# Styrofoam in the viv?



## DaFrogMan (Oct 8, 2004)

I wanted to build a divider out of that pink styrofoam that you can buy at home depot, lowes, etc. Just wanted to make sure it was safe for the frogs first. Is it safe to have some of it exposed in the terrarium? I plan on covering it with a coco fiber background but some of it will be exposed at the bottom.


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## Spar (Mar 27, 2004)

i have that pink styrofoam as a background in my 50g planted tank, and hasnt had any negative effects on the fish. however, i had spray-painted it and put an epoxy covering over it. there was still some of the pink exposed directly to the water though.

i would personally stick with a safer styrofoam (food-grade) though if directly exposing a lot of the styrofoam directly to any water.


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## Jeffey_Kasparek (Jan 21, 2005)

Maybe try Great Stuff foam sealant. They sell that at Home Depot, though it is more of a yellowish tint than the pink you were looking for. Use that in conjunction with some vertically placed cork bark tiers, then just coat the foam over with some Marine epoxy from Ace Hardware (It isn't absolutely mandatory, but I simply do in mind of aesthetics). Another substitute that would work in place of the marine epoxy would be black silicon. If you don't have another tank to put the frogs in for a week or so, then its probably better to simply go with the pink styrofoam, since these compounds should have at least forty-eight hours to cure. In any event, best wishes.

Jeff

1.0.1 Ventrimaculatus
0.0.1 Azureus


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## DaFrogMan (Oct 8, 2004)

Well, if pink styrofoam isn't safe, is there something that is safe and is easy to work with that I can just put in there without much preparation? Is the white styrofoam safe?


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## Jeffey_Kasparek (Jan 21, 2005)

That distinction will depend upon what brand(s) you are considering, though I have not heard of any ill effects with the great stuff foam sealant. Great stuff on the other hand is more of a spray foam, so it will be a little harder to work with, though you can spray it directly to a piece of coco-mat and the transfer it. On second thought, it might be easier just to use coco-mat. Some products like hermit crab climbing backgrounds (found at PetsMart, Petco) are feasible, though you might need to cut a few pieces to size the dimensions of your dividered, then glue them together (aquarium sealant would work fine). Give a little more info on the exact nature of this divider and what the situation with the tank is already and I'll be able to be a little more specific myself. Best of luck

Jeff

1.0.1 Ventrimaculatus
0.0.1 Azureus


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## DaFrogMan (Oct 8, 2004)

Well, the divider is for a viv that I am building. I've already built the viv - it's about 50w x 16d x 20h. I decided that I wanted to make the divider removable (not built into the viv) for some flexibility so that I could take it out if I ever wanted to make it into one big viv.

Regardless of what I decide to use, I will cover it with great stuff/silicone to make it look like the background. However, the bottom of this divider won't get covered with the background (it will be stuck into the substrate) wo it will be exposed to some of the substrate and possibly some of the water under the false bottom.

Because it is exposed a little bit, I just want to be safe and make the divider out of something that won't leak any chemicals or any other harmful substances over time.


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## Jeffey_Kasparek (Jan 21, 2005)

I wouldn't worry about having the Great Stuff foam spray exposed. I have it exposed write now in a chameleon setup and in six pdf tanks, with no problem in any of them. Just be sure to give all components of the divider ample time for curing. I've heard plenty of stories where the cured product wasn't toxic, but the fumes that were generated were. However, if you still feel slightly uneasy, go to your local ace hardware/home depot/lowe's or whathaveyou and pick up some aquarium sealant to slap over it or any sort of marine goop or marine epoxy (keyword being marine). But aside from that, everything sounds like it's going to work out fine. Post some photos some time, I'd love to seem them.


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## DaFrogMan (Oct 8, 2004)

Maybe I'll just make it without the divider. I know its best to separate pairs when breeding, but would a 70 be big enough that two pairs would still breed in it?

But if I end up making it with the divider, do I need to be worried about any toxins and such from the pink styrofoam leaking out through the greatstuff layer and into the vivarium? Does the pink styrofoam even have any toxins?


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