Foam rock wall

HunterBryan

HunterBryan

New member
I'm moving in a month and I'm gonna try transferring my 75 gallon to my new house in a day or two when that times comes. Ive been wanting this foam rock wall for awhile now and I've looked at some good ones in this forum.

Question: what kind of resin or stuff do you but on the foam to get sand to stick?

Can everything be done in one day? Like the whole wall drying and stuff

Do I have to silicone it to my back wall and how do I go around my overflow because it's right in the middle?

Thanks, any help will be appreciated
 
You can use West Systems 105 epoxy resin, from West Marine. Stay away from polyurethane resin.

You can set the foam, sand and resin in about an hour. But it's going to take time for the resin to completely cure, it will cure faster under sunlight or lamps.

Yes, you will need to silicone to your back glass, and use egg crate to go around your overflow box, you should actually use egg crate for your whole back wall and then just wire tie the pieces together as they make the curve around OFB.
 
HunterBryan said:
I'm moving in a month and I'm gonna try transferring my 75 gallon to my new house in a day or two when that times comes. Ive been wanting this foam rock wall for awhile now and I've looked at some good ones in this forum.

Question: what kind of resin or stuff do you but on the foam to get sand to stick?

Can everything be done in one day? Like the whole wall drying and stuff

Do I have to silicone it to my back wall and how do I go around my overflow because it's right in the middle?

Thanks, any help will be appreciated
Click to expand...

The three times i built them (using pond foam as well as Great Stuff from Depot) u spayed it, gave it a min to expand, than sprinkled sand all over it which collapses it a bit but still a really natural effect.

..have you ever got that spray foam on your hands? You either have to scrub your skin off or wait about a week looking like a dirty hobo before it finally starts to come off. Epoxy is almost overkill. Give it a couple month in the tank and you wont know the difference.
 
YesYouCan said:
..have you ever got that spray foam on your hands? You either have to scrub your skin off or wait about a week looking like a dirty hobo before it finally starts to come off.

I prefer to use a two-part foam A & B that you can pick up at any boat supply store and just mix it 50-50 much cheaper than the can foam, and if you do get it on your hands it comes off quick and easy with lacquer thinner.
Click to expand...
 
Alright thanks! I'm gonna try and make it before I move. I'm just curious about the overflow box because you can't get egg crate right up against it cause it's a half moon overflow so im worried about what would happen if water or fish try to get between the overflow and the foam wall?? I kno the rest will be against the glass but not when I try and go around the overflow
 
If your overflow is a half moon shape than your best bet might be to not go around the overflow. I will assume this is one center overflow? If this is the case do your backwall on each side of the overflow and then leave your overflow opened as you will trap a lot of detritus behind your Rockwall.
 
Do you guys silicon all around the Rock wall once it's in the tank or just in certain spots. Just wonder what happens if water gets behind the wall
 
Silicone all the way around just so buildup doesn't occur. However silicone completely around it is not going to stop all water from getting behind the rock work there's going to be tiny holes and pours through out the foam Rock work that will still let water leech through.
 
Here's my rock wall I just made that I will be putting in my current set up tank when I move in a couple weeks
 

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Yes it will be alright it's not going to fall apart, the issue is more about detritus buildup. Easiest way to get the foam off the back of the egg crate, just use a long serrated knife or take it outside and scrape it across the concrete. Are you going to leave the foam the way it is or cover it with aragonite? Best was is to cover with aragonite and resin so you foam doesn't break down and get brittle overtime from your lights UV.
 
yea I am waiting on my BSI 20 min epoxy to come in and then I will be putting sand on. I went to my local hobby store and they had Great Plains epoxy and i almost bought it because i was soo ready to start throwing sand down on it but im just going to wait until my BSI comes in. Has anyone heard of Great Plains epoxy before?
 
HunterBryan said:
yea I am waiting on my BSI 20 min epoxy to come in and then I will be putting sand on. I went to my local hobby store and they had Great Plains epoxy and i almost bought it because i was soo ready to start throwing sand down on it but im just going to wait until my BSI comes in. Has anyone heard of Great Plains epoxy before?
Click to expand...

I have used BSI and Locktite in the past but now am sold on Gorilla Glue as the seal. I have not used sand although in the past as I have stuck to Arogonite as the final "sand seal". I can't imagine sand or arogonite being better over the other although as long as it stays "stuck" the corraline will soon bring the wall to a natural effect wall. I have done 4 of these and with each one, they go through phases that you will like and dislike. At about 8 months is when they start looking like part of the reef.
 
Got the sand on with BSI and Picked up my silicone and calk gun. Closing date on the house got pushed back so I'll be moving in a couple weeks. Excited to get it put in though.
 

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