Sounds good. Look forward to pics!
Foam Rockwall w/ built in refuge for a 26 gal bowfront
- Thread starter sam.basye
- Start date
sam.basye
New member
Just found out I'll never be doing my own window tint....
What a pain in the a$$!
Came out pretty good even though it took me for ever.
Here are the pics.
Tint taped to the tank after cutting.
Light from fuge - the tint is dark until it opens up in the back, pic shows transition bars that aren't actually there.
Cut out the fuge thermometer on bottom left.
Fuge light on top.
Right side
I still don't have the light yet so the pics are either lit from the back or on top only with the fuge light.
The tint has a VLT of 5% and was just under $10 for a 22"x74" roll at Walmart. I tried a number of different methods.
I tried taping copy paper to the tank, traced the border with a pen and then taped the tint on top and cut it out with an x-acto knife - not precise enough.
I tired taping copy paper to the tank and traced the border with a pen and then cut it out with scissors and cut the tint with an x-acto knife while on top - not as precise, but better.
Lastly, I gave up the copy paper and taped the tint to the tank and cut the shape with scissors all in one cut - this yielded the cleanest cut and was the most accurate.
The fuge light lightens the back enough to see through the tint and inside the fuge.
Oh, and I held my cell phone camera light up the the glass in the dark fuge and saw tiny creatures (looks like little 'dust particles') swimming to the light!
What a pain in the a$$!
Came out pretty good even though it took me for ever.
Here are the pics.
Tint taped to the tank after cutting.
Light from fuge - the tint is dark until it opens up in the back, pic shows transition bars that aren't actually there.
Cut out the fuge thermometer on bottom left.
Fuge light on top.
Right side
I still don't have the light yet so the pics are either lit from the back or on top only with the fuge light.
The tint has a VLT of 5% and was just under $10 for a 22"x74" roll at Walmart. I tried a number of different methods.
I tried taping copy paper to the tank, traced the border with a pen and then taped the tint on top and cut it out with an x-acto knife - not precise enough.
I tired taping copy paper to the tank and traced the border with a pen and then cut it out with scissors and cut the tint with an x-acto knife while on top - not as precise, but better.
Lastly, I gave up the copy paper and taped the tint to the tank and cut the shape with scissors all in one cut - this yielded the cleanest cut and was the most accurate.
The fuge light lightens the back enough to see through the tint and inside the fuge.
Oh, and I held my cell phone camera light up the the glass in the dark fuge and saw tiny creatures (looks like little 'dust particles') swimming to the light!
Not bad! I was skeptical, but it looks good. Props for finding the best method!
Back to the foam wall....
I'm about to take on a very similar project using an old 29 gal tank that used to be my sump. What I'm still trying to figure out is covering the foam. Did you apply contact content to it then sand? I've heard of guys tearing away the "skin" of the foam the painting on resin to ally the sand. I've also heard of tearing off the skin the painting it. I'm not fond of that idea.
I'm about to take on a very similar project using an old 29 gal tank that used to be my sump. What I'm still trying to figure out is covering the foam. Did you apply contact content to it then sand? I've heard of guys tearing away the "skin" of the foam the painting on resin to ally the sand. I've also heard of tearing off the skin the painting it. I'm not fond of that idea.
sam.basye
New member
When I first foamed the wall, I sprinkled finely crushed lace rock (like a powder) with a few bigger chunks over it as it was still wet. This gave me a grayish tone with a good starting texture.
Later, after it cured, I tore off the unnatural looking smooth bubbles and used the contact cement over the entire wall. I then sprinkled a good amount of fine beach sand (from Clearwater ,FL) over the wet contact cement.
The places that I tore the foam off needed a little extra contact cement for the sand to stick.
If I were to do it again, I would have found a contact cement that dried clear. The one I got has a slight yellow tone, but it mostly goes away when filled with water.
I applied the contact cement just enough to cover the foam with a light coat and then dumped sand on top. I did this section by section. One little 4oz jar was barely enough to cover the whole wall.
I don't see a need in tearing apart the 'skin' of the entire wall as the sand stuck nicely the way I did it. I'd only tear it all off if you are going for that kind of texture.
Let me know if that helped!
