Do i need the bottom trim on a 55 gallon tank

[Alexp08]

Hello, i know this is the beginners section, i am no beginner but i didnt know where else to post this.
So i got an old school 55 gallon tank for free the other day, both top and bottom trim where shot, i.e. falling apart, cracking, missing center brace.
Anyways it did come with one replacement trim. Now i checked the glass and none of it is tempeted. It was built by all glass in 1991. Its pretty thick glass. Aout double the thickness of my current 55 with tempered glass. So my plan was to reseal it, use the new trim for a top piece so i could still used a hood and what not.

But my main question is. Can i leave the bottom piece alone without having any trim? Naturally id put a piece of foam underneath to avoid any pressure points. But is the bottom trim necessary on these older tanks with the thick glass?

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[StandbySetting]

As long as you use polystyrene you should be fine, the plastic surround would be there to act as a floating base to stop any uneven surfaces from causing fractures in the base pane of the tank.

 

[Alexp08]

Do i have to use polystyrene foam or can it be any general foam from a home improvement store?

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[StandbySetting]

Foam should work provided it is adequately thick and dense enough.

 

[Alexp08]

How thinck? I have some that is about 1/2 inch thick. Its pretty dense as well

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[StandbySetting]

Half inch should be fine, I've always used quarter inch polystyrene.