The Foam/rock Projects Here Thread

[biecacka]

anyone running a foam wall w a BB tank?
corey

 

[biecacka]

so it begins........


http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2029879

 

[lusenut2]

Good luck. Post on here when you start the rock wall

 

[biecacka]

heres a few pics

more to come

 

[biecacka]

my plan is to secure the rock first then go back and fill in the open holes
corey

 

[roninouye]

Anyone ever used plexiglass sheet instead of egg crate to have a smooth surface to silicone to back glass. This would leave no space for water or detritus to accumulate.

 

[biecacka]

a few pics.....

here you can see where i cut the eggcrate to fit around my coast to coast and the pump im placing there. i did this on both sides

 

[biecacka]

in the fisrt pic you can see where it tried to use aragonite to make the foam look more natural......didnt work as the foam hardens too quickly therefor the sand wont take to it
corey

 

[MDP]

Any advice on preparing the rock before use in a foam/rock project? I have a load of 'old' live rock that has been partially out of water (I'm treating it as dead). Before I use it, should I soak it in water and then dry out or just dry out? Or should I get it cycling in a big bucket and stick a skimmer and powerhead in with it?

 

[UtahGetMe2]

What is the best silicone to use to attach the rock wall to the tank? i know I read it in a few of the pages the first time I read through the thread, but I can't find it.

 

[wastememphis]

Updated pictures of my wall... been in for over a year.

 

[Hagisan]

It looks fabulous. I really like how the clown host is mounted.

 

[daveydoodle]

Dumb question, but when people build their own reef walls or structures is it purely live sand that is being used to prepare the tank for the inhabintants? Does the live sand and small amounts of live rock that have been zip tied or siliconed to the foam structure become "live" to support the filtration processes?
I would really like to build my own wall as well, but I'm not sure how I develop the benefits of live rock from the inert manmade structure. It's just coraline algae and micro organisms growing on the foam structure, correct (how is it seeded, live sand only)?

 

[biecacka]

daveydoodle,
most ppl are using rock to attach to the eggcrate. you can zip tie it or allow the foam to hold it in place, this is the method i chose. then you foam in the nooks an crannies. the foam expands a TON so be prepared for that. some add sand to make it look more realistic but most allow the coraline to cover it
corey

 

[biecacka]

oh yea, it could be seeded w other live rock structure in the tank or the sump

 

[UtahGetMe2]

I think you should stay away from using live rock or sand in the actual wall because you aren't going to be able to finish the wall and keep it the sand and rock live and there will be die off that you will just be putting back into your tank.

 

[daveydoodle]

So you're saying use either just foam, or that with a mixture of pukani, BRS "Reef Saver" Dry Rock, or something similiar. Start off with "dead" rock in the wall and let coraline cover it with seeding from either other live rock in the tank, refugium, or live sand?

 

[UtahGetMe2]

I don't think you can use just foam because it will float to the top. You need to use rock for at least the purpose of weighing it down, but it also makes it look more realistic.

**I am by no means an expert and haven't even finished my first wall**

I got a ton of dead coral and rock from Barbados and BRS Tonga Branch rock. I treated some of the rocks that you could see dead organic matter on the surface with muriatic acid and let everything dry out for a while. Then started attaching it to the egg crate. I am at the step of applying epoxy and sprinkling sand on it to cover the foam.

I plan to let the wall become seeded by live rock in the fugue.

 

[T Diddy]

Start off with "dead" rock in the wall and let coraline cover it with seeding from either other live rock in the tank, refugium, or live sand?

^^ This.

You'll want to use a LOT of rock, a masonry bit, zip ties, and then simply fill in the gaps with the foam. I'd suggest for anyone contemplating a foam/rock build to use the more rigid black eggcrate than the light diffuser stuff...particularly for larger builds

 

[thelizardkin]

here's my 29g