Styrofoam under tank

[Aquattro]

Question for larger tank seterupers...Am I ok using a 24" wide piece of foam on a 24.5" tank? I figure the weight is the glass, which is 24, but the trim adds 1/4" to each side. I think if it was critical, styrofoam manufacturers would make the sheets 24.5...:)
Thoughts?

[don.ald]

i remember the same for my tank. then i realised the glass sits on the rim. so the styro under just the glass? dont know if it really does anything; except push up on the glass?
i used extra styro and spliced it together so the rim fit.

[Delphinus]

I don't think I'd use 24" on a 24.5" tank. I'd either splice it in the middle as suggested or get a 48" wide piece and cut off 23.5" of it.

[lastlight]

If your side pieces go around the bottom and don't sit on it my inclination would be to not worry about it. Either way my gut feeling is that it's no big deal but if it were me I think i'd have just gotten another piece and have a seam down the center *just* to be safe. Which sucks because home depots etc somehow think foam is some rare earth material the way it's marked up.

[Borderjumper]

We spliced two pieces together in the middle, then set the tank on top. After it was filled just run a razor cutter around the edges to trim the excess.

[Lance]

We spliced two pieces together in the middle, then set the tank on top. After it was filled just run a razor cutter around the edges to trim the excess.


+1

[Myka]

Ya, I like to keep the styrofoam about 1/4" larger than the tank on all sides. I usually just cut the sheets into 2" strips and put that around the perimeter of the tank, and then a small patch in the center to help keep the bottom from bowing. If the tank has trim you obviously don't need the patch in the center.

[Aquattro]

Ok, I'll slice it down the middle and spread it out a half inch. Better safe than wet, I always say!
Now to find someone strong enough to lift the end of the 180 !