As some of ya'll know I am reading and learning all I can from other forum members tank builds until I learn enough to sit up my own large tank up grade. I have always thought that if you were going to have a tank that it was a given, you had to have a sand bottom as opposed to a bare bottom or it just wouldn't look good. I am starting to change my mind a bit on this issue, maybe. I still don't like the idea of just a glass bottom in a tank but I read something the other day in a build and I am not sure what this is. This person was buidling a tank with a PVC bottom in their tank, what is this.
A ??? on something I read here
- Thread starter strout
- Start date
This is mostly supplied by a company called AGE. http://www.acrylicandglassexhibits.com/
They specialize in "hybrid" tank design. Incorporating PVC bottoms, acrylic euro bracing, and other somewhat unseen materials onto glass tanks. PVC bottoms are great insurance against having rock pressure on the bottom pane of glass. Others like the look very much as well. I believe but dont quote me that AGE is really the only company doing this right now in any sort of volume.
They specialize in "hybrid" tank design. Incorporating PVC bottoms, acrylic euro bracing, and other somewhat unseen materials onto glass tanks. PVC bottoms are great insurance against having rock pressure on the bottom pane of glass. Others like the look very much as well. I believe but dont quote me that AGE is really the only company doing this right now in any sort of volume.
This is going to seem like a stupid question, but I haven't seen a tank with this bottom in it, so keep that in mind, lol. When I think of PVC, I am thinking of PVC pipes that we use to do our plumbing in our tanks. Is this the same PVC that we are talking about here. Is the bottom of these tanks made out of PVC or is this just a covering on top of a glass bottom?
You've seen a tank with this on the bottom... here it is:
I like that it can be "machined" to allow flush mounting of Hayward bulkheads... it's more flexible and reportedly stronger than glass of the same thickness...
LL
I didn't know your tank had a PVC bottom Lightsluvr, so that raises another question, lol. Why would you have a PVC bottom in your tank and then still put sand in the tank, unless the machined flush mounting of the Hayward bulkheads, is the only reason? My reasoning on finding out about this type of bottom would be to avoid using sand in the tank, thus avoiding sand scratches along the bottom edges of the glass tank in the front of the tank.
PVC bottom is for light weight, structural strength and flexibility...not for looks. I used a sand bottom because I like sand bottoms. In addition I have wrasses, sand-sifting stars and an old watchman goby that would be pi$$ed if they didn't have sand to play in...
I just like the appearance of a well-maintained 2-3" sandbed.
You can avoid scratching the glass with a little precaution. Acrylic is a horse of another color...
LL
Almost all wrasses that I have love to bury in the sand at night to sleep... or whatever fish do at night...
LL
