My DIY Rock/Foam Reef

[Steelslinger75]

I am getting ready to set up another tank and I want to use this method for scaping the tank. My question is has anyone encountered any problems after the tank is up and running? Any signs of falling apart? Just curious.

 

[pheinzig]

would red lava rock look ok?

 

[arctictwist]

hey what about epoxy5050.com's marine epoxy to cover the foam? itd be more economical and they use it to build plywood tanks.

 

[Smitty750]

Kannin what kind of sand did u use? Cause I used aragorate course sand and it kinda looks like kitty litter hahahah, yours looks smooth like real rock. Man this sucks I may have to start from the beggining

 

[customcolor]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14330616#post14330616 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pheinzig
would red lava rock look ok?

no...do to heavy metals

 

[Kannin]

Sorry for my long absense. I've been working alot. I'll post some updated pics soon.

I used 80lbs of sugar sized aragonite and mixed in about 30lbs of Ocean Direct caribbean live sand from Carib Sea.

I have experienced a little bit of erosion of the foam in areas subjected to alot of light. Like on the top of the pillars. I think a person could double coat these areas with resin to solve this issue.

 

[arctictwist]

kannin what do you think of using the marine epoxy from epoxy5050.com? i know they use it alot to build plywood tanks. so its supposed to be reef safe.

 

[Kannin]

I'm not familiar with it. All I know for sure is that what I used is safe. And what Tiggsy used, is safe.

 

[arctictwist]

ok thanks.

 

[tdkarl]

Kannin what do you do about stagnant water and detritus buildup behind the walls?

 

[chico72]

nice verry nice .

 

[smoovie]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13657708#post13657708 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fishingpcola

I would love to see more pics of this. This rock work looks f-ing great.

 

[ed102475]

Kannin what do you do about stagnant water and detritus buildup behind the walls?

You will always have detritus buildup in a tank.I don't think that is a issue.Think of all the places you cant get to. I know with all the rock in my tank there is alot of detritus buildup .stagnant water I doubt it.With good flow Also not a issue.JMO

 

[Kannin]

my closed loop intake pulls some water from behind the wall. I will admit though, that I didn't make it a priority when I built it.

 

[tdkarl]

Has anyone noticed a high level of skimmate in thier skimmer using the foam/epoxy backgrounds? I have had mine running about 3 weeks and its been producing high ammounts of very watery skimmate. About 5 gallons a day. No mater how much tweeking I do to my skimmer it just keeps coming. I would think by now things would have calmed down. On my old 75 gallon I didnt have this issue with this skimmer at all, but I wasnt using any foam/epoxy background in the old tank. I am using a aquaC EV-120 skimmer.

 

[Kannin]

It's never been a problem with mine. I get about a quart of dark green skimate a week. ASM 4X. Did you use underwater epoxy sticks? Those have an adverse effect on skimmers.

 

[buy_baff]

Kannin tank looks great! I am going to do this sometime in the near future. I was thinking of useing the epoxy that they recomend on the garf site for makeing plywood tanks. I belive it is the same stuff that is used for coating swiming pools and the inside of water towers. I was planing on filling in the back as well and coating it to.That way the water will never get to the foam. What do you think will this work well?

 

[Kannin]

sounds good to me.

 

[redtop03]

kannin,I see T O T M potential,the rock looks great

 

[Fisher2009]

Kannin

Could you tell me how much rock you used to create this structure.

I am in the process of planning my new tank and would like to do something like this.

I already have a piece of original Tiggsy rock which I purchased from him earlier this year, I therfore want to expand this in the new tank

Cheers