any negatives with using light diffuser in sand bed?
- Thread starter nemo g
- Start date
silverwolf72
New member
It's the same stuff everyone keeps calling eggcrate for some reason so I'm guessing theres no problems with using it as long as it's not the painted stuff
nyvp, do sand sifters really get 2-3 inches down into the sand bed? the actual crating isnt more than a half inch, i hope.
i wonder how much of an issue it really is. or should i say, how does the benefit of it compare to this negative side effect?
hmmm, thanks for the food for thought.
ps, good luck on the fry
congrats
i wonder how much of an issue it really is. or should i say, how does the benefit of it compare to this negative side effect?
hmmm, thanks for the food for thought.
ps, good luck on the fry
congrats
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
Re: any negatives with using light diffuser in sand bed?
Negatives? You'll be creating a shallow sandbed that cannot be stirred easily and doesn't denitrify. It will make sandbed removal difficult. Lateral movement of beneficial sandbed dwelling critters will be hampered. IME eggcrate under a layer of sand creates a mess quicker than most other options. Definitely one of the poorer choices for a clean SPS reef aquarium.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
Stack the rock securely on the bottom of the aquarium glass/acrylic and then add sand around it- or place the rock on starboard. Use plastic rods to secure the stack. Use some type of shelving. Use a bonding material. There are many better ways to secure a rock stack than using eggcrate in a sandbed.
gary, everything you named has a negative side effect that i think is worse (for my application) than the eggcrate.
place the rock on starboard
- doesnt this add the potential of "dead spots" underneath the board that can cause the same issues that is feared with the eggcrate?
- there is no way the surface of the starboard can compete with the ridges of the eggcrate that will hold the rock as if it was glued
Use plastic rods to secure the stack
- already thought about this, but drilling holes has the potential to break the rocks, and even if succesful
- the rocks then loss some of their flexibility since they have to be used in the way they were glued to the rods
Use some type of shelving
- this really doesnt help in securing the rock unless elaborate and if other measures are used in conjuction, and
- i really dont feel like hiding pipes and spending fish/coral money on pipes and glue
Use a bonding material
- this has a major side effect of becoming super rigid and not being able to fiddle with the rock. say if i want to move it around or remove a peice for fraging or the like.
also this wont necessarily keep the rock in place if it decides to "slip" forward or so due to fish/crabs escavating the sand or me cleaning the tank.
i do plan on using a slight bit of think gel just enough to keep the rocks from slipping off of each other (depending how fancy i get), but only enough that a little bit of leverage can snap it loose.
however, nothing really can provide the solid base with the ease of the eggcrate. easy cut and drop, cover with sand, and done.
my aim is to feel confident when working in the tank. i want to be able to get around and behind the rock to keep the glass and others clean without fear that i will either disrupt my acuascaping or worse knock it all down.
are there different sizes of egg crate? if there was something of about 1/4" or less that would be the best compromise.
place the rock on starboard
- doesnt this add the potential of "dead spots" underneath the board that can cause the same issues that is feared with the eggcrate?
- there is no way the surface of the starboard can compete with the ridges of the eggcrate that will hold the rock as if it was glued
Use plastic rods to secure the stack
- already thought about this, but drilling holes has the potential to break the rocks, and even if succesful
- the rocks then loss some of their flexibility since they have to be used in the way they were glued to the rods
Use some type of shelving
- this really doesnt help in securing the rock unless elaborate and if other measures are used in conjuction, and
- i really dont feel like hiding pipes and spending fish/coral money on pipes and glue
Use a bonding material
- this has a major side effect of becoming super rigid and not being able to fiddle with the rock. say if i want to move it around or remove a peice for fraging or the like.
also this wont necessarily keep the rock in place if it decides to "slip" forward or so due to fish/crabs escavating the sand or me cleaning the tank.
i do plan on using a slight bit of think gel just enough to keep the rocks from slipping off of each other (depending how fancy i get), but only enough that a little bit of leverage can snap it loose.
however, nothing really can provide the solid base with the ease of the eggcrate. easy cut and drop, cover with sand, and done.
my aim is to feel confident when working in the tank. i want to be able to get around and behind the rock to keep the glass and others clean without fear that i will either disrupt my acuascaping or worse knock it all down.
are there different sizes of egg crate? if there was something of about 1/4" or less that would be the best compromise.
nemo, i was thinking the same thing, and built a closed structure of 1 1/2" pvc supporting an eggcrate platform in the center of my DSB. i can't imagine it being any different than having live rock going all the way to the floor of the tank. the pvc structure is glued and filled with tapwater to weigh it down.
of course, this sandbed is only 6 weeks old, so i could have done something incredibly stupid and just don't know it yet.
of course, this sandbed is only 6 weeks old, so i could have done something incredibly stupid and just don't know it yet.
msuzuki126
New member
I made a PVC structure and i'm zip-tieing the rocks to it so it is sercure. This way none of the rocks are touching the bottom and water can flow under the rock freely. The PVC is all cemented together so i have no worries about that buckeling.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
The size of the eggcrate (if buried in sand) won't matter. All of the suggestions I gave you are better choices (for many reasons) than eggcrate buried in the sandbed. I base my opinion on facts and personal experience with many reef aquariums.
Similar threads
