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Styrofoam in the tank

Joined
28 May 2013
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I am thinking of using Styrofoam under the substrate and rocks to make a basic shape as I'm going to use only superficial rooting plants like HC, Hair grass and Glosso. This will hopefully safe me a lot of substrate but I am hoping it will keep the substrate from rolling down hill when I place the rocks on it as I want to go ferly high in the back.....

BUT is it possible ...or even a good idea to use Styrofoam in this way?....Does anyone here have a good idea in how to keep the substrate from going down to the foot of the hill(s)?.....How do you guys do this?......should I just use lots of rocks stacked up and wouldn't this get to heavy?:nailbiting:
 
I think lotsof people use egg crates and similar you could even use kid building blocks old leggo. I wouldn't use polystyrene myself.
 
If you look at the Tropica website, a lot of the tanks they set up use polystyrene aka styrofoam under larger rocks. See layout 62 as an example.
It's totally inert and safe to use.
 
I won't have my chips in the stuff :D
 
I used polystyrene under a big 760l rock scape recently with no problems, just double check its not had anything injected into it which they sometimes do in the building trade...
 
I am thinking of using Styrofoam under the substrate and rocks to make a basic shape as I'm going to use only superficial rooting plants like HC, Hair grass and Glosso. This will hopefully safe me a lot of substrate but I am hoping it will keep the substrate from rolling down hill when I place the rocks on it as I want to go ferly high in the back.....

BUT is it possible ...or even a good idea to use Styrofoam in this way?....Does anyone here have a good idea in how to keep the substrate from going down to the foot of the hill(s)?.....How do you guys do this?......should I just use lots of rocks stacked up and wouldn't this get to heavy?:nailbiting:



Wouldn't use styrofoam m8 I used it it mines, done the DSM for about 6-7 weeks then filled the tank & nipped out for half an hour & when I got back in the tank was a mess with the soil.

Even with the weight of large rocks the styrofoam still managed to float & lift everything :banghead:, luckily enough the rocks fell to the centre of the tank & not against the edges.

Don't think I would have been happy having another tank burst on me lol.
 
thanks brycie, I will keep this in mind...although I think my rocks will be big enough to keep the Styrofoam from floating
2013-11-17160610_zps0f91d87b.jpg
 
That's what I thought aswell Martin I had 4 large rock's on one bit & 5 large rocks on the other & believe it or not it was the piece with the 5 on it that decided to float. :(
 
That's what I thought aswell Martin I had 4 large rock's on one bit & 5 large rocks on the other & believe it or not it was the piece with the 5 on it that decided to float. :(
thx...I will probably only use a 1 or 2 cm thick peace just to keep the bottom glass from cracking, than some lave stones and over that fine gravel as planting substrate
 
I tried this once in cichlid tank with rock formation's made from styro amd then sprayed with textured paint and clear coat.
Also used styro under the large rock's to protect the glass.
Soon discovered that the cichlid's were pecking pieces of this off of decor in search for food ,and it then became free floating mess.
 
I tried this once in cichlid tank with rock formation's made from styro amd then sprayed with textured paint and clear coat.
Also used styro under the large rock's to protect the glass.
Soon discovered that the cichlid's were pecking pieces of this off of decor in search for food ,and it then became free floating mess.
It may look like a cichlid tank now, but it will be planted so I won't have any troubles with fish biting pieces off of it...but thx for the info
 
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