Foam under aquarium

Dubs83 · Oct 23, 2018

My tank manufacturer recommends foam under the tank but it’s 96 1/2” long. That makes it slightly longer than the 96” panels I’m able to find at the hardware stores. How do you guys get around this? Do I just use two 48 1/4” pieces and stop overthinking it?

Thanks!

cromag27 · Oct 23, 2018

i used to build glass tanks and i’ve set up dozens of tanks. i’ve never heard of going longer.

Dubs83 · Oct 24, 2018

cromag27 said:
i used to build glass tanks and i’ve set up dozens of tanks. i’ve never heard of going longer.

I’m not sure what you mean. The aquarium is 96 1/2” long. So I need 96 1/2” of foam under the aquarium. The longest foam panel I can find at my local hardware store is 96”. Do I just put two 48 1/4” pieces of foam under the tank?

cromag27 · Oct 24, 2018

Dubs83 said:
I’m not sure what you mean. The aquarium is 96 1/2” long. So I need 96 1/2” of foam under the aquarium. The longest foam panel I can find at my local hardware store is 96”. Do I just put two 48 1/4” pieces of foam under the tank?

crud. misread that.

cromag27 · Oct 24, 2018

but yes i would use two pieces

KrisReef · Oct 24, 2018

I'd cut a 96 in half and leave a 1/2"gap in the middle.

Dubs83 · Oct 24, 2018

KrisReef said:
I'd cut a 96 in half and leave a 1/2"gap in the middle.

Any reason for the gap in the middle?

AquaLifeStudio · Oct 24, 2018

To save material.

dugthefish · Oct 24, 2018

If your tank is under 24" wide, you can rip a full sheet and two piece the full 96.5

Dubs83 · Oct 24, 2018

dugthefish said:
If your tank is under 24" wide, you can rip a full sheet and two piece the full 96.5

Nope. Over 24”.

Okay, so one sheet cut in half with an inch gap in the center. Any objections to just buying two foam sheets and cutting so there’s no gap? I know it’s wasted material but I’d rather excess foam sheet to a possible flood.

ca1ore · Oct 24, 2018

You are overthinking it LOL (though it's an occupational hazard for all of us in this hobby). On mine I bought two sheets with a taped seam in the middle. A 1/2" gap will make no difference to the safety of the tank, but it just looks shoddy. OCD a problem for me.

Captain Quint · Oct 24, 2018

Personally, I follow specs and have taped pieces together if beyond standard length. But I admit that I err on the side of caution or overcaution.

DivingTheWorld · Oct 24, 2018

Personally, I'd do what you're thinking already and buy two pieces and cut them to fit with no gap. I would imagine you've already invested a grip in this build and there's no reason to cut corners now. Is it needed? Maybe not. But I'd do it.

don_chuwish · Oct 24, 2018

Use the leftover to insulate something.

Dubs83 · Oct 24, 2018

ca1ore said:
You are overthinking it LOL (though it's an occupational hazard for all of us in this hobby). On mine I bought two sheets with a taped seam in the middle. A 1/2" gap will make no difference to the safety of the tank, but it just looks shoddy. OCD a problem for me.

Ha! I know I am. I have nightmares about... never mind. I don’t even want to say it.

Dubs83 · Oct 24, 2018

DivingTheWorld said:
Personally, I'd do what you're thinking already and buy two pieces and cut them to fit with no gap. I would imagine you've already invested a grip in this build and there's no reason to cut corners now. Is it needed? Maybe not. But I'd do it.

Perfect. No cutting corners here. I was just hoping someone had a solution that didn’t involve halves

. Thanks!

KrisReef · Oct 24, 2018

Dubs83 said:
Perfect. No cutting corners here. I was just hoping someone had a solution that didn’t involve halves . Thanks!

Well then, I hate wasted styrofoam, I quit drinking coffee in styro cups after I saw the LA River after a rainstorm, but that's my issue.

If your tank is thin enough, you could use one piece and cut two shapes like the one on the far right and cover the entire bottom w/o any gap. And the beauty of this would be it would involve two isosceles trapezoids and how many folks out there could say that?

hth!

doubleohwhatever · Oct 24, 2018

I've built several tanks over the years too large for a single piece of foam. I've never had any problems due to using two or three pieces. I also tend to put foam under the sump and external return pumps to reduce vibrations.

Dubs83 · Oct 24, 2018

KrisReef said:
Well then, I hate wasted styrofoam, I quit drinking coffee in styro cups after I saw the LA River after a rainstorm, but that's my issue.

If your tank is thin enough, you could use one piece and cut two shapes like the one on the far right and cover the entire bottom w/o any gap. And the beauty of this would be it would involve two isosceles trapezoids and how many folks out there could say that? hth!

I’m with you! I was def going to find use for it.

The tank measures 96 1/2 by 24 1/2. Would this work for me?

KrisReef · Oct 25, 2018

It could be made to work, but it would probably be far simpler to buy 2 pieces and cut simple rectangles than for me to try and explain how. I have been sitting here trying to figure out how to explain this, and laughing at myself because I am struggling to put the words together.
But I'll give it a try, and apologize in advance if I don't teach this subject very clearly. Sorry.
If you lay a straight edge at an angle across the 48" width, that is where you need to cut, and slide these two pieces in opposite directions along the cut. As the two pieces slide, the 96" dimension will "grow". If you set the tank on top of these pieces, you can trim along the edge of the tank and custom fit your tank to the foam.

Now I'm the one over thinking this, lol. buy 2!