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

[King-Kong]

mine is about even w/ that, but alot of that height can be dictated by the thickness of your cutting board material, and how you cut it's WxH. If you make it a tight fit, the cutting board will rise more as it is resting on the silicon for the edge of the tank. If you give it 1/2", it will not be so high.

Like I said, *I* used about 1/3 of a 30lb bag, but you may use more or less. I was far from scientific when mixing the epoxy and sand, I just kind of said, "ok.. that consistancy feels good to me"

 

[causeofhim]

Great thread!

 

[chin_lee]

smell

smell

Just wondering if there is any smell associated with the epoxy? Can this be done in-door?

 

[Trickman2]

Cool thread

 

[causeofhim]

Re: smell

Re: smell

Just wondering if there is any smell associated with the epoxy? Can this be done in-door?

Anyone know?

 

[King-Kong]

I did mine indoors. It smelled, but nothing that bothered me. It was on the level of Elmer's Glue.

 

[Bryan89]

It sort of smells like dirt, especially when mixed with aragonite.

 

[JCurry]

Bump so I can find it later. I want to do it on an acrylic tank but thinking I'll do it on top of the cutting boards. Does anyone have there tanks drilled for returns through the bottom of the tank and using the cutting boards? A little worried about the bulkheads poking up from the bottom. Thanks.

 

[Bryan89]

Bump so I can find it later. I want to do it on an acrylic tank but thinking I'll do it on top of the cutting boards. Does anyone have there tanks drilled for returns through the bottom of the tank and using the cutting boards? A little worried about the bulkheads poking up from the bottom. Thanks.

I used 1.5" thick starboard that I cut 1.25" slots in with a dado blade. Into these 3 slots, I drilled 2 holes each and placed 3/4" black PVC through the holes. This allows one of my 4 closed loop ports to put water into the bottom of the tank to clean the BB faux sandbed that is over the starboard.

HTH

Bryan

 

[kivalos]

This is the link to aqarium with PU foam beckground.You can see all foam is in coraline algae.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-02/totm/index.php

One more link to company in Germany who makes aquariums for very rich people.All aquariums have foam beckgrounds.

http://english.royal-exclusiv.de/index2.htm

Watch my gallery

Peter

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6447283#post6447283 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kivalos
This is the link to aqarium with PU foam beckground.You can see all foam is in coraline algae.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-02/totm/index.php

One more link to company in Germany who makes aquariums for very rich people.All aquariums have foam beckgrounds.

http://english.royal-exclusiv.de/index2.htm

Watch my gallery

Peter

PU ??

 

[RonSF]

PU ??

You smell something stinky, too?

PU=PolyUrethane

 

[FiddlinBen]

Great thread! I would love to hear an update as to the coralline algae and if it's hard to remove from the bottom. Also does anyone know if this can be done in say a 100gl acrylic without the fumes hazing the tank or weaking the joints? I think I'm going this route too. Got all my stuff today!

 

[OceanNwisconsin]

your telling me no updated pics from the original posters?

 

[SPSJunkie]

Hello guys,

Do you think any sand will do since the epoxy will cure over or throught the sand. Or do you think only aroginite sand should be used.

 

[dogstar74]

No man, I think any kind of sand will do. You are essentially making a solid resin surface out of the epoxy. There shouldn't be transfer of minerals into or out of the substrate.

That is one of the disadvantages if you want to call it that. There won't be any buffering of the water with the sand bed.

Good luck all

 

[JCurry]

Bryan89 I was thinking of doing that too, but I was going to use a router and sandwich two 3/4" pieces together. Do you have any pics of how you did it or any of the tank with it installed? Then I thought thats alot of work, drilling the bottom of the tank might be easier. But I haven't ruled it out yet. Thanks.

 

[szeth13]

where can you find this stuff in home depot?

 

[Bryan89]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6967145#post6967145 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JCurry
Bryan89 I was thinking of doing that too, but I was going to use a router and sandwich two 3/4" pieces together. Do you have any pics of how you did it or any of the tank with it installed? Then I thought thats alot of work, drilling the bottom of the tank might be easier. But I haven't ruled it out yet. Thanks.

Sorry I did not see this message until now. It was far easier and safer to dado the HDPE than it would be to use a router. You need to go slow to dado; I made two 5/8" wide by 1 1/4" deep passes for each pipe pass. I would not do the sandwich method, because the HDPE will come apart and bow.

The problem with routing is the heat from cutting and the weight of what you are working with. The pieces I had were barely manageable for dadoing at 6 1/2' long and 12" wide. You also need a very high quality blade.

All in all, I probably would not do it again, because it was so expensive ($500) for the HDPE. As I understand it, the price has doubled since I bought my HDPE.

I would be concerned about drilling so many holes in the bottom of the tank, because they can leak.

HTH

Bryan

 

[Avast Marine]

^