Cave tank doable or am I just nuts?

[silverwolf72]

I'm working on having vertical live rock and ledges across the back, left and right sides, suspended LR from the top and LR sitting on egg crate on the bottom. Two open sections on top with T5HO,OM 4 way using a dart pump. Currently working doing my own DIY agrocrete for the ledges. Is this a doable setup? or am I just nuts?

 

[billsreef]

Yes to both questions

Pay much attention to the support structure so you don't have to worry about collapse. Then post pictures, as it sounds like a neat idea

 

[JCTewks]

sounds very logical for non photosynthetic species tank. or a deep water FO tank. definetely keep us posted.

 

[silverwolf72]

I made a pvc structure in the back that I am going to zip tie the rocks to

 

[papagimp]

Innovation will only drive the hobby that much further, use your imagination, anything is doable, just may take longer for some stuff to get figured out. . I think it sounds like an awesome idea, get some photo's to use ASAP!

 

[silverwolf72]

Just posted some images
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=9884123#post9884123

 

[silverwolf72]

Finding good reference has been really hard. Main inspiration is from seeing reef cliff faces and some underwater caves. These are usually from very far away with little detail. My design idea should give me areas of high light and more shaded areas. So I'm really hoping it turns out like I plan

 

["Umm fish?"]

I have, in fact, always wanted to do this. I would suggest leaving a couple of holes in the top rocks, drilled through at angles. Then shine a pretty bright incandescent bulb down through them to give you that "column of light" look. Good luck!

 

[silverwolf72]

Yeah thats pretty much is what I had planed. It's an acrylic tank so the areas that are normal open are going to stay that way. Doing my own DIY rocks so I make the ones on top with cave in them where light can pass threw.

 

[silverwolf72]

I want to also play around with maybe mounting the light at an angle instead of parallel with the top of the tank to have angled rays instead of just strait up and down.

 

[sublime-1]

might check out what you can do with some braided 40lb test line.

It's water safe, and it holds an immense load. YOu could probably "thread" it through rocks with a big sewing needle or something to chain them together and suspend them.

Kind of like stringing popcorn at christmas time, but with Live rock.

If you braid 6 - 9 strands of 40lb test together it could hold a small child.


BD

 

[silverwolf72]

Thanks I would never have thought of using fishing line. Could use a much smaller hole that way and it's pretty cheap.

 

[JCTewks]

remember though, fishing line is designed to be biodegradable so it won't just clog up the oceans.

 

[salty joe]

I have also kicked around the idea of a cave. I am considering getting a watermelon or an odd shaped pumpkin and putting a layer of portland cement/sand/rubble mixture over part of the watermelon or pumpkin. Holes could easily be made by poking a stick or something through the cement into the melon. As soon as the cement mixture stiffened, I'd cover the whole mess with water for 2-3 weeks, to prevent it from drying before it was cured. That makes a big difference for cement strength.