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

IF it breaks down at any substantial rate, it is INERT it would be like you a suction cup floating around your tank

HAS ANYONE ELSE BEEN "BRAVE" ENOUGH TO DO THIS?

If so post some pics will ya :)

Damn ninnies:D
 
Has anyone tried using just fine sand like fiji fine pink?I dont wanna paint it but was thinking of putting sand over the top of it. If someone has tried this, does it come off real easy? Im gonna try to add sand on top of it while it is still wet. Acually I have some drying right now but wanted to know if it is something the snails or others will scrap off in long term?
 
Brad524 said:
doc'

I am going to try the faux bed and the great stuff backing in a 65 gallon .

so I take it all has went well, any regrets?

also it has been mentioned that this breaks down under uv,
I have 400w halides so I want to know how long it will last and
when it breaks down does it have a negative effect at all?

Brad
Click to expand...

I think covering it with marine epoxy paint will keep it from breaking down, and like DRZL-sauras said, it's INERT. If any comes off, it floats, just skim it off the top.
 
Hey RichTG..

How much did you spend on paint? your tank looks sweet!

anyone find a cheaper paint to use? 50 bucks a can is steep when you need several colors.
 
Wow, what a great idea. I'll bet it will look super when it's live. At the monteray bay aquarium, all the "rock"s are actually foam that was sunk in the bay until it got covered with life then reassembled in the tanks.
 
If it were me, I would cover with a very fine layer of either sand or cement, to limit UV exposure, but still get the shape. Next batch of Arag rock I make, im gonna use this as the middle material, and cement around it, will help keep weight down a bit, and less cure time on the cement. Looks Great though....Guru
 
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Fishguru said:
If it were me, I would cover with a very fine layer of either sand or cement, to limit UV exposure, but still get the shape.
Click to expand...

Cement? as in Portland? sprinkle it on while the foam is wet?
 
well if i used sand, i would do it while its wet, but for cement, i would let it dry for 24-48 hours, then just use it as you would and arag rock. just cover it with a 1/4" layer or so, to give it a texture of rock. I have never worked with this stuff, so, i would have to test when to put the sand on it. I would want the foam, hardened, but still quite tacky. The other option that no one i have seen has mentioned, would be using the oyster shells, or even mixed in with crushed coral. the crushed coral would be ok in this instance as it isnt going to accumulate waste in pockets behind the CC. Basically you could use anything you would normally use in your tank.

I plan on making some larger shelves in the wall, and maybe put some frag plug holes right in the rock for future frags. this works best with wider tanks. I am going to make a PVC/eggcrate frame, and then foam over that, then cement over that as to give a nice sturdy frame for the larger shelves. I am going this method, as to not have to have a seperate frag tank. I am going to put a ledge up top as my tank will be most accessible from the rear anyway.

I love this idea, as when i decide to make my stream pumps, i can embed them in the foam, without heat being too much of a problem.

I keep getting more and more ideas as I think about things i need to do to take.
 
anymore pics out there? I would love to do this on my new 29. It's just sitting there waitng to be foamed up. FOAM IT UP, FOAMY!

what are reefers who use foam too? ....foamfers? =) or roafers...?
 
Why would cement provide a better barrier than epoxy paint? While I suppose paint might flake off in tiny amounts (I don't think that light exposure is really an issue) cement would flake off in larger flakes and chunks depending on it's mixture and thickness. Not to mention the mixing of seperate media types...
I think a bigger issue is overall design for water flow and suspension or waste/detritous...

d.
 
a nice 1/2" cement would be solid, and protect the foam from UV if any in the tank. It also gives a better surface area for the coraline to attach to. the foam i imagine is fairly flat and non pourous. Just my opinion, and my plan, do it however you see fit.
 
You have to put down a fairly thick layer of concrete otherwise it will crack as it shrinks.. a 1/4" is about boarderline depending on the texture you want it to have.
 
Once some of you use it more you'll probably see that the foam exterior (with or without UV protectant) is the main plus of this technique. It allows for minor modifications and addition of plugs/frags. If you want a hard exterior (like a jordan almond) then just go for a well thought out and planned epoxy background. While not cheap, it's solid, non boyant, machineable, non porous (this is a plus....will not hold waste, medication, etc...)...it's also easily tinted and textured. It is expensive...but is really a better option for custom aquariums.
I have foam....not crazy about it. I wouldn't bother with it again, with or without a concrete coating...or any coating. I would use epoxy.

enjoy,
d.
 
delv said:
Once some of you use it more you'll probably see that the foam exterior (with or without UV protectant) is the main plus of this technique. It allows for minor modifications and addition of plugs/frags. If you want a hard exterior (like a jordan almond) then just go for a well thought out and planned epoxy background. While not cheap, it's solid, non boyant, machineable, non porous (this is a plus....will not hold waste, medication, etc...)...it's also easily tinted and textured. It is expensive...but is really a better option for custom aquariums.
I have foam....not crazy about it. I wouldn't bother with it again, with or without a concrete coating...or any coating. I would use epoxy.

enjoy,
d.
Click to expand...

What are you talking about? You say you would go with an epoxy background, but then you say you wouldn't deal with the foam again? What is the epoxy going to be covering? I mean you need some scaffolding on which to apply the epoxy paint or are you actually talking about the epoxy clay that people use to attach frags?

Peace,
John H.
 
Sorry for not being clear enough. I'm thinking of an entire structure of epoxy resin. There are variolus epoxy formulas that need no scaffold (depending on the complexity/height....but it's primarily self supporting during curing and cooking).
They are quite different from the two part plumbing epoxy you find in the pet store or Home Depot. They harden like a rock and are very strong. With some planning and titanium rods you could even make it modular to assist in removing and assembly....with the addition of whatever amount of actual live rock you like. It is expensive stuff....near $1000 for enough to do a 150 gallon tank, depending on the complexity. You could use less and build a realistic looking base to cover the bottom and perhaps avoiding the childish looking Starboard that's so popular. Less costs less, of course....

d.
 
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