To foam or not to foam?

[gliebig]

I'm setting up my 225 and was wondering if I should use foamboard on top of my stand?

 

[FishTruck]

That or some way to make sure that the surface upon which it rests is flush.

Another option is to use corian, PVC, or acrylic and leave a way to shim it as needed flush to the bottom of your tank. Use resin shims for this.

Foam is easier. Then, trim around it to hide it.

Here is corian on my stand. There are shims that you can't see placed as needed to make sure it was flush against the bottom of the tank in all places.

 

[RBU1]

Glass or acrylic tank? Acrylic yes foam/Glass No foam....

 

[gliebig]

my tank is glass

 

[RBU1]

I would not use foam on a glass tank just make sure what you are putting it on is level.

 

[asm481]

Gonna be big arguments here! Been discussed many times before. Foam or no Foam depends on the tank type. An AGA glass tank type with the heavy plastic trim where the bottom glass is not flush but raised on the bottom equals no foam. Any tank where the whole bottom is smooth such as most if not all acrylic tanks equals foam. I do like the corian idea though that would be flat and uniform also.

 

[gliebig]

it's a glass cages tank

 

[FishTruck]

I had a 135 in oceanic in highschool that I put on a stand that I made with welded bedframe and old pipes. There were 3-4 mm gaps everywhere. Never had a problem. Don't recommend that, but, I got away with it. That tank had a plastic brace around the top and bottom that supported lifted the glass off the bottom.

Tanks since then have been acrylic and I have used many methods, including foam board, to ensure flush support. Necessary? I don't know. I sleep better at night though. WIth a "flush bottom" tank, I guess one would worry about a pressure point in the middle of the bottom pane?