Coral Tank from Canada (1350gal Display Tank)
- Thread starter nineball
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chingchai
Premium Member
I'm going to let Peter release the rock work photos when he is ready. They let me stick two rocks together with your now famous Epo Putty. I used a Philips screwdriver to make a star pattern in one half of the epoxy bond, and a socket driver to make a circle and a pencil to make a centre hole in the other half. It looks like a tunicate (sea squirt) or sponge instead of a ring of putty. Some day I hope to add some colour to the mix, but I need to walk before I run. Besides, it will all be purple in six months anyway.
That is very creative idea.
Thanks for posting.
mr.wilson
.Registered Member
Peter doesn't mind seeing internal plumbing but there were just so many ugly pipes that I couldn't have them interfering with the rock work the boys were planning. In the end they compliment the rock work and provide a starting point for rock features.
The Emaco s88 ci marine cement worked out well for covering the internal plumbing. It is rock solid and sulphide & chloride corrosion resistant. That means the harsh saltwater environment won't degrade or dissolve the concrete in any way.
The mix is straight out of the bag ($45 for 25 KG) with only BASF Acryl 60 added as a polymer bonding agent. It requires very little water to mix and I didn't add any aggregate as it limits bond strength and workability. The 88 ci has fibreglass strands in it but they are short so they don't stick out. Other strands and mixes require a torch to burn off the tips. Fiberglass strands help with holding shapes, stress cracks and final strength. Cement is always stronger when you use less water. It also cures faster and has a lower PH.
One of the issues I found with the 88 ci is it appears to be very dry but once you work it into place with your hands, the water rises to the surface and makes it hard to form and bond. I didn't try it, but squeezing it out in a cheese cloth or T-shirt may help to remove the excess water.
It's hard to find the right consistency for good sculpting and a good bond. It tends to droop and fall off if it's too wet or you work it too much. It would help if you wrapped the PVC pipes in plastic mesh with cable ties so the cement could have a better surface with keys to grab on to. I did a rough bond coat, then went back the next day to add a second decorative coat. Using aragonite would add some natural texture but I didn't want to compromise strength. I find that once the rock is covered with coraline algae, much of this texture is buried anyway. Just the same, I used a few nails, screwdrivers, and lag bolts to make worm holes and faux fossils in some of the rocks/pipes.
For the top coat, I feather the edges with a wet sponge or my (gloved) finger. This smoothes the two layers, eliminating the seam you often get. If you use aragonite or oyster shell aggregate, you can rub the rock down with a wet sponge about 45 minutes after you apply the cement mix to expose the aggregate. It's a technic that takes patience and practice. The Emaco S88 ci is certified for potable drinking water, while Emaco 400 is not. Emaco 400 is fast setting with about 10 minutes work time, while 88 ci has a 45 minute work time and takes 7 hours to set. You could use it and fill the tank in 12 hours, but I would wait 24 and cover the rock with wet towels.
I kept the rocks/pipes covered with wet towels for a few days while they cured, then soaked the rock for a day in fresh water before adding it to the tank. The mix contains silica fume so the PH shift should be minor. I'll do some tests this week and report back.
Here are the two closed loop intakes as they develop.
Two-way closed loop port that reverses water flow direction intermittently.
The other two-way closed loop port that reverses water flow direction intermittently.
The Emaco s88 ci marine cement worked out well for covering the internal plumbing. It is rock solid and sulphide & chloride corrosion resistant. That means the harsh saltwater environment won't degrade or dissolve the concrete in any way.
The mix is straight out of the bag ($45 for 25 KG) with only BASF Acryl 60 added as a polymer bonding agent. It requires very little water to mix and I didn't add any aggregate as it limits bond strength and workability. The 88 ci has fibreglass strands in it but they are short so they don't stick out. Other strands and mixes require a torch to burn off the tips. Fiberglass strands help with holding shapes, stress cracks and final strength. Cement is always stronger when you use less water. It also cures faster and has a lower PH.
