# DIYers, insulating fish room, Foam panels or soft rolls ?



## CITADELGRAD87 (Mar 26, 2003)

In another thread on this very forum, I am chronicling my build in of a 100G into the family room wall using a dead space next to my fireplace.

I need to insulate the outside wall, which is only about 2.5 feet wide, against heat and cold. The other walls are interior walls, and the house will not be overly hot or cold, but I still need to insulate them against machine/pump noise from the tank. I see both hard foam panel insulation and soft roll type insulation. I will also be using 5/8 drywall to try to help keep the noise down. My guess is the soft stuff is 100 times easier to work with, especially since the studs are not 16 on center, it's actually kind of random.

Does anyone know which is a better noise deadener?

Thanks, all.


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

You can actually buy noise reducing insulation for just a snitch more than regular price. Are you willing to inc your budget slightly? If so, rolls of noise reducing insulation are the way to go.


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## CITADELGRAD87 (Mar 26, 2003)

Number6 said:


> You can actually buy noise reducing insulation for just a snitch more than regular price. Are you willing to inc your budget slightly? If so, rolls of noise reducing insulation are the way to go.


Absolutely, is it available as regular stock at a home center? The room is only 5.5 feet by about 2.5 feet anyway, so it's not going to take much of whatever I use.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

I've not seen the noise reducing insulation so I would go with fiberglass for the outside wall to reduce heat/cold transfer. The problems with sheets of foam is that it takes many layers of foam to get the r-value of a single layer of fiberglass. I add as much insulation as I can any time I have the space open. Fiberglass is also much easier to tuck in and around odd spaces which are really hard to fill with solid sheets. For the noise reduction from tank to living space, I would recommend sound board. It is like a sheet of sheetrock only of a more fiber material. Something like ceiling panel stuff??? It comes in sheets like sheetrock. You can add it on the studs in as many layers as you want and then sheetrock over it. It could be left exposed if it is the inside of the wall space. You just need longer screws if adding sheetrock over it. I used it at a lake place which backed up to a bar and one layer was fine for killing the noise.


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

Much better idea pfunmo... Sound board would work better. I wasnt sure if a home despot would even carry the stuff i have used in the past but i think that they would carry sound board or could order it...


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

I found sound board at a regional lumber yard when I used it. I don't think I have seen it at Lowe's/Home Depot but they might be able to get it. Might be more available at places who deal more directly with builders and less with DIY folks.


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## CITADELGRAD87 (Mar 26, 2003)

They stock soundboard for about nine bucks for a full sheet at my home depot. I understand it cuts like drywall. To install, do I cut it to fit between the studs or just use it like drywall?
If I can just screw it up like drywall, is there any reason I couldnt insulate between the studs for heat and cold, then toss up the soundboard?? I wonder i I would need to cover it with drywall?


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

Best to stuff the space full of fiberglass and then add the sound board like sheetrock. That is easier and also leaves no potential gaps for sound to sneak through. For best performance from insulation, try to avoid any gaps. Air will be stopped where there is insulation but just simply move to the gaps to go through. No Gaps!

I'm not sure of the fire rating on sound board. That might be worth asking about. It is a fiber type and might be okay for leaving exposed but I have not done that. Depends on your area's code and whether it is living space or not. For a small space and as added sound insulation, I might go for the extra sheetrock. A little extra money spent but it might be worth it.

Did I mention talking you into extra work??? :-?


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## CITADELGRAD87 (Mar 26, 2003)

Extra? My wife has already mentioned the water noise, which led to my durso, and it was her idea to insulate for sound.

A little extra now is WAY easier than it being too noisy after I told her it would not be.

Right the first time saves time at my house! 

My only concern is that I nailed the electrical box for drywall clearance and now im thinking about doubling up on thickness. Any easy fixes?

I did end up having Sparky wire the GFI to cover the whole circuit, btw.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

> My only concern is that I nailed the electrical box for drywall clearance and now im thinking about doubling up on thickness. Any easy fixes?


Actually I think there is an easy fix. It is made for when one sheetrocks over plaster, making the box set too deep in the wall. Just a 1/2 inch thick plastic gizmo the shape of the box. It goes over the top of the box to cover the space to bring it flush with the dry wall. Not sure of the name, though! Pulling the nails to relocate might be a toss up with getting the new piece but it does give you a choice. Anybody got a name for this gizmo?


