Foam & Live Rock commbo

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11773493#post11773493 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RyanBrucks
so IS the bondo fiberglass resin waterproof and safe?

Or is it the bonda jelly resin thats bad?
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Its the Jelly that they said not to use the liquid should be fine i guess we will find out for sure when i use it lol
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11774172#post11774172 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by customcolor
the link just worked for me.?.?
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the link is just fine.........so if MAS is the right thing to use I will buy some customcolor de u use this MAS on u rocks???
 
Ok i Want to do this Bad but i have some reserverations, Has anyone tested this LONG TERM? IE does anyone have a tank with Great stuff epoxy rock work that has been in a tank for more than 6 months? Or a Year? As we all know salt water is VERY corrosive and I know the stuff is Suppose to be Inert But i just cant wrap my brain around dissolved Spray foam insulation in my water column as a good thing. Maybe im being a worry wart. i was just wondering how much this has been tested?
 
right now I'm having a hard time deciding between these three options:

1) buy some MAS
2) ignore warnings, and use the bondo fiberglass
3) wait and see what happens to vinnies attempt :)

is there any chance the stuff could leach chemicals into the water slowly over time? meaning you wouldn't notice trouble right off, but later on might get a buildup of something unwanted?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11774278#post11774278 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cubano2480
the link is just fine.........so if MAS is the right thing to use I will buy some customcolor de u use this MAS on u rocks???
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i hate to say it i didnt know about the epoxy till after i had water in my system. if i would have known about it i still may not have used it cuz how it blended in with my diy live rock i made also. i was just using MAS as a refrence as an epoxy. you can also use West Cost Systems epoxy. alot of plywood tank builders use that for there tanks. they are both very good epoxys.

the foam that we all are starting to use now is 100% inert after full cure (about 24 hours) and the tank of the month from june of 07 has had his pond foam in his tank for 2+ years now.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11775782#post11775782 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by customcolor


the foam that we all are starting to use now is 100% inert after full cure (about 24 hours) and the tank of the month from june of 07 has had his pond foam in his tank for 2+ years now.
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The TOTM for June 07 (sidewinder770) is already down as he and his fiance/wife moved and the tank is gone. I personally don't think there's enough long term knowledge of this product and I personally am not going to use it again in my new tank. I ran it on the full back wall of my 225 gallon tank for 7 months and had plenty of algae and SPS longevity issues. No more for me, but that's just my $.02 cents!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11782194#post11782194 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by customcolor
that sucked that its down. that was a nice tank
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I agree, that was an awesome tank!
 
Sara,

Did you tear down the tank to remove the foam, or did you just get a new tank??

Anybody try leaving some cured foam in some RO water for a few weeks then checking it with a TDS meter? Maybe measure for phosphates? Do you think that would reveal any problems, if there were any?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11782413#post11782413 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RyanBrucks
Sara,

Did you tear down the tank to remove the foam, or did you just get a new tank??

Anybody try leaving some cured foam in some RO water for a few weeks then checking it with a TDS meter? Maybe measure for phosphates? Do you think that would reveal any problems, if there were any?
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The tank had been running for 7.5 months with the pondfoam back. The tanks eurobrace broke back in mid December and the tank had to be emptied. Prior to the break down, I had been battling cyano and hair algae pretty bad. I had zero phosphates on a Hanna Phosphate test. I also have an oversized skimmer rated for 750 gallons and I was running about 300 through the system. I also ran carbon and phosphate remover and it was changed monthly. I could never quite figure out the algae problem, but the thought of the pondfoam maybe leaching phosphates was always in the back of my mind.

Those of you who have used it know that the foam develops a hard seal/crust over the top of it which looks like it will be a solid seal. The issue that I see in my empty tank is that where the back wall received light from my metal halides, that seal is no longer there and the foam is just like a sponge material with porous holes in it. The areas where I had rock against it still have the hard coat seal existing. I personally believe that the lights degrade the seal and allow water to soak into the pondfoam and the pondfoam can then leach out what it is made of into the tank. That's just my thought, I have no proof other than lots of issues with algae and issues with longevity of SPS. I run a 200 gallon system as well independant of this one which has the same type of equipment and saltwater running through it and the sumps and fuges are each housed in the same fishroom. No issues in the 200 gallon system and lots of issues in the 300 gallon pondfoam tank.
 
