Styrofoam or lighting egg crates inside tank underneath decor?

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

Some years ago it was fashion to put ceiling light plastikolite egg crates on the tank bottom, so that the weight of large rocks is distributed and as cushion. Then I heard about styrofoam, which makes sense, too. Even sounds easier in many ways.

What do/did you guys use? If styrofoam, then which? The pink insulation?

Thx
HarleyK

 

[kno4te]

I haven’t done any backgrounds. I know a few who have and those few use the Corning pink styrofoam.

 

[esoxlucius]

Them plastic lighting diffuser sheets are hard. If you had a layer as protection on the bottom of your tank and you accidently dropped a biggish rock on top, there would still be a chance of a crack in your bottom panel. I bet styrofoam would offer better protection if a rock fell on it, it offers better cushioning.

Styrofoam is buoyant though, whereas lighting diffuser generally sinks, so you'd have to bear that in mind when choosing what size rocks to put on what size piece. Rock too small compared to size of styrofoam sheet and you have a raft with a rock on it! Rock falls off raft, bottom panel cracks.

Best thing about styrofoam too is that you can buy it in different thicknesses, ideal for big ass rocks in Malawi set ups for example.

 

[deeda]

I originally used the drop ceiling egg crate type under rocks in my 220G Malawi tank but eventually removed it as it traps too much crap plus the fish tended to expose it. The rocks currently sit directly on the glass bottom of the tank. Just be sure no substrate gets under the rocks when placing them.

I did make a DIY cement and real rock background and used the pink or blue sill sealer foam (very thin) as a cushion under this background and it worked well. Cut it to fit slightly larger than the width of the background so as to avoid seeing any parts exposed by the fish. It will float up though if dislodged when you move the rocks.

Either method, just take great care so as not to drop rocks from above. I used thick towels in a dry tank when setting rocks before substrate.

 

[Ulu]

Put silicone "feet" on the bottom of your big rocks so they do not actually touch the glass.

It's an easy way to make rocks "sit up straight" when they don't quite want to.

Let it dry well before putting it under water.

You can make the silicone blobs, and then sprinkle sand on them, so they never show when the fish dig up the bottom.

 

[RD.]

The rocks currently sit directly on the glass bottom of the tank. Just be sure no substrate gets under the rocks when placing them.

+1 This is how I have always placed large boulders in my tanks, no need for light diffuser and/or styro.

A past thread on this topic.

How strong is our glass tanks and can withstand the weight?

Hey gang not sure where to post this so here it is.... I have a couple 55g tanks of standard dimension retangular tanks 5' long x 12"deep x 20" height and 1/4" thick glass . My concern is can I place large rocks that weigh in excess of 20-30lbs directly on the glass? Will in not cause a...

www.monsterfishkeepers.com

 

[Ulu]

I never like to put big rocks directly on the glass.

I don't have to do it, so I just don't do it.

 

[Tobiassorensen]

Instead of styrofoam i used to use yogamatts cut to pieces. It dont take that much space as the styrofoam does and its easier to hide with substrate. But the last couple of years ive been leaning towards barebottom tanks.