Idea for Faux sand bed. Envirotex Lite high gloss finish.

[gqjeff]

ttt

 

[gqjeff]

any new updates or water quality problems? I have a gallon of this stuff and I am thinking of doing it this weekend. Anybody?

 

[Oddjob]

Any updates on the faux sand beds?

Everybody still doing well?

I'm considering using this method myself.

 

[gqjeff]

I would like to hear also.. I am planningon doing it this week.. Didn't have time this past weekend...

 

[deansreef]

tagging along

 

[bonerfortuna]

I have done something like this. I used regular aquarium safe silicone that I smeared over starboard and then put sand on it before it cured. I looks great , very natural , and is made of two tested safe known aquarium components. It holds up agst a garden hose test so I think it will be good with my Tunze. It hasnt been tested other than that yet as I am stiil assembling the tank. Can anyone think of any problems using this method. ill have some pics to post later. Peter

 

[Oddjob]

Peter:
I have no experience with any of these faux sand beds, but I don't see any problems with your method, as long as the silicone adheres well to the starboard.

 

[mattydub]

why silicone to starboard? Doesn't that defeat the purpose? I mean you should have just siliconed to the glass on the bottom of the tank.

 

[bonerfortuna]

The starboard serves as a buffer to protect the glass in case of a rockfall or inadvertant dropping of something while working in the tank. It also allows you to do the work away from the tank and it is removable if need be .Now Im considering methods to attach a few random pieces of dry rock to the back wall. Im thinking about using some acrylic right angle pieces to use as shelving. they will likely be siliconed to the back wall and small random dry pieces will be siliconed to the shelves. Its a lot easier to aquascape a dry tank,at least the basic ideas. Peter

 

[mattydub]

hmmm....not to discourage your ideas, but from all my reading on here, if you don't silicone the starboard to the sides of the glass then you're going to have nutrients trapped under the board. Also, silicone doesn't make a strong bond between glass and acrylic, so be careful with those shelves! Good luck though, sounds like it will be a neat tank...

 

[bonerfortuna]

I gonna attempt to post a photo of the starboard sandbed.

 

[bonerfortuna]

That makes sense Mattydub, I think Ill have to silicone in the tiny gaps at the edge. I know the shelves will be difficult,Im prepared to have an alternate plan for them.My plan is coming to fruition very slowly so Im not in any hurry to rush and make any errors. Thanks for your input.

 

[gqjeff]

I did the epoxy in a 10 gallon test tank last night.. I mixed the epoxy then poured it in the tank and then poured the sand on top. It looked good this morning but has allot of loose sand on the top. I then tried mixing the sand into the mixture and then pouring it on a piece of cardboard to see how that looks. That looked really good also and the sand is completly sealed down. I am going to go this route when I do my 240. I am just worried about doing such a large area. I am going to use acrylic to fill in the center of the 240 inside of the bracing so it is level. I am then going to silicon around the edge to keep anything from getting underneath. I would like to do this with the tank on the floor but I am worried if I add another 100-200lbs we will not be able to move the tank hahahah.... Oh yea I plan on leaning the tank back to give it an illusion of a deep sand bed.

Peace, jeff

 

[mattydub]

lean back should be left to the terror squad!

lean back should be left to the terror squad!

.... Oh yea I plan on leaning the tank back to give it an illusion of a deep sand bed.

Peace, jeff

:eek2: :eek2: :eek2: WOaH there cowboy, how are you planning on "leaning the tank back"? I mean you do know that if you tilt the tank it will exponentially increase the amount of stress on the glass and cause wet floor syndrome right? I'm ***-u-me-ing that you mean you're going to use more epoxy in the back end than in the front...but you never know what people mean when they type

don't lean the tank, it HAS to be level.

Paz

 

[DerekW]

Paz, I took it as meaning he would lean the tank back when he put the epoxy in, not when it was filled with water

 

[mattydub]

derek, paz means peace in spanish, but I can see how that would be confusing....=)

GQjeff...sorry I read into that wrong...leaning it back to get a DSB look will be definitely cool, and then you'll automatically have a nice little 45-or-so degree angle to see clams better! Great idea...

 

[mattydub]

sorry if we've been hijacking this thread...really we're just BUMPING it until we get some updates on tank parameters! How bout some more photos? !!!

 

[Macimage]

Hi Matt,

I have the exact same pico reef. I've purchased the envirotex and would like to do the same thing.

Did you mix the mixture up in the tank and then pour the sand on it? Or did you put the sand in the tank and then seal it with the mixture that was mixed up in another container? Or did you put the mixture and the sand it and then mix everything?

Please let me know how you did it, as it came out great.

Thanks,
Joyce

 

[reeftechie]

gqjeff,

I know he did this yesterday. He is going to send me some pics, I will post them as soon as I get them. I am going to do the same thing in my 230. Mix the sand with the Epoxy, pour it in, let it cure then add another layer of epoxy so that way the sand wont blow around and you wont know the difference.

RT

 

[lovetoreef]

RT

did he (and do you) plan on placing a layer of cuttingboard/starboard on the bottom below the epoxy/sand layer to protect the glass, or do you feel that the epoxy layer will protect the glass from the pressure of the rock?

thanks.