Is This Dangerous?

[Thibault Drake]

Hi! This might be kind of a stupid question, but it’s it dangerous to put heavy rocks in a rimmed aquarium since it’s raised up off the ground slightly? Could they break through the bottom? The tank is 55 gallons. About 4’x1’ I think. Would putting styrofoam on the bottom protect it from cracking?

 

[BusterBot28]

How big of rocks are you talking? I’ve got some big rocks in my 75g with no problems.

 

[A201]

Aquarium glass can support an incredible amount of weight. Big heavy rocks displace a significant amount of water weight. A 50 lb. rock might displace 20 lbs. or more pounds of water.
Here's 200 lbs. of rock pictured in my aquarium. No worries.

 

[Thibault Drake]

Aquarium glass can support an incredible amount of weight. Big heavy rocks displace a significant amount of water weight. A 50 lb. rock might displace 20 lbs. or more pounds of water.
Here's 200 lbs. of rock pictured in my aquarium. No worries.
View attachment 715462

Should I put styrofoam under the rocks?

 

[BusterBot28]

Should I put styrofoam under the rocks?

I just lay mine on the substrate(sand for me) and that keeps it from hitting the bottom if that’s what you are worried about. I’ve bumped my rocks all over the tank and have never cracked anything. Could you show us picks of the tank and rocks if you have them? I’m curious .

 

[Thibault Drake]

I just lay mine on the substrate(sand for me) and that keeps it from hitting the bottom if that’s what you are worried about. I’ve bumped my rocks all over the tank and have never cracked anything. Could you show us picks of the tank and rocks if you have them? I’m curious .

Here’s the tank, it’s an older pic:
Im rescaping the tank so I haven’t bought the rocks yet, but I’m going to have two islands on each side with a wall of stone all around them and connecting them at the back. I’m going to use mountain stone because that what my lfs has available and Ive spent way too much on wood online.

 

[Tallen78]

Hi! This might be kind of a stupid question, but it’s it dangerous to put heavy rocks in a rimmed aquarium since it’s raised up off the ground slightly? Could they break through the bottom? The tank is 55 gallons. About 4’x1’ I think. Would putting styrofoam on the bottom protect it from cracking?

No I have about 160 lbs of rock in a 155g I used light defuser or egg crate right on the glass stacked my rock and added substrate