Foam stuff for the "rock work" look????

[Beenalongtime79]

My biggest concern is when I break down my aquarium. I'm going to have to tear off all the corals I've got on the backwall.

There is always a downside to anything. Sigh...

Peace,
John H.

 

[Beenalongtime79]

Very, very nice sunny!

 

[gatohoser]

So is any1 interested in trying the ecosystem i talked about? Id love to see those caps hanging off the wall and encrusting up it. The fish hide below it and it looks really cool.

 

[woodstockaz]

OK Krylon and Krylon Fusion are definately a NO-GO!!
I'm not sure what Speckled Trout has used Krylon on underwater, but it has a very bad reaction to this foam. It eats it away, and my water tests of both paints seem to show that they are not suitable at all underwater. I calledKrylon and they insisted that they could not be used underwater.
I tried them because I cannot find Marine paaint or two part epoxy. Home Depot, and Lowes only carry Rustoleum now.
I found two part epoxy in red blue yellow etc... in gallon buckets for $70.
I will have to rip apart my wall now and start from scratch.
Ugggg.
Any ideas on where to get this paint.
Sonny, I am curious about ecaxtly you used.Do you have a brand name?

 

[delv]

Here, I'll even give you the link this time...all you have to do is order it:

http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/11733/cid/3035

Some epoxy WILL eat away at this stuff. Not sure about this paint. It may react and cause nasty fumes....maybe not...do it in a vented area. The fact that the foam is disolved by epoxy makes it a really good form or buck for something like a longterm two part epoxy.

enjoy!
d.

 

[Beenalongtime79]

woodstockaz,

How long did you let the krylon fusion set before you tested it underwater, and how fast did the paint dissolve the foam, I mean did it melt it a little bit or did it just destroy it, leaving a messy puddle.

A 7 day cure time will give you much better results.

Peace,
John H.

 

[woodstockaz]

Well. The krylon turned the foam into puddles.
There definately seems to be some sort of chemical reaction.

 

[gatohoser]

Wouldnt that suggest that it is not inert as has been said?? Or it is just inert to the average saltwater solution?? Either way that is really something to think about.

 

[gatohoser]

Wouldnt that suggest that it is not inert as has been said?? Or it is just inert to the average saltwater solution?? Either way that is really something to think about.

 

[Beenalongtime79]

Well, the chemicals that they put in spray paint cans are pretty volatile and can do some nasty things.

I guess marine enamel or epoxy is the way to go.

Peace,
John H.

 

[ynot]

Ok after reading through this thread I had to do some
searching but I found something that I think we can all
agree on...LOL ok maybe not all of us. But is sure the heck
looks like a great idea...

First I found this on one of the banners on the top of the page
here.
http://english.royal-exclusiv.de/rock-landscapes.htm
Not much into the details on what it exactly is or how much
so I started googling for some awnsers.

Found out it is basicly a nontoxic Polyurethane foam.
Kinda like General Purpose PU Foam. You all have seen
them in your LFS store. The fake black foam walls...

So then I googled some more and found this site:
http://www.malawicichlidhomepage.com/panis/pu_background.html

if that link does not work just open a new browers to do a
google search and tpye this: pu foam fish tanks
the heading of the web site (should be your first one)
will be: Making our own aquarium PU background

This got my mind thinking. Very scary I know...LOL
I seen how in the first web site they put this stuff over
pvc pipping. Well can you imagine how this could really help
out with placing spray jets inside the tank and hiding them.

So this is all I have come up with so far. And if anyone else
wants to help out in the googling please do. I am sure there are
products out there that I have missed. Or a way we can use
these products to create some great reefscaping and benificial
water movement in our tanks.

Hope this helps out a little...

 

[ynot]

I also just remebered the stuff I used on building my KOI pond.
This is 100% fish safe also and does not break down.

http://www.thepondprofessional.com/cgi-bin/product_listings.pl?category_id=12

I also purchased PermaFlex to cover my concrete waterfall that
flows into the kids waiting pool. It is on the exspensive side but
I figured you only need to order the quart size. This stuff is also
100% fish safe. I ordered it from sanitred. So if you are still
worried about the foam you could seal it with this.

Just a few more ideas.

 

[Beenalongtime79]

Hey ynot,

Thanks for the info. I had a feeling that the royal-exclusive people used the poly foam for their backgrounds. They make some truly large and outstanding tanks.

Peace,
John H.

 

[sunny03]

Sunny.
Any problems with the space behind the foam.
Do you have water flow bach there?
How much space is between the back and the foam?

there is no space behind. it is glass-egg crate-foam-rocks

BTW i did not uses the foam for the whole egg crate

i uses cable ties on the bottom heaiver rocks and the rest are using form to stick them to each other

half a can of the foam is what i used for the whole 4 * 2 tank

so u can imgine how much i uses it

 

[woodstockaz]

Sunny. Is the egg crate attached to the glass with the foam , or could you just pull it out if you wanted?

 

[sunny03]

Sunny. Is the egg crate attached to the glass with the foam , or could you just pull it out if you wanted?

it is not attach to the glass
i only uses suction cup to sercure the egg crater it very stable cos most of the heaiver and boulder rock are on the bottom and as it goes upwards the the rocks get lighter and lighter most of the top most rocks are dead corals
the egg crate is only laying against the glass

 

[RichTG]

Well, I was happy to say that I didn't need any powerheads in my tank with the water flow coming through the wall, but I was wrong. I had to add 2 MJ1200's to blow accross the reef from the sides. I didn't want to have to look at any of these sort of devices in the tank, but I need them.

My advice to anyone doing this is to build a more elaborate series of holes through the wall. (the farther away from the bulkhead, the bigger the hole). I wish I had more carefully calculated the currents and flow when I plumbed my return although this is not an easy task with different aquascape setups.

 

[gatohoser]

Closed loops all the way. Get acrylic and drill your heart out. Make more bulkheads and bigger ones then you think you need because its easier to cap one then to make a new one in a setup tank. I learned that the hard way with my prop system now i have to install a closed loop that sucks out of the tank thru a pipe over the rim hahah.

 

[RichTG]

Who was it that said "Hindsight is like foresight-without a future"?
Anyways, I have a starfire tank and will have to buy a diamond bit to make it cost effective. Maybe in a few years, when I have to redo my foam wall, I'll add some closed loops. I thought that 1200gph return piping through the wall on a 90 gal would be enough. Nope.

 

[sunny03]

i using a tunze 6060 for current, ehiem 1260 as return , maxijet 1200 hide in between rocks and a 3000L pump as close loop