One of the issues I found with the 88 ci is it appears to be very dry but once you work it into place with your hands, the water rises to the surface and makes it hard to form and bond. I didn't try it, but squeezing it out in a cheese cloth or T-shirt may help to remove the excess water.
It's hard to find the right consistency for good sculpting and a good bond. It tends to droop and fall off if it's too wet or you work it too much. It would help if you wrapped the PVC pipes in plastic mesh with cable ties so the cement could have a better surface with keys to grab on to. I did a rough bond coat, then went back the next day to add a second decorative coat. Using aragonite would add some natural texture but I didn't want to compromise strength. I find that once the rock is covered with coraline algae, much of this texture is buried anyway. Just the same, I used a few nails, screwdrivers, and lag bolts to make worm holes and faux fossils in some of the rocks/pipes.
For the top coat, I feather the edges with a wet sponge or my (gloved) finger. This smoothes the two layers, eliminating the seam you often get. If you use aragonite or oyster shell aggregate, you can rub the rock down with a wet sponge about 45 minutes after you apply the cement mix to expose the aggregate. It's a technic that takes patience and practice. The Emaco S88 ci is certified for potable drinking water, while Emaco 400 is not. Emaco 400 is fast setting with about 10 minutes work time, while 88 ci has a 45 minute work time and takes 7 hours to set. You could use it and fill the tank in 12 hours, but I would wait 24 and cover the rock with wet towels.
I kept the rocks/pipes covered with wet towels for a few days while they cured, then soaked the rock for a day in fresh water before adding it to the tank. The mix contains silica fume so the PH shift should be minor. I'll do some tests this week and report back.
Here are the two closed loop intakes as they develop.
Two-way closed loop port that reverses water flow direction intermittently.
The other two-way closed loop port that reverses water flow direction intermittently.
mr.wilson
.Registered Member
Sorry, photobucket isn't listening to me
I can't change the size for some reason? Now if I go back in to make them bigger, I lose the detail and they get blurry. I don't want to reload them as this means I need to post them again. I can't even share my gallery because the photos can't be moved to an album without losing the link. I'm glad I didn't pay for an account. Is there a better upload system/site?
Last edited:
mr.wilson
.Registered Member
These four closed loop returns are for one pump. They are located in the four corners of the tank beside the two overflows. In addition to coraline algae growth, there will be corals attached to them. I would have designed the tank with holes in the ends, but that ship had already sailed when I came along.
reeferbro0622
New member
Pardon me if you already stated how you made them... but how did you cover the tubes so creatively?
JT
JT
mr.wilson
.Registered Member
Every time I do something interesting I think I'm taking lots of pictures as I go, but once I'm done I realize I missed a few photo sessions between steps 1 and 6
The first challenge is to get the cement to stick. This is accomplished with a messy first (base) coat. Then a second coat is added a day later where you can get creative.
I wear rubber gloves to protect my hands from the corrosive alkaline cement. I apply small balls of cement about the size of a golf ball and try to add ridges, peaks and valleys. The gloves themselves add a webbed texture to the rock. Wet sponging removes portland cement and exposes the sand aggregate for added texture. Some people use rock salt to make holes as the salt will dissolve in water, but salt weakens cement so I don't use it.
One of the hardest parts is trying to make each part look different. It's a natural tendency to follow a pattern and have the rock all look the same. Everyone has their own "brush marks" and signature. You need to hold things upside down and use both hands to break away from this trend. Start off with the broad strokes and work your way down to fine detail. For big projects it helps if two or more people work on an area so it gets different influences.
It took a long time to cover those pipes, but I didn't spend much time on detail. For a really nice texture I use this machine, but it's a little overkill for this project...
mr.wilson
.Registered Member
Yes it does. The crew used cable ties, pvc pipe props, and suspension string to hold the reef in place while the rock was epoxied. Prefab sections of two or three rocks were built out of the tank where they were easier to work on, then bonded in place before they got to big and heavy. This system assures unique shapes that are solid.
The problem with acrylic rods is it limits the angles at which you can place the rocks. Branch rock leaves little room for rods and a misaligned hole puts your rock in the wrong spot. Rods are also labour intensive which can be a big problem when you are trying to put together a ton of rock before it dries. PVC pipe is a little easier to work with as the holes are oversized and allow for repositioning as you bond with cement or epoxy.
