Styrofoam Lid?

[wh33t]

Hey guys,

Another quick question. I've got a 4x8 flood and drain space and I am in need of a lid to house my net pots. I was thinking about getting 2x4 sheets of Styrofoam insulation panels to accomplish this. I figure Styrofoam wouldn't leech anything into the water (this is what people do "rafting" with right?) would be cheap and easy to cut into and also light in weight.

But I just like to check things over with you guys first

[badflash]

Works, but use the hard foam, not the white styro. Regular styro will water log after a bit.

[wh33t]

So avoid the white stuff. Go for pink or blue? What about that ink stuff that's on them. Should I scrape that off?

[JCO]

Don't worry about the ink...it won't leech into the water.

[davidstcldfl]

Works, but use the hard foam, not the white styro. Regular styro will water log after a bit.

So avoid the white stuff. Go for pink or blue? What about that ink stuff that's on them. Should I scrape that off?

Badflash is right. It will get water logged very easily. I wasn't sure, if your 'lid' would be in the water or just 'some kind of a cover' ...?
The 'regular' styrofoam, or EPS...has a pound rating. (Pounds per sq foot) Most of it sold at the home improvement stores is 1 pound. It's light weight and pourous, and it breaks very easy.
I've tried making rafts out of 1, 2, 2 1/2 and 3 pound EPS. (my rafts are 2 inches thick)The 3 pound is 'very' strong. It can sit in the water for a few months without being water logged.
I do paint the 'top' of the rafts to protect from UV's. I use the white (rubber) roof coating for mobile homes. Others use exterior latex house paint.

I ordered it through HD supply/white cap. I bought 'virgin' foam. There is no fire retardant or bug poisons in it.
Most AP folks use the Dow board...the blue stuff. I was told it has fire retardant in it. 'Do not' use the pink stuff, I was told it has both, fire retardant and bug poison.

Looking forward to seeing some pictures...

[wh33t]

Works, but use the hard foam, not the white styro. Regular styro will water log after a bit.

So avoid the white stuff. Go for pink or blue? What about that ink stuff that's on them. Should I scrape that off?

Badflash is right. It will get water logged very easily. I wasn't sure, if your 'lid' would be in the water or just 'some kind of a cover' ...?
The 'regular' styrofoam, or EPS...has a pound rating. (Pounds per sq foot) Most of it sold at the home improvement stores is 1 pound. It's light weight and pourous, and it breaks very easy.
I've tried making rafts out of 1, 2, 2 1/2 and 3 pound EPS. (my rafts are 2 inches thick)The 3 pound is 'very' strong. It can sit in the water for a few months without being water logged.
I do paint the 'top' of the rafts to protect from UV's. I use the white (rubber) roof coating for mobile homes. Others use exterior latex house paint.

I ordered it through HD supply/white cap. I bought 'virgin' foam. There is no fire retardant or bug poisons in it.
Most AP folks use the Dow board...the blue stuff. I was told it has fire retardant in it. 'Do not' use the pink stuff, I was told it has both, fire retardant and bug poison.

Looking forward to seeing some pictures...

Damn, I just bought the pink stuff! There was no blue stuff available to me. Lots of the white stuff though.

I went with 1" for my rafts (which aren't actually rafts lol) and with 3/4" for my aquarium lid (just to keep humidity and splashes down. Also one of my fish has been rather jumpy lately. I don't want him to fly out.

So for my rafts which aren't actually rafts, they will sit suspended 2-3" above the highest water line and will house suspended net pots. They will be supported by a PVC pipe system that sits in the flood table

I'm pretty bad at photo logging. But I should really take some photos.

[badflash]

If you get the stuff with the metal foil backing and put it foil side up you get automatic protection from the UV. The tight cells don't waterlog.

[urbanfarmer]

If you get the stuff with the metal foil backing and put it foil side up you get automatic protection from the UV. The tight cells don't waterlog.

OH I AM SO DUMB. DUH!

Every time this topic comes up I try to think of a safe way to UV protect the top... ALUMINUM FOIL. Any will do!!! Hot glue or silicon it to the top. It should last forever! I'm sure some paints are safe, but I just can't trust it and I don't want to spend the time going through the MSDS and other ingredients to figure it out. Too much research and it costs more anyway...

I have white 2 inch foam and it is waterlogged. Not sure why this matters. It seems stronger than when I bought it to be honest with you guys. I think the water fills the space with the air and holds it together better through hydrogen bonds. It is heavier, but feels stronger! I gently punched it as a test and it is definitely stronger feeling.

[davidstcldfl]

I'm pretty sure the foiled insulation also has bug poisin...to keep roaches out of walls...

As far as water logged...it just sits a little lower in the water....