Large Tank Leveling Mat

[helmsreef]

If you live near a hobby lobby they have foam mats usually 60x24 in different thicknesses. I usually just buy to and cut them evenly for wider tanks.
https://www.hobbylobby.com/crafts-h...splay-high-density-eva-foam---10mm/p/80982131

 

[dank.reefer]

Really? I suppose those little ridges kinda smash out under the weight of the tank right?

Yup completely. If you are concerned about the ridges or dimples they also make yoga mats that are smooth. The weight of the tank is spread out so much that I doesn't even smash the mat which is very soft.

Just to consider the math on it let's say your tank is 150g full that would be roughly 1320lbs of water and if the glass weight is around 250-300lbs... let's just call it 1600lbs to be generous on weight. Then if you calculate the the area of the mat and stand 72 x 24 = 1728 inches square. So if you divide 1600 ÷ 1728 = .92psi total across the entire bottom of the tank. It barely even squishes the super soft yoga mat.

The main purpose of the mat is to prevent any high spots in the stand surface from creating greater pressure so really the little extra thickness of the yoga mat is better at this especially on DIY stands.

 

[dank.reefer]

If you live near a hobby lobby they have foam mats usually 60x24 in different thicknesses. I usually just buy to and cut them evenly for wider tanks.
https://www.hobbylobby.com/crafts-h...splay-high-density-eva-foam---10mm/p/80982131

I have heard this stuff works well. There are so many different products that use closed cell foam for their construction. The most expensive of which is aquarium leveling mats.

 

[me & my baby]

I used a yoga mat from Walmart on my
150

 

[dank.reefer]

I used a yoga mat from Walmart on my
150

Also a couple other places that I have heard of but not gone to for yoga mats super cheap are the Five Below store or Daiso. My wife tells me that both of those spots sell them for less than $10.

After using yoga mat under a couple of tanks I won't likey use anything else.

 

[504Refugee]

Thank you everyone! I ended up going with the BRS neoprene roll @Marco_99 suggested. I figured that would also give me more I could use under the sump.

If I had seen this many people confident on yoga mats, I would've went that way

 

[JumboShrimp]

I think you made a good choice-- something specific for tank use.

 

[Marco_99]

Thank you everyone! I ended up going with the BRS neoprene roll @Marco_99 suggested. I figured that would also give me more I could use under the sump.

If I had seen this many people confident on yoga mats, I would've went that way

Well, there is a difference between the material, the BRS is a neoprene which is heavier duty and neoprene does have some better compression characteristics where EVA foam is a little different material, but there is a difference. How much it matters under a reef tank I don’t know, but I use a toothbrush on mine a lot to sweep the salt from the dried saltwater I spill and I can tell you the neoprene holds up good for that lol