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## CITADELGRAD87 (Mar 26, 2003)

Hmm, I have seen those but never used one, some kind of extender...

I will look into it.

So the plan right now is to stuff the interstud spaces with soft fiberglass, cover it using the soundboard like drywall, then cover THAT with drywall.

Cool, I hope to make some progress tomorrow and get some pictures up in my build thread.

Thanks.


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## pistolpete (Dec 28, 2009)

I may be a little late on the ball here, what are your plans to prevent moisture issues. The last thing you want is black mold in there. for that reason alone you should be thinking in terms of blue board drywall and rigid foam insulation. You can also mount your drywall using resilient channels, which really cuts down on sound transmission. It's probably the easiest and cheapest way to do what you want.

here is a link for using channels: http://www.jm.com/insulation/faqs/996.htm


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

You're probably thinking of a different area when you worry about mildew. Much of Orange county will not have moisture problems! Unless they need a drink of water??? 8)


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## pistolpete (Dec 28, 2009)

When you combine heat and humidity and drywall, you get mold. it doesn't really matter if you are in Orange county, the north pole, or death valley.


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## CITADELGRAD87 (Mar 26, 2003)

I have some ventilation from this space under the second story. I have never had a mold problem in my 50g even though it ran so hot I needed to buy a chiller. Never any trouble under the tight fitting plywood hood.

Nevertheless, I did invest in mold resistant 5/8 drywall. I figure the single digit humidity, the covered tank and sump, the free air space, and the anti mold drywall I should be fine. If not, I can run a small fan to the crawlspace.

I appreciate the heads up, I actually read it while I was at home depot and I decided on the resistant drywall.

Ain't technology great?

I will update the build thread later with photos of the sound board in place. That stuff is a sound magnet, I can no longer hear the backyard fountain.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

Never hurts to overbuild but what I meant was that it is real hard to get high humidity even around a tank. When the humidity hits single digits mold is rarely a problem. And I might point out how close Orange County is to Death Valley! Keeping the tank topped off is trouble more often than mold.


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## pistolpete (Dec 28, 2009)

You might be right, but the tank is in a small totally enclosed space.


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## CITADELGRAD87 (Mar 26, 2003)

The pictures on my thread are deceiving, its not totally enclosed. There is about a 4 to5 square foot opening where the second story floor sits.

I think there's a lot of airflow. I will put some pictures tonight.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

I find the weather here in Texas and South CA. has a bit in common. Things which are problems in other places are not here. Some things we have to fight here are unheard of in other places. Humidity from the tanks is considered great for getting the house temperature and humidity better. In other areas, it made the windows sweat! When I moved here, I was stumped when the housing inspection mentioned the cracking in my foundation might be from not watering the foundation. If one does not water the foundation, the ground dries and lets it settle! Yes, we do now water the foundation even though we never had to water concrete any place else we have lived! It just takes a bit of time to find out how different things are around the world. Like I don't even OWN a snow shovel anymore!!!


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## CITADELGRAD87 (Mar 26, 2003)

Here's a shot of why it isn't really enclosed the way it seems:










That open space is a crawl space that ranges from about 3 feet high to about 10 inches high, the ceiling in the family room is all wood and is peaked, it's like my own hunting lodge. the room is about 20 x 20, so there is a TON of free air space, and that connects to the main attic in a couple locations. I can almost crawl the entire length and width of the room up there.

I did insulate the outside wall against heat and cold, and the interior walls for sound, but it is far from an enclosed, air tight space.

I will cover the tank and am thinking about covering the sump to keep evaporation down.


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

Roxul brand mineral wool insulation is a far superior product to fiberglass, in every way. It has a higher R value, is less irritating, doesn't hold moisture, has a higher melt temp, and can be cut with a serrated breadknife. If you have a wire to go around, you cut a slot and it folds around it. If you have an electrical box, you can cut a perfect section out of it for good fit. Roxul also comes in a sound deadening/fireproofing type. having used it once, I would never choose fibeglass again, it is just so much better for a few more cents per square foot.


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