Rock work

[Mudbeaver]

When I did my second tank I decided to shape my rocks the way I wanted so I looked for solution in a variety of places and sites on the net and in magazines. This what I came up with for my 65 G.

This Stalactite was really fun to make .

You can follow the construction of those two items here

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2293636

Now in the next segment I'll show you where I got some of my ideas that you can also get some cues and great tricks from those guys who invented them, I take no credit for their tricks.

 

[Mudbeaver]

That is the method I used so you can read it here on my thread;

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2293636

 

[Dr. Reef]

that is some real creative rock work. very nice.
good luck

 

[Mudbeaver]

Diy

Diy

 

[Mudbeaver]

Inspiration sites

Inspiration sites

 

[Mudbeaver]

Shapes and sounds

Shapes and sounds

 

[Mudbeaver]

that is some real creative rock work. very nice.
good luck

Thanks mine are done , I'm just showing where I got most of my inspiration and ideas, I research quite a bit before doing it. The rest of the thread is to give others the same kind of inspiration I got doing that research.

 

[Goss]

It's a fine line between looking like organic rock work or a fossilized turd.

 

[Mudbeaver]

It's a fine line between looking like organic rock work or a fossilized turd.

LOL ,well like I said I looked at various concept and techniques and chose the one I liked the most for me , to each is own . Lots of people out there with lots of different approach. More to come with even more crazy but good ideas and great results. Sometimes it not the technique but the disposition that can be great, or the material used.

 

[Mudbeaver]

Foam honors

Foam honors

 

[Mudbeaver]

Foam walls

Foam walls

Not a favorite of mine but it works.

 

[Mudbeaver]

 

[Mudbeaver]

Ceramic

Ceramic

I bought 10 of those from Germany for my next two tanks, made from ceramic, cooked they don't leach and are very porous and put on the back walls will clear lot of swimming room for my fish in the process. Easy to cut and shape with a saw or dremel to fit overflow boxes and drains.

They are flat and can be glued with silicone, they have a larger bottom to stand on their own. 3-4" in thickness the come in 21"x17" , 17"x17", 16"x16", 14"x12"

 

[Spyderturbo007]

If I was only filthy rich..... :sad2:

 

[purplereef]

All of that ceramic is great but don't try to grow SPS in that tank with all of that leaching heavy metals ceramic in there. You will slowly be poisoning your animals.

 

[Mudbeaver]

All of that ceramic is great but don't try to grow SPS in that tank with all of that leaching heavy metals ceramic in there. You will slowly be poisoning your animals.

This ceramic is made for aquarium tanks their's no leaching, its neutral, its a especially made for aquarium tanks. Its the same ceramic compound you find in those little ceramic bags for filter media.I don't think the German manufacture of aquarium goods would make is product poisonous to the aquarist market on purpose......do you?

http://www.korallenwelt.de/Korallenwelt.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzvokrLBNQw&list=PLk_Pw-jAYdFcDVagg7LdPIRV4H0FZcs6i&index=1


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPl7R2JKQ-A&list=PLk_Pw-jAYdFdfdxt3LnuihwIJUGqREF5K&index=1 This last one explain the use of these panels

 

[Mudbeaver]

A brain storming of images

A brain storming of images

 

[Mudbeaver]

Googleing japanese garden images brings alot of good ideas about balanced rock work and can help those with size and shape problems. Zen garden are almost like the bottom of are tanks in real life size so you can't miss.

 

[KafudaFish]

To prevent the “fossilized turd” look simply remove the clear hose and apply with just the tip because the foam will not expand as much. Also water softener salt can be applied to the foam to prevent it from expanding in areas you don’t want and it will provide additional texture to the face.

After the foam has cured, use a shop vac to remove the salt. Any that is stuck can be washed away.

Nice work btw.

 

[Mudbeaver]

To prevent the "œfossilized turd" look simply remove the clear hose and apply with just the tip because the foam will not expand as much. Also water softener salt can be applied to the foam to prevent it from expanding in areas you don't want and it will provide additional texture to the face.

After the foam has cured, use a shop vac to remove the salt. Any that is stuck can be washed away.

Nice work btw.

Thanks The whole sculpture took about two weeks non stop , after the research which took about at least a good month before I had the guts to try it,lol. Its in doing my reasearch that i found the stalactite tank and got the idea, but i found my own technique to do it. Thats the tanks that i saw with it.