Neil's 34 Gallon Solana - (Pictures!)

[wastememphis]

Hey everyone, I'm back!

I finally have a tank set up again:dance:
There is a build thread in the Nano Section but I thought I would share some pictures with my Upstate Reef Family.

 

[dreaminmel]

Looks great! Love the false wall.

 

[wastememphis]

Thanks Melanie... Hopefully it comes in useful when attaching corals

 

[solRNY]

way cool mini cubish tank! i like the way you try to conceal the overflow.

 

[MarksReef]

Welcome back.
I'm getting the itch to come back too, expecially after seeing some kewl cubes at the Reef Shoppe.
What are the deminisons of your tank?

 

[superkat]

:fun4:

 

[eyebedam]

It looks good. Itll look even better once covered in coraline. Im curious though how much of the overall depth of the tank is being taken up by the false wall?

 

[wastememphis]

Thanks guys! The tank is 20"x20"x20"... there is a polygon shapped false wall there for the equipment and I made the rockwall to hide that. I did probably lose around 2-3" due to the rockwall but the look more than makes up for that... It also gave alot of depth due to the caves and overhangs I could make.

Here's the best picture I can find on my computer that shows a top view of the rockwall (pre finished) and the filter chamber.

 

[Piazzon12]

Cool! Aren't you going to have crabs and snails climbing up out of the water??

 

[tent boy]

That is the second tank that I have seen with that foam to make up the wall. Is this a new idea? I know that people use it outside for koi pond waterfalls. Obviously we can see the benefits. Is there any down side to using this product?

 

[wastememphis]

Hopefully there isn't a down side

Adam, I don't think I'll have a problem with snails... anyone with a rimless tank might have a few climb up and over the edge I'm not concerned with them going over the rock wall, it could have happened regardless of how high it went (knock on wood).

There are quite a few threads in the DIY section on these foam walls... I think they've been used in tanks for at least a few years (from reading the threads).

 

[sg1838]

Wow. I LOVE the back wall...I'm wishing I would have done that with my tank now (though, I guess it could get expensive once you start dealing with a larger tank).

Looks awesome!

 

[superkat]

what would be REALLY cool...is to have a cube...the wall dead center, two sided, running piping, filtration, in from around the top and into the sides...hiding that with a custom rim....and two or three good size 'swim throughs'....how you seed that wall? possibilities are endless...

 

[wastememphis]

All the rock I used on the wall was live rock at one point so it will eventually become it again after my tank goes through a cycle and I introduce some life to it

I've seen a few people make rockwalls like the one you described. They used accrylic rods to support arches and made some really nice designs.

Thanks Jason!

 

[backdraft79]

All the rock I used on the wall was live rock at one point so it will eventually become it again after my tank goes through a cycle and I introduce some life to it

I've seen a few people make rockwalls like the one you described. They used accrylic rods to support arches and made some really nice designs.

Thanks Jason!

Maybe put a good piece of live rock in there to add some life? That way the rock you have can cure faster. Just an idea.

 

[wastememphis]

Jon,

Is there anyway to do this without adding more rock? I built the back wall based on how the layout looked with the three dry pieces and I'd hate to add a new piece already. I guess I could always take it out later... what about just adding some sand from an established tank or some chaeto?

 

[backdraft79]

I would watch where you got the sand from bc you dont know what has been put in the tank it is coming from (unless it was your tank.) I was going to say get a flat piece and goingfrom the 2nd picture set it up like a self on the single piece on the bottom right and lean it on the stack to the left and back. Just an idea again.