False bottom question

[CrabbySquirrel]

Ok, so I just finished my false bottom, and when placing it into the tank, it shifts around a bit, meaning its not an exact fit....I did measure, several times, but the egg crate squares are so large, that when I test-placed it in the first time, it was just a bit too large, but then removing one more line made it a bit too small.

Did anyone else run across this? I'm not sure what can be done about it, either.....it's not like I can add anything onto the end, kwim? I just want to be done with this whole false bottom thing, LOL.....

[YYWW]

I dont think its an issue, as long as the space is in the back. That way u have visibility from the front of the tank, as the weedblock might sink a tinnnny bit at the space. You can also cut slightly longer pvc pieces to fill that space, after trimming the eggcrate.


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[moonbeam]

I guess you could say I have a "perfect fit" on my false bottom. It's so snug in there that I thought it wasn't going to fit at first. I even considered standing on it to push it down when I was trying to get it in the tank but I figured the 200 pounds of sand would do a better job lol. I too had width problems at first and corrected it by altering the way I was xiptie-ing (real word, I swear) it together. I'm gonna do my best to describe this. I used left over egg crate as support for the false bottom. I attached support pieces on the sides (if you're looking at the tank I'm talking about the far right and left ends of it, length wise not width). I ziptied these underneath the false bottom. I then used my side supports (width wise running along the back and front of the tank) and ziptied those next to the false bottom. The supports didn't rise above it but that extra half inch or so of egg crate on the side of the false bottom made it fit perfectly width wise. I hope this makes sense and helps you. If there is anything I can clear up let me know. And if not hopefully someone will chime in with better ideas!


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[klowns]

so my false bottom was almost a perfect fit, but when push comes to shove it's probably 1/4 inch short on front and back and side to side. but once you pour the substrate in it will just kinda fill the gaps. Unless you're talking like a huge gap, i think you'll be fine.

so i have a little bit of substrate that made it through on the sides, but not much i can do and once it's there it' should block that hole/gap and no more will fall down..

have a pic?

[YYWW]

If you cut your weed block abit too big the sides can fold/curl up to form a lip to catch the substrate from falling all the way down.


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[CrabbySquirrel]

The whole false bottom was already built when I discovered this, so I had already attached weed block and plastic canvas (and my weed block was curled under due to how i ziptied it).

I think I have a solution. I cut some leftover egg crate and placed it sideways (standing up) to kinda fill the gap.....and that way the substrate will just sit on top of the sides of the egg crate, does that make sense? I'm looking to see how I can post pics....but anyway, I think it's workable. At least I seem to have filled in the gaps.

Does anyone ever have substrate leak down there, though? Perhaps not, considering the consistency that we are aiming for, right?

[YYWW]

That makes sense! Glad u worked it out
I think sub leaking depends on the situation. If theres a bad flood and gets sludgey, i'd assume there will be leaking if there are holes/gaps. Crabbers have had crabs pick holes in the weedblock before plaftic canvas became a requirement, and i feel like that can only be discovered if there was sub leakage.


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[MgnB]

Is weed blocker needed if you use plastic canvas? Doesn't really matter since I already bought it but I could take it back I guess.

[YYWW]

I would say yes. Depending on the nature of your, hopefully never to happen, flood it is better to deal with sucking out water than sludgey sand.


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[CrabbySquirrel]

I would agree with YYWW----the weed block will let the water seep through, and that's ultimately what we want, if there is excess. I don't think plastic canvas and egg crate alone will do as good a job, IMO....

[CallaLily]

I had some sub fall down a corner while adding it in. Also, I put mine together before stumbling across the great idea of the plastic canvas layer and as such my crabs punched a couple holes in the weed block, letting some sub through. It hasn't been an issue so far but next deep clean I'm adding the plastic canvas for sure. You absolutely need the weed block, otherwise the sub will fall through.

[CrabbySquirrel]

Trying out an image.... Here is what it looks like...notice the egg crate on its side at the front? I can still see inside, and it's filling the gap nicely!

[moonbeam]

Looks awesome! Congrats on the false bottom! Now the fun part starts filling in all that space! If I could decorate tanks for a living I'd be one happy lady lol.


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[YYWW]

Looks SO good!


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[CrabbySquirrel]

Thanks, I'm really close now---we just have to move the old tank, and get the new stand and tank in its ultimate destination---THEN I can start substrate (probably tomorrow, boo hoo!)