the real names for this stuff

[krap101]

okay i asked like 20 people at menards today for "open celled foam" and none of them knew what it was. i looked on the home depot site and nothing comes up either.

whats the name they understand??

and also does it matter what kind of lightbulb you use for a screw in hood? because ive been getting my bulbs from walmart but from those i only get like 20 watts. i have plants now so i want 30-35ish watts, but i didnt know what kind of bulb i needed.

can i use both of these in my hood? or does home depot sell bulbs like the first one?

and finally in a 29 gallon tank how long does the bulb have to be (30 inches across

 

[QTOFFER]

I assume you're looking for something to put under the tank to stabilize it? I don't know what they call it, but Home Depot and Lowes sells sheets of insulating foam in their building materials department - it's not styrofoam, and it's usually blue or pink. When I hear 'open cell foam', I think of the thin foam sheets used to pad envelopes - you can get that at Mailboxes Etc or Staples.

The fluorescent lightbulbs they sell at Home Depot are not mini compacts, and they might not fit in the hood housing. Also, I've never seen less than 40W there.

 

[krap101]

ic... im meaning for my lil filter im building for my pond..

 

[Toirtis]

Pretty risky buying from Home Depot, etc, as most of that foam is impregnated during manufacturing with anti-fungal chemicals (almost never listed on packaging, but there nonetheless) that will kill your fish in very short order. Go safe and buy some from a pond supply shop.

 

[krap101]

whats some cheap stuff that i can use. someones using pillow stuffing i think.

 

[czcz]

I got open celled foam from a local reupholstering company. They knew what it was. No problems in several months use.

First pic looks like a better shape than second, but not sure. Local HD has Commercial Electric (2nd pic) mini bulbs. Whatever fits. Consider painting hood white if you don't have a reflector. HD has 24" 20w flourescent strips with ballast, though if you do that you should go all the way and get whichever AHSupply bright kit (buy cheap buy twice). jmo

 

[shannen]

I'm not sure about the open cell foam. But pillow stuffing is nothing more than polyester fiber or "filter floss".

But I would not use a used pillow. No telling how much drool has been caught in it. lol. The cost of a new pillow will be more than just buying some filter floss from Dr Foster n Smith.com.

 

[malkore]

A bag of poly-fil quiting battign is like $2 and will last you a decade. But its filter floss for fine particles...not the coarser stuff I think you're after.

As for bulbs, the U-shaped one is better...less restrike, so less light lost.
A 29gallon usually takes a 20watt, 24" fluorescent bulb.