What to put under the reservoir so it doesn't loose so much heat?

What can I put under my 130 gallon reservoir so it doesn't loose heat too fast?

Actually there are antivibration mats for washing machines. Are they good?

What insulates good and is strong enough for a reservoir that size?


Other question: What can I use for insulating around my reservoir. Can I pack it in rockwool?

Kingspan Insulation Board 150mm use this, you could also make a box out of it and set your res inside, will keep it cold and silent.

zypheruk said:

Kingspan Insulation Board 150mm use this, you could also make a box out of it and set your res inside, will keep it cold and silent.
View attachment 4109982

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Will it hold the weight of 130 Gallons? It looks like some sort of foam?

Are there other options? Seems what you proposed is polyurethane. Somehow it seems it is not thaaat much around here. I am just curious, there might be something which is more cost effective and more available. I don't know all these materials ...

I would make a box out of wood and line it with the above should be fine. Im not aware of anything else to use. Maybe some others will chime in.

HydroEnthused said:

Whatever you use, the bottom (the actual exterior bottom of the res itself) should be lined with at least 3/4” (1” is better, the kind sold at HD with the silver Mylar face) white polystyrene foamboard . Because you need at least one foam board layer that gives way to the imprint of the reservoir bottom so that the bottom of the reservoir is effectively almost molded into the foam board itself just by way of the weight of the water.
This eliminates any uneven stress on the plastic container of your choosing.

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So you think polyurethane would not give way to the imprint of the reservoir?

Sam&Max said:

Will it hold the weight of 130 Gallons? It looks like some sort of foam?

Are there other options? Seems what you proposed is polyurethane. Somehow it seems it is not thaaat much around here. I am just curious, there might be something which is more cost effective and more available. I don't know all these materials ...

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check out those anti-fatigue mats that they use in restaurants. they are thick and would insulate well. home depot and lowes carry them.

if it's a permanent installation, i think i'd get about 2 or 3 cans of foam insulation, and a sheet of that insulation. build a wood frame about 6 inches wider than your res all the way around. put a double layer of sheet insulation in the bottom of the frame, put your res on top of that, then fill in around the outside with the spray foam. you can even trowel it higher up the side while its still wet.
or you could just get a couple of yoga mats, fold them in half, and set it on 4 layers of that....

it is not permanent. I want to be able to move it or better clean it. I guess I will put it on some kind of the foam stuff and then wrap it in rockwool.

I think polystyrene is the cheapest... But if I put my reservoir on polystyrene, do you think the polystyrene will break?

How about that stuff, will anti vibration mats insulate? (see pictures)

Sam&Max said:

So you think polyurethane would not give way to the imprint of the reservoir?

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If you have trouble pressing a palm print in it when the sheet is laid on the floor than it would be too rigid.

Two other questions:

- Do you put a lid on your reservoir? What can I put as a lid on my big and my smaller (mother plants, or return pump reservoir) reservoirs? I would guess nice flat surfaces are good. Maybe some sort of plastic so I can easily drill holes through it, so I can put all the stuff like heater, temperature prope, hosing through it. How did you solve that?

- What do you use for sealing the rooms small gaps. Acrylic latex stuff?

- I want to put white plastic sheet over my ebb and flow tables, so the roots are protected from light and maybe it helps with evaporation. I was looking for white plastic sheet, but I can find only polyethylene with a thickness of 100 my (seems to be 0.1mm). Do you think that is enough? Maybe there is stuff around which is made especially for horticulture or something... That 100my roll cost me 50 bucks. PE is the way to go?