Please Advise

[Horace]

the foam isnt really supporting anything. It is simply cushioning the pressure points. This is done all the time. Why you think this is silly is beyond me.

This is NOT packing material. It was absolutely intended to be that way, right or wrong. It is also 100% siliconed to the tank around the entire perimeter. I even asked the manf if I should remove the plywood and was told to just put foam between the stand and tank. I honestly think plywood on the stand then styro then tank would be better. But leaving the plywood on the tank as it is likely wont do any harm either...basically just sandwich the styro with the two pieces of ply.

[Bluefish9]

I would go and get yourself a custom cut sheet of etha plank foam. Its a little bit softer than the insulating foam they sell for houses but is very very strong. I think it will do a better job at conforming to any little irregularity. You can order it from most road/flight case companies. I just did this for my stand the other day


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[OrionN]

That metal is not going to give. Styrofoam is not going to distribute pressure all that well. All it does is compress at the edge and push up on the middle of the tank and even increase the pressure push up in the middle of the bottom plate and worsen the problem. I don't think it will help but high potential of worsen the problem.
You should see which is not level, the tank or the stand. If it is the tank then there is nothing to do but return it. If it is the stand then you can try to fix it. Fixing by make it level, not by adding compressed material and hope it distribute the weight evenly. Soft material like foam will not distribute the weight very much at all.
For larger aquarium, the stand got to be absolutely level. Slight warp and the tank will leak or crack after a time.
That is why most tank warranty is void if not sit on stand produced/approved by the tank manufacturer.

[OrionN]

Both the stand and the tank was sold by the tank manufacturer or did you buy from different vendors?

[DivingTheWorld]

Originally Posted by Horace

the foam isnt really supporting anything. It is simply cushioning the pressure points. This is done all the time. Why you think this is silly is beyond me.

This is NOT packing material. It was absolutely intended to be that way, right or wrong. It is also 100% siliconed to the tank around the entire perimeter. I even asked the manf if I should remove the plywood and was told to just put foam between the stand and tank. I honestly think plywood on the stand then styro then tank would be better. But leaving the plywood on the tank as it is likely wont do any harm either...basically just sandwich the styro with the two pieces of ply.

Here's my thoughts on why the plywood is there and possibly what was intended by the manufacturer.

It appears that the tank is frameless and the metal stand does not have a solid surface on top, it's only supported on the edges. Generally, a frameless tank (like mine) is totally supported by the bottom sheet of glass. That bottom sheet requires that it be completely (not just on the edges) supported.

I think what the manufacturer was expecting you to do (and you should confirm with them) is to place the plywood on the top of the stand to fully support the tank bottom. They then recommended that you put a piece of Styrofoam between the plywood and the tank to help fill in any imperfections in the plywood.

As for what Styrofoam, you can pick that up from most any Home Depot. Just make sure it's the firm white Styrofoam sheets.

IMO placing the tank on top of the stand with only Styrofoam in between would not be of any benefit. And putting it in between the stand and the plywood would be less helpful than between the plywood and the tank.

I have a theory that when the tank was being built, they built it directly on top of the plywood it would later be shipped on. As the tank silicone was curing, some of it may have stuck to the plywood causing it to appear that it was purposely siliconed to the plywood.

But I could just be entirely crazy!

[DivingTheWorld]

By the way, it should be mentioned that is one beautiful tank you've got there!

[saf1]

Horace - just wondering if you have the tank up and running yet or what the outcome here was.

[ruiny]

I had a 280 gallon tank made and it was made on plywood just like yours. Styrofoam is not for levelling but to help remove pressure points. Almost the same amount of wieght will be be on all the foam so it will compress evenly. Not fixing the level issue.
That being said I used foam under mine and it worked great.