Question: styrofoam

[kameustaquiomd]

hi guys. i'm planning to set up a 75g tank for an axolotl. i plan to use slate tiles as substrate, to form a continuous slate floor and i plan to put styrofoam under the slate to protect the glass. my question is, is styrofoam safe for axolotls? thanks

 

[ferret_corner]

i know that in some fish forums people have used styrofoam to cushion large rocks from the bottom of the tank.

here are some things to consider...
..http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20744&highlight=

 

[Darkmaverick]

Sharon saves the day.

That site is rather informative in its discussion. I am rather hesitant to use styrofoam after reading it.

You might like to ask Jennewt on her opinion. She does a lot of tank/pond customisation and would be much more informed.

Cheers

 

[geosheets]

I have used doubled up rubber matting in my tanks in the past. Here in the US you can buy rubber shelf liner for using in your kitchen cabinets. There seems to be a couple types... one that is sort of a foam rubber (which I wouldn't use) and another type that is just a dense rubber that doesn't compress and doesn't absorb water (the one I DO use). Another idea I haven't tried yet, but will in the near future, is to coat styrofoam board with a food grade epoxy resin. It should seal it and keep it from leaching chemicals into the tank.

 

[kameustaquiomd]

thanks guys. do you have any other suggestions for the lining?

 

[ferret_corner]

maybe put a thick/thin layer of aquarium sealant on the bottom of the tiles? I don't mean glue them to the tank either. Lay them out, smear the sealant on and let it dry. Maybe do that a couple of times?

I'm really glad you brought this up because I have some LOVELY tiles I wanted to use but I'm worried about waste build under them.

heres another thought, if you bought styrofoam coolers - the type we're meant to put food & drinks in - should be safe right? but its rather thick.

I'm rather partial the aquarium sealant idea....

 

[Otterwoman]

Sharon, thanks for that link! It was very interesting reading. I am wondering if cyanide on styrofoam is something they wouldn't allow in the US?

 

[Jennewt]

I'd be very hesitant to use rubber shelf lining (though it may be OK, I don't know). I had a "disaster" (some deaths) after I tried using rubberized window screen material in the bottom of a tank.

I would suggest some pieces of pond liner, though you may have trouble buying this in a small-enough quantity. There are pond shops that sell it by the linear foot (but the width of the material is at least 10 ft and it isn't cheap).

I think you could safely put the slate tiles down w/o risking injury to the glass. What is the width of the tank, and the width of the slate? If it's a 12-inch wide tank, the tiles may rest neatly on the silicone-sealed edges of the tank, and this should work fine w/o any risk to the glass.

People have put ordinary styrofoam into aquariums. For example, if you buy a floating fish food feeder, it is held afloat by a small ring of styrofoam. I use wet styrofoam packing peanuts for shipping newts, but this is a short-term exposure. And I'm pretty sure I've seen DIY aquarium projects that used plain old styrofoam. You might try googling "styrofoam aquarium DIY" and see what you get and what kinds of styrofoam are used.

 

[Jennewt]

Sharon, thanks for that link! It was very interesting reading. I am wondering if cyanide on styrofoam is something they wouldn't allow in the US?

We are the country that put arsenic in our deck lumber (and made children's play equipment out of it) for many, many years.

 

[kameustaquiomd]

thanks guys. I've finished the aquarium, I tired styrofoam however things kept floating around. I removed the styro found some ceramic tiles and placed them in the tank. the tank is ready to go. now i have to find myself an axo. these guys are difficult to acquire her in our country. again thanks a lot.

 

[Jadore axolotl]

Mmm why not put a thin layer of sand under them?
I guess it's a little too late to suggest that now!

 

[SludgeMunkey]

I would avoid the use of actual polystyrene foam for aquatic applications even if it is "food safe", but there are quite a few cellulose based foams that work very well, available at florist supply and hobby shops. Also, urethane is an alternative that is readily available also. In previous projects I have coated the polystyrene with epoxy, however this method really is not suitable for submerged use.

 

[SludgeMunkey]

I think I have come up with an excellent alternative to polystyrene foam thanks to a leaky roof at work last night. We had a bad roof leak in the office section of the plant which shorted out a few fluorescent light fixtures in the drop ceiling. (that's the white tile type ceiling so common in offices). To replace the the fixtures I first had to remove the diffuser covers, which in our plant are a white plastic grid. See where I am going with this? The grids can be trimmed to size very easily and are strong and rigid. the thickness is about 1/5 an inch (about 13mm) and each square in the grid is about about the same dimension each side. They are very inexpensive and can be purchased at most any DIY supply center. I thought about this all night, and then researched it on the net when I got home. Sure enough, some other folks thought of this also:

http://www.vivariumforum.com/community/palu-construction/1375-44g-hex-tank-build-log-pics.html

The one in this picture appears to be a slightly larger grid size, but there are quite a few different styles...this is giving me ideas for integral filter beds....

 

[ianclick]

Hi

There is always silicon sealant

 

[kameustaquiomd]

john,
thanks i found eggcrates they were selling at the LFS. i put it under the tiles. works well. now to find myself an axo. thanks guys

 

[kameustaquiomd]

jadore,
thanks but you're right its too late. thanks.

ian,
i have contemplated that but it would be difficult to remove the silicon if i changed my mind later. thanks for the input.