Sara B might have a good point.

I just had to move the fish from my nano with foam to my 300 display. I have really been thinking about putting it in my big tank. I saw some stuff leach from the foam pillar in my nano. I didnt clean the sand or crushed coral ad was thinking it might just be that. I am still scared of doing this. I just dont want to take any chance with 300 and all the livestock that I have in it. I have been wondering if the home depo stuff is as good black pond foam.I was just working on my overflow for the 300 last night and really sweating about doing it. I know i cant resing all the foam. What if water gets to a part that is not sealed by the resin"? What can happen down the road? These questions have been making me have a second thought.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11790910#post11790910 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sara B
The tank had been running for 7.5 months with the pondfoam back. The tanks eurobrace broke back in mid December and the tank had to be emptied. Prior to the break down, I had been battling cyano and hair algae pretty bad. I had zero phosphates on a Hanna Phosphate test. I also have an oversized skimmer rated for 750 gallons and I was running about 300 through the system. I also ran carbon and phosphate remover and it was changed monthly. I could never quite figure out the algae problem, but the thought of the pondfoam maybe leaching phosphates was always in the back of my mind.

Those of you who have used it know that the foam develops a hard seal/crust over the top of it which looks like it will be a solid seal. The issue that I see in my empty tank is that where the back wall received light from my metal halides, that seal is no longer there and the foam is just like a sponge material with porous holes in it. The areas where I had rock against it still have the hard coat seal existing. I personally believe that the lights degrade the seal and allow water to soak into the pondfoam and the pondfoam can then leach out what it is made of into the tank. That's just my thought, I have no proof other than lots of issues with algae and issues with longevity of SPS. I run a 200 gallon system as well independant of this one which has the same type of equipment and saltwater running through it and the sumps and fuges are each housed in the same fishroom. No issues in the 200 gallon system and lots of issues in the 300 gallon pondfoam tank.
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im wondering if there is a difference between the Pond foam and the great stuff? cause TOTM for jan used Great stuff and from what i read has no problems and has a TON of MH lights. Also I think the Epoxy resin seals it up completely and would eliminate those problems.
 
hey cubano i was wondering if the glue you used for the cpvc(the yellow glue) is aquarium safe. Any ideas and help are accepted :)
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11683825#post11683825 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cubano2480
I`m making a big island for my 375g :) some pics.........

83017foan_rocks.jpg

83017Picture-002.jpg

83017fdhythik.jpg

83017Picture-003.jpg

83017trytg_ui.jpg


is not done yet,what u guys think
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thanks for posting back on the foam issues, SaraB, Erics and Vinnie.

I'm definitely starting to think about this a bit more after hearing what you guys have to say.

For clarification, when people say 'pond foam' are they referring to 'handi foam'? I'm pretty sure the 'handi foam' was used originally in sidewinders tank.

Sara, I know what you're talking about WRT the outer seal layer. I've been using the Handi-Foam as an insulator for small spaces in the framework of my fishroom and I've had to cut it down with a razerblade because it expanded too much. inside its very spongey.

And Eric is right, there is no way to seal the whole surface area of the foam with epoxy. I just can't see how you'd do it, even if you tried. Unless you literally dipped the entire assembly - rocks sand and all - into a big vat of resin and coated the entire thing. But I dont think that sounds very feasible for many reasons :D

Hmmmmmm...... so what IS completely reef safe?? lol

I have a bunch of cut scraps of handifoam in the garage from my insulation work. Since they're cut the spongey part is exposed. I'm thinking of dropping them in a saltwater container for a few weeks and taking before/after pictures. I can also test the water.
 
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