One down side of epoxy is it leaves white or grey (depending on brand) rings on all of the joints/bonds. Try to make erratic shapes with it for a more organic look. Your eye will spot the pattern of the rings and it will be all you can focus on when you look at the tank. Disguising the epoxy bonds as sponges, tunicates, and encrusting corals like porites will trick your brain into thinking it belongs there.
The key issue is getting the rock where you want it quickly, with minimal labour and cost. Epo putty gets us a little closer but it still took a long time to pit together Peter's reef.
I'm still doing my research into the Epo putty to confirm that it is inert. It has been used enough for reef tanks for acceptance in the hobby, but I'm still sorting through terms in their marketing info that loosely mention clay, metal, and fungi. The manufacturer has shown little interest in confirming whether it is safe for potable water, as it is in their best interest to protect against liability.
We do know that epoxy putty greatly reduces the dissolved oxygen level of seawater. If you use small amounts in an established tank it will be fine, but major rock or coral bonding has proven to wipe out fish in more than a few hobbyists tanks. The Epo putty caused the water to go cloudy for 12-24 hours when we cured it under water. Not a problem with just rock, but an established tank is another story. Activated carbon would help.
Here's a picture of a rock structure they were working on. I'm not authorized to post anything else
Peter's sorting through the photos and waiting for the tank to settle. We only have lights over part of the tank right now so the pictures look strange. 
nineball
Active member
Soon ChingChai, real soon! As Mr. Wilson mentioned we are using spotty temporary lighting and I will see if we can rig something together for a photo shoot. I can tell you that I am very pleased with the results. We could NOT have done it without your help with the putty. Thank you again from the entire team . . . You are the best.
For the tank shots of the rock work I plan to take photos every two feet which should give me a total of 24 pics covering the entire length of both sides of the tank. I am very pleased with the fact that the tank looks very different from each side. This gives me 48 feet of seascape to enjoy with very little repetition.
Soon ChingChai, very, very soon.
Peter
moondoggy4
Team RC
Wow this is my first foray in the large reef section and boy did I This is phenomenal. I only read the first 5 pages so it will take me a while to finish it. Forgive me for the side bar but when I was looking at your generator I noticed your driveway I love the look is it stamped concrete or is it stone? Thanks for a great thread.
reeferbro0622
New member
Wow! Thats awesome, great idea. Cant wait to see the final livrock pic!
The team of such a great build,
I have been following from the start and I am so proud to say that I don't stop learning fro
Reading your posts, I don't think I can thank you or Mr. Wilson and every person in your team for documenting and spending their valueble time in passing their experience to the community and giving us such great opportunity to be educated with best practice.
Incredible is an understatement by all means.
Furthemore going through posts back and forth is a nightmare to look for information if need be to re imphesise any points needed to be so... Therefore I kindly ask you at a later stage when your full system is up and running to your perfection to creat a somehow list of procedure and equipment, sorry for my humble opinion.
Again speechless on your great team, update and efforts towards the community.
I have been following from the start and I am so proud to say that I don't stop learning fro
Reading your posts, I don't think I can thank you or Mr. Wilson and every person in your team for documenting and spending their valueble time in passing their experience to the community and giving us such great opportunity to be educated with best practice.
Incredible is an understatement by all means.
Furthemore going through posts back and forth is a nightmare to look for information if need be to re imphesise any points needed to be so... Therefore I kindly ask you at a later stage when your full system is up and running to your perfection to creat a somehow list of procedure and equipment, sorry for my humble opinion.
Again speechless on your great team, update and efforts towards the community.
nineball
Active member
First,thank you and welcome to our growing community. There's lots more to come so hang in after you get caught up.
The driveway is done with concrete paver stones. It's laid just like individual stones but each individual stone is made of concrete. The person who installs this stuff can either make it or break it. In my case I was very fortunate to find the best this business has to offer. You have a good eye for quality.
Peter
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