Later, after it cured, I tore off the unnatural looking smooth bubbles and used the contact cement over the entire wall. I then sprinkled a good amount of fine beach sand (from Clearwater ,FL) over the wet contact cement.
The places that I tore the foam off needed a little extra contact cement for the sand to stick.
If I were to do it again, I would have found a contact cement that dried clear. The one I got has a slight yellow tone, but it mostly goes away when filled with water.
I applied the contact cement just enough to cover the foam with a light coat and then dumped sand on top. I did this section by section. One little 4oz jar was barely enough to cover the whole wall.
I don't see a need in tearing apart the 'skin' of the entire wall as the sand stuck nicely the way I did it. I'd only tear it all off if you are going for that kind of texture.
Let me know if that helped!
sam.basye
New member
Gonna mix the two sands? I like the idea of a color variation throughout the wall.
Good starting point! Don't forget the zip-ties, eggcrate, and the evil foam. Better off getting more foam than you think just in case so the project doesn't have to stop if you ran out, That's why my wall took soo long.
Good starting point! Don't forget the zip-ties, eggcrate, and the evil foam. Better off getting more foam than you think just in case so the project doesn't have to stop if you ran out, That's why my wall took soo long.
Weds I'll swing by the hardware store and start framing in the egg crate. I plan to have an overflow in the corner where the mag 5 is and a closed loop plumbed in the wall. I'm going to try to use shells for the plumbing returns. I want the overflow for a place to hide my heater and other things.. Might even be able to incorporate my ATO.
I have a build thread started in Reef Discussion. I plan to get pretty in depth with my thread.
I have a build thread started in Reef Discussion. I plan to get pretty in depth with my thread.
HunterBryan
New member
how do you foam around your overflow? my 75 gallons overflow box is in the middle and i dint know if you have to foam right up on it or go around it? Like would water still get between the box and the foam or would that matter because I know the rest of the wall will but up against the glass but not on the overflow?
sam.basye
New member
Salty, The shell idea is gonna be really cool. Do you plan to drill out the back of the shell and have it shoot out the opening?
Hunter, If I were you, I would build an eggcrate box that fits tightly around the overflow and just slide it over the overflow. Then silicone the gaps if there are any. Some critters may find their way in and not out if the gaps are too big.
As for water getting behind it, I wouldn't worry about it.
You could foam straight to the overflow, but that increases the risk of getting foam where you don't want it and it would then be a permanent part of the tank.
Hunter, If I were you, I would build an eggcrate box that fits tightly around the overflow and just slide it over the overflow. Then silicone the gaps if there are any. Some critters may find their way in and not out if the gaps are too big.
As for water getting behind it, I wouldn't worry about it.
You could foam straight to the overflow, but that increases the risk of getting foam where you don't want it and it would then be a permanent part of the tank.
The foam wall it's self will be the overflow in my tank. I'm building my foam wall right in the tank on account of the fact that I really don't care about the tank it's self... It's pretty old and my build is pretty much an experiment. I'm downsizing while at our new apartment since I can't have my 75 here. Once we buy a house I'm going with a 180!! This 29 is mostly for propagating and fragging corals until then.
sam.basye
New member
I wish I'd known that before!
Turns out the light I bought was grossly misadvertised and had to be returned :O
As for the mp10 - it comes tomorrow
and I'm trying to determine its location on the right wall.
More diatoms are forming-still no ammonia spike.
Seeing more hair algae on the dead sea whip too.
Found a new 300w heater on sale for $12 because they didn't have room on the shelf after moving things around at Petco. Lol
Turns out the light I bought was grossly misadvertised and had to be returned :O
As for the mp10 - it comes tomorrow
and I'm trying to determine its location on the right wall. More diatoms are forming-still no ammonia spike.
Seeing more hair algae on the dead sea whip too.
Found a new 300w heater on sale for $12 because they didn't have room on the shelf after moving things around at Petco. Lol
sam.basye
New member
Yes it is, the worst part.... He re-listed it and hasn't even received it back from me yet! Same description!!
It was "like new, only used two months"
A bunch of LED's were out, and the controller was broken, and it completely quit when I tried to turn it back on!
Oh well..
I look forward to your foaming fun
It was "like new, only used two months"
A bunch of LED's were out, and the controller was broken, and it completely quit when I tried to turn it back on!
Oh well..
I look forward to your foaming fun
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