600 gallon Acrylic Reef

[pwhitby]

plus, eggcrate corallines over very fast

 

[Untamed12]

Is the eggcrate going to hold the weight of the rock? I was thinking that you would use something beefier. Don't you find eggcrate kind of brittle?

 

[TJcop]

I used eggcrate, and it holds just fine. The rocks are usually large enough that they overhang the PVC, so the eggcrate isn't the only thing supporting the weight.

Paul: What kind of rock layout are you going for? With my new tank I'm planning, I want to get away from the "wall of rock" sloping from rear to front.

 

[pwhitby]

Thats right about the eggcrate. I have held 300lbs up on eggcrate with just cut pvc rings under it. It is stronger than you think, plus, my structure is crossbarced in several places. It will hold the weight with no problems.


I am going for two areas of rock with a central canyon, i want the rock to slope, but also be relatively flat on top. With 4 feet from front to back, I have plenty of space to achieve this.

P.

 

[asnatlas]

Untamed12, here are a few pics from Travis's setup

 

[pwhitby]

that was the exact way I did my old tank setup, i had sand and the eggcrate raised all the rock an inch above it, I just placed small bits of rock ta the front to ghide the eggcrate.

 

[Russ Braaten]

Paul, I used black Krylon's "Fusion" black paint for plastic on PVC stuff I had in my tank. Research showed it is safe plus the plastic disappears from day one. coralline algae seems to grow faster on black things too. You only have to let it dry for 24 hours before you put it in your tank.

 

[pwhitby]

Thanks Russ, but im hoping that once the rockwork is finished, there will be no plastic visible at all.

 

[Russ Braaten]

How many pounds of rock do you expect to have to use in the tank?

 

[asnatlas]

I have the same sized tank and below is about 500lbs... I am looking to add a little more...

 

[pwhitby]

700-800lbs.

I have 400 or so in my 225, I have around 300 curing/cured.

Having siad that, i ont want a tank ful of rock. I want lots of swimming space for the tangs.

 

[Russ Braaten]

I don't remember if you answered this ye
t. Are you transferring your 225 into the new tank?

 

[pwhitby]

Yes I am.

The idea is to run the two tanks into the same sump for a week to equillibrate them and allow for the development of a good bacterail load in the new sand. Then I will get the new rock into the new tank. The next step will be to pull rock from the old tank, move it over and position the corals. Move the lights over....connect to the new sump and its done.

The old sand from the 225 will be moved to a new 100g tank to make a DSB as part of the new system.

P.

 

[skamin]

Paul,

Looks great! What did you do to the rock sub-structure (PVC) so it would not float?


thanks

 

[polywise]

skamin,
PVC should not float its SG is higher than salt water, unless there is air in the system

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7192892#post7192892 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by skamin
Paul,

Looks great! What did you do to the rock sub-structure (PVC) so it would not float?


thanks

When he placed it in the water it prob filled the PVC structure... When you hear of problems with rock racks floating it's prob because they have added foam to the structure to make it blend in and look like the rock work...

 

[eddybabyhd]

Paul, just wondering if you closed all the pvc off from the rest of the tank, as in no 3/4 inch holes in the tank. Dont want the same horror story like Steve Weast in Oregon. After have his 500 gallon running for 2 years, had to break it down to remove a 7 foot long worm that lived in the rock structure

 

[pwhitby]

yes I saw that. I do have holes in my PVC, but they are all sealable

 

[pwhitby]

Yeah, you leave holes in it, it fills with water. Alternatively, you can fill with sand as well or add some rock before adding to the tank.

 

[alien9168]

Looks really great Paul!