camtang Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 What do people find the best to use under their tank? I was looking at a rubber mat, but it was $95 at 15mm so I think I may go with poly My tank is 1700x 700 so what thickness would be best to use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 What do people find the best to use under their tank? I was looking at a rubber mat, but it was $95 at 15mm so I think I may go with poly My tank is 1700x 700 so what thickness would be best to use? Not particularly critical how thick it is. It's just there to smooth out any bits of debris, nail heads and other little pressure points. Towels have been used too. 15mm is fine or whatever polystyrene you happen to find in that region. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted June 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackp Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 10 to 20mm poly should be fine (and much cheaper than rubber). you should be able to get a sheet of poly (2.4m x 1.2m) for $10-$20. (I paid $13 a sheet for 20mm at placemakers the last time i got some) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 I've only got 10mm under my big tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-obstacle Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 I've only got 10mm under my big tank. yeah, but you live life on the edge :sml2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted June 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 I've only got 10mm under my big tank. Your tank is like a billion times bigger than my baby ( comparitive to your tank) so I will go with 10 mm Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamstar99 Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 If you struggle to source poly another option, and one that would fit your tank well, is a closed cell foam sleeping mat from the warehouse or the like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted June 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 Cheers, I will look into that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 yeah, but you live life on the edge :sml2: #YOLO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :facepalm: I just measured the poly under my 400L tank that has been there ~12 months and it is still exactly 10mm, hasn't even crushed half a mil with ~500kg sitting on top of it. Perhaps if you're not using ply or a flat base under the tank [ie just sitting on steel or timber frame) you might get a bit of crushing going on, but with a flat surface like ply even with a massive amount of weight on it the poly will barely crush, so 10mm is plenty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 #YOLO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :facepalm: I just measured the poly under my 400L tank that has been there ~12 months and it is still exactly 10mm, hasn't even crushed half a mil with ~500kg sitting on top of it. Perhaps if you're not using ply or a flat base under the tank [ie just sitting on steel or timber frame) you might get a bit of crushing going on, but with a flat surface like ply even with a massive amount of weight on it the poly will barely crush, so 10mm is plenty. Guessing at the dimensions of your tank, say 1200mmX600mm, that puts it at an area of 7200 square centimeters at 500kg. That's a pressure of about 70 grams. That's roughly the weight of a large chicken's egg spread out over about the area of your thumb. I don't imagine that would cause a measurable depression in your average density polystyrene foam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 my 160 L is on 'silverfern' underlay, and only depresses it maybe 1-2mm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 Guessing at the dimensions of your tank, say 1200mmX600mm, that puts it at an area of 7200 square centimeters at 500kg. Footprint is actually 1400x650mm so it's even less than that. My big tank is 2400x1200x700, so with a footprint of 28800cm^2 and ~2200kg it is about 76g per square cm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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