Foam Art Board for bottom of tank

[dsbaker15]

Quick question: I'm setting up a Mbuna tank and I'm worried about pressure points when I put all the rocks in. I have read on here about using styrofoam underneath the rocks and substrate (which will be PFS) on the inside of the tank. The only goal is to make sure I don't create pressure points while still having the rocks the fish deserve. I cut down some foam art board but I'm not real confident in it being fish safe. Has anyone used it before or does anyone have any advice?

To get it out of the way: if art board is a bad idea or no one has used it, I will just buy something that won't harm them. I'm not set on using it, just curious. Also, I don't know much more about it, just bought some foam art board from Hobby Lobby.

 

[Deadliestviper7]

If your tank is on a solid surface u won't have to worry about pressure points much,assuming u don't drop the rocks or lean them against the glass(don't!)

 

[deeda]

I agree that you don't have to have any cushioning material under the rocks, heck you can fill the entire tank with rocks and shouldn't have any problems. It doesn't matter if the tank is on a solid surface, I have +100 lbs in my big tank on a standard stand where only the tank perimeter is touching the stand.

Just be sure to place the rocks on the bottom of the tank and then add any substrate you want to use.

 

[dsbaker15]

Thanks for the feedback and quick replies. I'll probably ditch it then.

 

[markstrimaran]

What kinds of mbuna are you going with?

 

[dsbaker15]

Here is the rough plan for Mbuna species:

10 Labidochromis caeruleus
8 Metriaclima estherae
8 Iodotropheus sprengerae
15 Chindongo demasoni
8 Pseudotropheus sp. "Acei"

The plan is to buy them small. They're going into a 125 I got on black friday. I would like to also put some synodontis multipunctatus in the tank as well. I have been working really methodically on the tank because I have never kept a tank over 55 gallons, have never used a canister filter (picked up an fx6), have never kept Mbuna, and have never done elaborate rock work. Thankfully I have been lurking on this site for years reading tons of stuff and I research every decision.

Main goal now is getting rocks - lots of landscaping stores around here have been closed for the holidays. If anyone has any tips, I would certainly welcome them. I won't be doing anything MFK'ers would see as amazing, but to the general people who come over my stereotypical Mbuna tank will blow minds. I have a 29 with a just a pair of convicts (appox. 1.5-2" long) and they already think that is too big of a tank...

 

[Inglorious]

If you put some eggcrate on the bottom first then it will diffuse the weight of the rocks and avoid any pressure points. Once you add sand you can't tell it's there at all.

 

[jhook]

If you are tyruly worried about weight, I use something like this, but ordered from Dr. Foster & Smith. They work really well and make a great rock wall.
https://www.amazon.com/Marina-Aquar...&qid=1483390540&sr=1-1&keywords=cichlid+caves
The amazon link is just so that you can get a look at what they look like. They are somewhat interlocking so they fit together really well and aren't heavy while p[roviding much needed hiding spaces for the fish.

 

[deeda]

Using egg crate (light diffusor grid) was very popular for awhile but I don't think it was ever proven to actually work as spreading the weight of the rocks or reducing pressure points.

I used it in my 220G Mbuna tank and still have 1 piece under a stack of rocks and it always gets exposed by the fish moving the sand around. On the other pile of rocks, I removed the egg crate and the rocks sit directly on the bottom glass.

 

[dsbaker15]

Using egg crate (light diffusor grid) was very popular for awhile but I don't think it was ever proven to actually work as spreading the weight of the rocks or reducing pressure points.

I used it in my 220G Mbuna tank and still have 1 piece under a stack of rocks and it always gets exposed by the fish moving the sand around. On the other pile of rocks, I removed the egg crate and the rocks sit directly on the bottom glass.

I read a few posts on here where people had mentioned that their fish moved the sand and scratched on the egg crate, which is why I had eliminated it. Good to know I was on the right track.