Foam or no foam?

[spoot]

Originally Posted by lastlight

I seem to recall always reading foam for no-trim tanks and no foam for trimmed tanks. I used foam on my tank but not sure if I would if there was trim. Does the foam end up contacting the floated glass bottom if you use it?

Seems to me like the trim might really sink into the foam due to high pressure and then the bottom may touch the foam but not as evenly as when the tank has no trim.

Just thinking aloud tho. Haven't had trim on a tank in some time.

The foam for non-trimmed tank is even more important, as the pressure points would be directly on the piece of glass if you had not foam.

For the tank that have a raised bottom pane, the side pieces of glass are actually sitting in the plastic cradle, and the bottom pane is suspended in between the with silicone. With rigid foam insulation (pink or blue stuff), there is just not enough weight to compress the foam so that the bottom pane would touch the foam.

Just a quick calculation to put you at ease, consider a 200g tank, with water etc it weighs about 2000lbs. It you have a 1.5 inch wide trim, on a tank with the same footprint as greenspottedpuffer's new tank, you'd have about 200 linear inches of trim, and about 300 square inches of trim. So if you divide the weight equally, 2000lbs/300square inches =6.6667pounds per square inch, or 6.6667psi. It takes a lot more than 6.6667psi to compress that foam.

[lastlight]

Yes I use foam on my trimless tanks.

If the foam won't touch the trim I'd use it as well then...

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

So I still don't know...

I have the stand mostly built and have 1/2" room (so that it will be hidden by the side panels and doors) for either foam or plywood. I am leaning towards plywood just plywood under the tank but anymore advice?

[Whatigot]

jeez...
I'm in the middle of setting up a 95 that is flat glass with no trim on the bottom.
The glass sits flush on the stand (which is custom made out of very good wood and flat/even as can be).

what should I do?

Right now, as the guy who had it before me had 100 lbs of LR on it with no issues for 6 years, I don't hink I'm going to use foam.

But if anyone here can save me from myself, please do so.

[banditpowdercoat]

Originally Posted by Whatigot

jeez...
I'm in the middle of setting up a 95 that is flat glass with no trim on the bottom.
The glass sits flush on the stand (which is custom made out of very good wood and flat/even as can be).

what should I do?

Right now, as the guy who had it before me had 100 lbs of LR on it with no issues for 6 years, I don't hink I'm going to use foam.

But if anyone here can save me from myself, please do so.

If there is No trim, then I would suggest foam. The foam helps for even specks of dirt, uneven grains in the wood, etc. think what would happen if you set your tank on a tiny pebble?? Major pinpoint pressure

[Whatigot]

Maybe...
I'll consider now.

I suppose it's just like insulators foam I would use?