002
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I heard 231, Dave, but it doesn't make much difference.

I'll post the standards later, as I gotta get ready for class right now.
 

CordyRoy

AC Members
Aug 27, 2003
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I have an empty 90 gallon at the moment. It has one of those cabinet style stands. The only thing I worry about it how the cabinet is open at the top. SHould I put some plywood or something on top of the cabinet? I just have nightmares of the bottom breaking under the pressure with nothing there to support it. this could be completely unfounded, but I'm a worier by nature.
 

OrionGirl

No freelancing!
Aug 14, 2001
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I'm going to make this a sticky...If you have specific questions about your setup, please initiate a new thread rather than adding it here. If you want to contribute specific information, adding it here will help others greatly!

Thanks!
 

ChilDawg

Math is sexy.
Dec 26, 2002
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Capacity (L X W X H, in inches)
10 Regular (20 X 10 X 12)
10 Long (24 X 8 X 12)
15 Regular (24 X 12 X 12)
15 Long (20 X 10 X 18)
15 Show (24 X 8 X 16)
20 High (24 X 12 X 16)
20 Long (30 X 12 X 12)
25 Regular (24 X 12 X 20)
30 Regular (36 X 12 X 16)
30 Breeding (36 X 18 X 12)
40 Long (48 X 13 X 16)
40 Breeding (36 X 18 X 16)
45 Regular (36 X 12 X 24)
50 Regular (36 X 18 X 18)
55 Regular (48 X 13 X 20)
65 Regular (36 X 18 X 24)
75 Regular (48 X 18 X 20)
 

ChilDawg

Math is sexy.
Dec 26, 2002
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I've seen some of these are wrong...all stats from "The Betta" by Mic and Maddy Hargrove.

15 Long and High should be switched. It doesn't make sense the other way!
 
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