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Problem Placing new sump in stand: uneven bottom

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Justin S., Sep 17, 2015.

  1. Sep 17, 2015 #1
    Justin S. Pleasant Hill

    Justin S. Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    The bottom of the inside of my stand has warped probably due to the fact that the old sump weighed down one part and not the other. It's an uneven and not well defined warp. Anyways I don't know how to handle this problem. Help please. If I put a nice heavy flat piece of premium plywood in wouldn't it just warp too? It's not just a little bit either: with the new sump in there there's a lot of wobble it won't sit flat by any means. The old piece of foam board from the last sump shows that the foam board had significantly compensated for the warping... You can see the pressure points imprinted. [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  2. Sep 17, 2015 #2
    GoodGreef Clive, IA

    GoodGreef Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    Maybe get some drywall spackle and swipe it across the low parts to try and even it out and fill it in? Not sure how water resistant that stuff is though. Maybe coat it with an epoxy after you do that.
     
  3. Sep 17, 2015 #3
    Justin S. Pleasant Hill

    Justin S. Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    I have a primer underneath high gloss white paint finish coating the bottom which might reap havoc with the spackling?.. [​IMG]
     
  4. Sep 17, 2015 #4
    Justin S. Pleasant Hill

    Justin S. Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    Maybe put some fine sand across the bottom and carefully level it... Then put a piece of premium plywood over that? Or sandwich layers of foam: foam, plywood, foam, sump
     
  5. Sep 17, 2015 #5
    Bud West Des Moines, IA

    Bud Loves Bacon Website Team Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member Vendor

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    1) don't put a glass rimmed tank on a full sheet of foam of any kind. They are not designed for that and you will crack out the bottom. At best you would only need a square that matches the width of only the outer frame/trim of the bottom. Pushing up on the center brace of the glass will crack it, eventually.

    (bold added after edit)

    2) glass rimmed tanks up to 48" long need only be supported by the corners, 6" in from each corner generally speaking. for smaller tanks you can get away with less. So if you want you can just put a 1x2 under the left and right ends or even just the foam strips under the trim.

    3) don't use the blue/pink insulation foam. Use white styrofoam (the stuff that is a bunch of beads) because that compresses and will even out the load better. Note that you should never use that type of foam under an acrylic sump because you don't want compression in that case - you want a flat surface that does not permanently compress
     
  6. Sep 18, 2015 #6
    Justin S. Pleasant Hill

    Justin S. Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    So I only have to support the 6" of frame from each corner?... I cut into the base and constructed a stand alone stand for the sump within the cabinet. I think it will work this way.. And another 3 hours & $50 later ha..
     
  7. Sep 18, 2015 #7
    Justin S. Pleasant Hill

    Justin S. Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]
     
  8. Sep 18, 2015 #8
    Bud West Des Moines, IA

    Bud Loves Bacon Website Team Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member Vendor

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    West Des Moines, IA
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    That'll work
     

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