I am just wondering if anyone know's how much weight you can put in a 55 gallon tank. I just went down to my creek and got a bunch of rocks that im wanting to use to make caves for a cichlid tank. I am in the process of cleaning them put am unsure how much weight the tank can hold.
how much weight can a 55 gallon hold?
- Thread starter groovyme88
- Start date
tanker
Josh Holloway--Be mine!!!
It is a glass tank. and i have it on a stand that i bought for it but i dont like it to much because it does not support the middle only around the corners.
A single gallon of water weight roughly 8 pounds. The rocks are going to displace water equivalent to their own weight. So I don't think you have to worry too much about the weight going into the tank.
I would be somewhat concerned over adding rocks from a creek. You have no idea what may have run off into that water source and is now stuck to those rocks. Add that to your tank, and you could have some serious issues.
If you're going to add them, I would first soak them in a mild bleach solution, and then rinse them completely. Let them soak for a while too.
Joe
I would be somewhat concerned over adding rocks from a creek. You have no idea what may have run off into that water source and is now stuck to those rocks. Add that to your tank, and you could have some serious issues.
If you're going to add them, I would first soak them in a mild bleach solution, and then rinse them completely. Let them soak for a while too.
Joe
By volume rocks will generally be heavier than water and without center support from your stand, well it's still hard to call. If your tank itself has some sort of center brace under it I'd consider getting a piece of sturdy plywood and setting that on your stand and then the tank. If the tank doesn't have a center brace that is level with the bottom frame then it wouldn't matter. As for the river rocks as long as they are non porous they should be ok for an aquarium. There's a chemical you can test the rocks with to see if they are porous, but I can't think of it atm. Out of curiosity have you weighed the rocks to see how much weight we are talking about?
Thanks for all the info. I am already soaking the rocks in a bleach and water solution and plan on rinsing them really good then letting them air dry so all the bleach gets off of them. As for weighing the rocks I have no way to do that but good idea. And I think just to be on the safe side I will try putting a piece of board under the bottom. Thanks so much for all the info!!
the problem i see is that the glass that forms the bottom of the tank is at least a half inch above the black plastic that the tank actually rests on that goes around the outside edge. i always worry about the bottom glass breaking......
Things only displace their weight in water when they are floating. When they are sitting on the bottom they displace their volume in water. This is because the water isn't supporting the objects weight, the bottom of the tank is.
Only the corners are supported? A lot of glass tanks are only supported on the edges, which is ok, but I would want a new stand too if it only supports the corners.
As far as the tank goes, unless its mostly rock, It should be ok.
Only the corners are supported? A lot of glass tanks are only supported on the edges, which is ok, but I would want a new stand too if it only supports the corners.
As far as the tank goes, unless its mostly rock, It should be ok.
I believe you mean "non-ferrous". Non-ferrous means free of iron content. This can be determined by pouring muriatic acid also known as hydrochloric acid over the rocks. If the acid reacts when it contacts to rock do not use it. No reaction would indicate the lack of ferrous content deeming it safe for aquairium use.Hound said:
The rocks should still be thoroughly cleaned in a bleach solution and then soaked in water with a chlorine removing agent added overnight beforte adding to the aquarium.
yes, the stand should support all the EDGES of the tank (have a little lip going all the way around the bottom edge of the tank to support it) it should not just be on the corners.