Is it a good idea to put foam under a frame-less glass tank? I know some people do that with acrylic, but I don't seen it as much with glass tank. Thoughts?
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Is it a good idea to put foam under a frame-less glass tank? I know some people do that with acrylic, but I don't seen it as much with glass tank. Thoughts?
I dont see why not, foam is helpful when it comes to leveling out a tank also. I don’t see anything wrong with it.
I see it being a good idea with a frameless glass tank as it is with an acrylic tank that doesn’t have a frame. A framed glass is supported by the frame which means there is less chance of irregularities in the stand top contacting the bottom panel and creating stress points. Using a foam mat underneath would provide the same leveling benefits to both acrylic and frameless glass tanks and reduce any irregularities on the stand surface and as a result, stress on the bottom panel.
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I put it under my 225g glass tank. It helps settle it in and displace weight more evenly than just a hard surface. To each is own though. There are many that dont put any.
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I used the foam insulation sheets from Home Depot. Tank is 225, 60”x36”x24”. Seems to be working well although there really is no way to tell :)
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Some ppl say foam is good if the panel is on the bottom and the sides above it, and if it is in between the panels they think the foam.will.put an unnecessary pressure against the bottom panel pushing up against it possibly causing issues. I have never used a foam mat but many reefers have no issues.
If it were a framed tank where the side panels actually extend lower than the bottom glass, I would not use a mat as the only contact points are the side panel frames. Using a mat with this can cause the mat to bulge up under the bottom panel, defeating the point of creating a more even surface using the mat. Now if the bottom panel will be resting directly glass to stand top, then I would recommend a mat. The reason is, even though a stand top my look totally flat, there may be low spots in it which would essentially mean the bottom panel would be completely unsupported in those spots. The mat fills those low spots and more evenly distributes variances in surface loading. IMO, it’s worth the $35.
Innovative Marine DIY Self Leveling Mat - 72"x24" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CR9GXSO..._i2vdCbD5VC1B4
Thanks for the link Crusty. The leemar tank I just picked up from Drama has a a thin panel of starboard glued to the bottom, so foam probably isnt needed in my situation. I am, however, interested in raising the tank up an inch or so and thought the foam would be an easy way to do that. The stand I'll be using has a 2" depression/frame around the base of the tank and I dont want to lose any viewing space to the frame/molding. I dont have a table saw so I cant cut plywood.
Quote:
Originally Posted by crustaceon
Once the weight is on it, that foam will compress down to around 1/8” so it wouldn’t work great for additional height anyways. Probably your best option (and a cheap one) is to take measurements of your stand top, grab 2 x 4’s/3’s depending on the total width at home depot and ask the rep in the wood dept. to cut them to length. They’re actually 1 1/2” thick and will recess below the trim and will provide a very sturdy and cost effective way to get the lift you’re looking for. A plus would be if you can get the rep can shave off rounded edges of the boards for more even support when they’re placed side by side.
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