Tank Mat

[baseballfanatic2]

Hi guys, I bought a used nuvo 30. What can I use for a tank mat for underneath the tank to rest on stand? I’d like to set up tomorrow. 

[ReefGoat]

I'm not sure of anything that can be sourced from wallyworld or any normie place that's thin like the tank mats that come with our tanks. I've seem some thin yoga mat stuff but I think I recall it being yellow. That'd be hideous. I'd just be patient and order the correct tank mat so you don't regret it. Because once it's set up......you're in a tight spot if you don't like it 

[MainelyReefer]

I’m assuming you are asking because the one originally adhered to the bottom is trashed right? First make sure 100% of the old adhesive foam is removed so there isn’t residual before adhering a new pad.  If you can’t order the proper stuff which would be my recommendation, patience is key in this hobby, then just use a yoga mat or similar product.  Hell if you have to you could use those strips of foam they put in door jams to make it air tight and just place them all side by side, super ghetto mat!

[Clown79]

You can get black yoga mat and cut to size or just order the IM mat. 

 

 

[jservedio]

12 hours ago, GraniteReefer said:

just use a yoga mat or similar product.  Hell if you have to you could use those strips of foam they put in door jams to make it air tight and just place them all side by side, super ghetto mat!

 

8 hours ago, Clown79 said:

You can get black yoga mat and cut to size or just order the IM mat. 

 

 

 

If the surface is 100% perfectly level, I'd be comfortable using a yoga mat or something else, but even if the stand is 1/32" out of level, I'd only use a real mat.

 

The reason being is the density of foam on a yoga mat or something else isn't nearly that same as the IM mat and the purpose of them is to level the tank and keep the force on all of the seams evenly distributed. That stupid mat has an incredibly important job.

 

Get the real mat.

[Clown79]

42 minutes ago, jservedio said:

 

 

If the surface is 100% perfectly level, I'd be comfortable using a yoga mat or something else, but even if the stand is 1/32" out of level, I'd only use a real mat.

 

The reason being is the density of foam on a yoga mat or something else isn't nearly that same as the IM mat and the purpose of them is to level the tank and keep the force on all of the seams evenly distributed. That stupid mat has an incredibly important job.

 

Get the real mat.

I can tell you from experience, if the stand top isn't 100% level, neither the original IM mat or yoga mat will work.

 

Neither material is thick enough,  both are made from the same material - rubber.

IM is 5mm

Yoga mat is 6mm

 

 

The only thing that will work is 1 1/4" foam board from hardware store or a marble top.

[jservedio]

4 hours ago, Clown79 said:

I can tell you from experience, if the stand top isn't 100% level, neither the original IM mat or yoga mat will work.

 

Neither material is thick enough,  both are made from the same material - rubber.

IM is 5mm

Yoga mat is 6mm

 

 

The only thing that will work is 1 1/4" foam board from hardware store or a marble top.

Every foam is going to have a working range where it'll be able to provide effective support and a frameless fish tank will be pushing down with 0.75-2 psi regardless if you have a 20g or 200g and that's exactly where the IM mat was designed to work. If you are outside of that working range, it won't be able to evenly support the tank over imperfections and you end up with areas that are taking tens of times more pressure than they should.

 

If the yoga mat crushes too easily, you lose a ton of range on what kind of imperfections it can absorb. If it's too hard, it's not effectively supporting the tank.

 

The IM mat will do a tiny bit of levelling - it's evening out 3/64" on my tank from floor deflection.

 

There are tons of options that will work, but if you don't know the materials and can't test them, the IM mat is a sure fire bet.