foam cans

[tom619]

what's the difference between these two foam can brands? better yet: which one is best for our salt-water applications? they both sell at HD, but at totally different prices.
i want the one that seals loose pvc piping too, not just as a filler.

Hilti for $9.90 each. label on can has NO description at all! just a bunch of consumer warnings. it is placed in the plumbing section.
http://www.northlandconstruction.com/products/1624/orig/7519.jpg



Great Stuff. $4.50 each. it is placed throughout the store and comes in several colors for different applications.
http://greatstuff.dow.com/greatstuff/images/sub_04.jpg
http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/galleries/2008/pf/0809/gallery.utility_bill.moneymag/images/great_stuff.jpg





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[ManTis]

hey tom use the Great stuff cans...they carry the one that use for ponds.

[jrjuiliano]

I'm working in this right now!

I ended up getting the Beckett foam from Home Depot, but it's over $10 a can! :cry: It's out in the garden area by the pond and spa stuff.

The main difference in these foams is going to be it's tendency to break down in the water over time. The Beckett foam (and the Dow Great Stuff Pond & Stone if you can find it) are listed as "fish safe" and are made for water applications. Everyone else has been using the Great Stuff or Handi Foam (Lowe's) in the red can.

The big problem that I was reading about was the foams you listed above will need to be coated with an EPOXY resin (not the Bondo FIBERGLASS resin) because the foam breaks down over time due to UV light exposure (sunlight or tank lights; doesn't matter!). I picked up the ZAP z-poxy from a hobby store in Orange County. They delivered in a day. From what I read the Bondo will attack the foam over time and might leech into the water. Plus it smells bad for a really long time before it cures!

Supposedly with the pond foam the epoxy coating isn't needed, but I'm not taking that chance. I'm going to use the epoxy for protection as well as being able to coat the foam in sand and crushed coral, as they did in the links below...

Check out these threads for more info.

RC: The Foam/Rock Projects Here Thread (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1438807&perpage=25&highlight=foam%20background&pagenumber=1)

Tiggsy's Rock and Foam Project (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1188352)

At this point I'm still working with eggcrate and drilling rock to find the perfect setup before using the foam. But personally I think this is the best way to go. IMHO and YMMV and all that.

[jt_milstead]

Talk to Bio-Nut about foam. When I got the cube from him he had a big ass foam wall in it...

[stephclay]

if your using it on uv unexposed areas then the great stuff is fine, If uv will be coming in cotact then yes epoxy or get the pond foam

[RussM]

My local TrueValue store had black pond foam for about $7/can; that's what I used on my tank.

[barometer]

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=9232

This is what Dennis said he used on Cubicus Maximus. He had this tank set up for quite some time with no issues. When I bought it it was empty for a short time. Filled it up as soon as it was in my house and the foam is doing great, no deterioration. I don't think he used any sealant, but am not 100% on that. HTH :)

[tom619]

thanks guys

Hilti for $9.90 claims that it can be "re-used..."
WHAT! someone plz explain

http://www.northlandconstruction.com/products/1624/orig/7519.jpg

[jrjuiliano]

Chop up the pieces you pulled from a previous project, and put it in a bowl. Instant, reusable snack for the kids!

Hmmm, maybe not. :runaway:

[tom619]

i just talked to a Hilti salesperson and they said that "reusable" means the half-empty can could be saved for later applications, whereas other brands have single use only once you open it.

...: WTH



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[Yolo]

Wear Gloves! That stuff tends to be very volitile. Got it all over my hands and took a few days to get it all of, along with the skin it was attached to...

Get the Russ Black version...good for a back wall or fill, but I wouldn't use it to seal leaking pipes...

[johnc]

i just talked to a Hilti salesperson and they said that "reusable" means the half-empty can could be saved for later applications, whereas other brands have single use only once you open it.

...: WTH


.
Yea, they just mean the tube doesn't clog. Hilti stuff just cost a lot. Did you look at the prices of their tools? But they are still made in Europe rather than in Taiwan or China. Like their tools a lot but no need on spending the money on their foam, but it does seem a lot denser to me. Great Stuff should be just fine.

[DaveMorris]

I used the regular Great Stuff. At the time that I did the foam in my 300g, Home Depot did not sell the pond version of Great Stuff. I did not coat it with anything because nature will, and did, take care of that for me. 99% of the people that look at my tank can not tell what is foam and what is real rock. Most of it is covered in coraline algea. I would dispute the idea that this stuff would breakdown in a tank. UV is cut down tremendously in our tanks, because if it wasn't, all of your livestock would get fried. UV is not an issue in the average reef tank.

[tom619]

thanks everyone.
more feedback is welcomed

[Galliente]

I used to work for homedepot. The hilti foam is the same specs. It is just more user friendly.The tube that despenses the foam can be removed and it can be re applied at a later time. The Great stuff foam has to be used in one session. The hilti foam is not really worth the extra $$$$ in my home depot opinion.

[tom619]

thanks for the info!
that's what the sales guy said too, but i didnt believe him

[Cesarv4]

So that's how people do it. I always wondered how people would get a bunch of live rock and make nice "mountains" without gaps or having them collapse. I thought I was just horrible at aquascaping. Good to know for my next tank.

[tom619]

i just saw this today at HomeDepot. i think it's new cuz i never saw it before.
Black. $8.49

https://www.mclendons.com/img/products/13/1320514.jpg



.

[jrjuiliano]

i just saw this today at HomeDepot. i think it's new cuz i never saw it before.
Black. $8.49


It's not new, but might be to Home Depot. It's the stuff that Dow says is "fish safe", and it's impregnated with carbon. Plus it's supposed to not break down under UV as much as the regular stuff...

[tom619]

yea, new to HD