bladeruner143
Premium Member
Does anyone do this? I've heard it could help keep things level if your stand was a DIY that maybe shouldn't have been a DIY project! Just wondering if anyone has tired this before.
Styrofoam Under the Tank
- Thread starter bladeruner143
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bored4long
New member
from my research: Acrylic tank = use foam; Glass tank with trim = no foam.
yoboyjdizz
Active member
i have 1/2inch i believe under my tank...but its an acrylic, not sure if glass tanks need it or not.
bladeruner143
Premium Member
Oh, I did not know that. By "trim" you mean that black plastic stuff at the bottom of the tank? Does that itself help with leveling? You couldn't you still use the Styrofoam on a glass tank?
yoboyjdizz
Active member
Yes the black plastic stuff, i believe that it doesn't help with glass tanks just puts more pressure on the uneven sides. If i were you i would ask this in one of the glass tank manufactures forum.
bladeruner143
Premium Member
Hhhmmm, good idea. Thanks Yoboy!
If you didn't have the foam under a glass tank ALL of the pressure would be on the trim.
With the foam in place, the load is more evenly distributed across a slightly uneven surface (wood) that may be the top of your stand.
For example, if you had a small ridge of wood hitting the bottom of the tank there would be tremendous pressure applied to the tank (and wood) in that place. With the foam, that extra pressure from the wood would simply compress the foam slightly more in that area.
And remember, the actual weight/pressure per square inch is less than a pound per square inch IF the entire bottom of the tank is in contact with the stand.
With the foam in place, the load is more evenly distributed across a slightly uneven surface (wood) that may be the top of your stand.
For example, if you had a small ridge of wood hitting the bottom of the tank there would be tremendous pressure applied to the tank (and wood) in that place. With the foam, that extra pressure from the wood would simply compress the foam slightly more in that area.
And remember, the actual weight/pressure per square inch is less than a pound per square inch IF the entire bottom of the tank is in contact with the stand.
bladeruner143
Premium Member
So wait, are you saying that styrofoam CAN be used under a glass tank?
Underwaterparadise
New member
I use it under all my glass tanks at home and in the store!
bladeruner143
Premium Member
Really? Is there a certain thickness or type you have to use? Does it have to extent past the tank? Basically, I'm thinking of doing this because I'm making a stand, but I don't consider myself a master carpenter, so I'd like some security with it. So if you could go into more details with you setup, I'd really appreciate it. Pictures would also help!
yoboyjdizz
Active member
I would still double check with someone who makes glass tanks. I swear with trim no foam without then you could.. Better be safe and double check.
bladeruner143
Premium Member
Hey Yoboy, I can't find a Tank Manufacturer in the vendor forum. Can you give me the name of one?
bored4long
New member
From the research I did, glass tanks with trim are DESIGNED to have all the weight supported by the trim. Styrofoam just isn't necessary. Whether it CAN be used or is even good or bad is unknown to me.
Let us know what you find out.
Let us know what you find out.
philter4
New member
The glass doesn't need the styrofoam under it, but it will not cause any problem using it. The trim keeps the glass off of the stand or whatever you are using as a base so there is no single pressure point. For example if you lay a piece of glass out and put evenly distributed weight on it it will not break, but put weight on a single point and the glass shatters. The same is true of the acrylic, except the acrylic wont shatter it would crack, the styrofoam just protects it from a single point of pressure.
I agree that the weight of a glass tank without foam would go to its trim as intended, but spreading the load instead to the entire bottom of the tank and the entire top of the stand could be helpful too.
The glass in the tank bottom will flex a little too. I dunno if dropping a rock on the bottom would matter less if there was foam under the bottom, but it might.
Styrofoam is a pretty good insulator for the water temperature and sound/vibration.
I'd go with foam of 3/8" to 1/2" thick. It's at Lowes and HD. Maybe it will compress by 1/16".
In the back of my mind I always wonder what the tank will do in an earthquake. If the load is only carried by the trim around the tank, what happens if the tank moves an inch?
The glass in the tank bottom will flex a little too. I dunno if dropping a rock on the bottom would matter less if there was foam under the bottom, but it might.
Styrofoam is a pretty good insulator for the water temperature and sound/vibration.
I'd go with foam of 3/8" to 1/2" thick. It's at Lowes and HD. Maybe it will compress by 1/16".
In the back of my mind I always wonder what the tank will do in an earthquake. If the load is only carried by the trim around the tank, what happens if the tank moves an inch?
dots
Premium Member
Styrofoam is mostly air, at the weights we are speaking of, it would be compressed to the point of being worthless. Its best application is as an insulator.
I would be learly of using this as over time it will just catch moisture and become a great mold breeding ground.
Essentially, foam rubber would be an good choice as a gasket material to fill the voids between the disimimalar surfaces to distribute the loads evenly like a gasket, but I think too much emphasis is placed on this topic and should not be used to compensate for poor craftsmanship.
However, if the top of the stand is made of plywood, when it is loaded, the sheet will flatten. Plywood is made of layers of wood in alternating directions to give it shear strength. Plywood is often "twisted" when not installed. A low weight structure like a stand could easily twist until the downforce from the tank is applied.
If the surface is flat and the rest of the stand is accuratly and precisely built, shimming it like a door to accomodate for flooring unevenness is all that would be needed.
But as you can see, I am guessing on what the stand looks like......hint, hint, hint......
I would be learly of using this as over time it will just catch moisture and become a great mold breeding ground.
Essentially, foam rubber would be an good choice as a gasket material to fill the voids between the disimimalar surfaces to distribute the loads evenly like a gasket, but I think too much emphasis is placed on this topic and should not be used to compensate for poor craftsmanship.
However, if the top of the stand is made of plywood, when it is loaded, the sheet will flatten. Plywood is made of layers of wood in alternating directions to give it shear strength. Plywood is often "twisted" when not installed. A low weight structure like a stand could easily twist until the downforce from the tank is applied.
If the surface is flat and the rest of the stand is accuratly and precisely built, shimming it like a door to accomodate for flooring unevenness is all that would be needed.
But as you can see, I am guessing on what the stand looks like......hint, hint, hint......
