Bottom glass protection

[Worshiper]

Really sorry if this is a repeat question or if it is a very basic question.

Is it okay to put a yoga/exercise foam mat inside the aquarium under rocks to protect the bottom glass?
Will the foam mat leech anything into the water column?

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

Idk about that, but I personally use eggcrate to line the bottom. It spreads the weight more evenly across the bottom pane AND protects the glass

 

[Nick potts]

I have seen yoga mats used on here, also polystyrene.


I use egg crate/light diffuser panels also.

 

[not called Bob]

Some use neoprene from an old wetsuit, I used egg crate/koi crate

 

[BarryH]

Talking of foam degassing, in my office there is a stack of mail trays, each having a grill type base. In one of the trays I had a foam tube which had been sitting in the tray for quite some time and as I was searching for a USB stick, I tried to move the tube. After a bit of tugging, the tube came away from the tray and I noticed a few marks on it the same shape as the grill of the tray.

When I looked at the plastic grill on the tray, there was almost nothing left where the foam tube had been sitting. The grill on the base of the tray was about 5mm thick but where the tube had been sat, it was less than 1mm. Whatever was in the foam tube had almost dissolved all the plastic.

 

[lilirose]

I use light diffuser panels when I can get them, but for some reason they're hard to find in Ireland. I also have been known to use expanded polystyrene when I can't find them.

 

[zozo]

Anything plastic contains weakeners, or polymers to make it bond... Over time they will slowly gas off or dissolve and make the material brittle and also slowly dissolve plastic into the environment. It takes many many years... But we are already using it for many years enough... So, hence nowadays, no matter what is put under the microscope so to say, anything organic in this world, from honey to milk, weeds, eggs and meats name it they find plastic particles in it.

It has become an unstoppable probably irreversible force we don't know the long term future outcome off... Thus yes it will leach into the water column. But probably nothing drastically toxic

Anyway, why foam? You can also use a piece of pond foil instead, does the job perfectly and is only 10ths of mm thick and easier to hide. And since pond foil is made for ponds then why not in an aquarium, it's basically the same thing.

I used pond foil in a DIY tank with an epoxy treated wooden bottom panel. No issues what so ever.