The Foam/rock Projects Here Thread

[Coelli]

Bluefyre, would you mind listing again the components/brands you used when you made the wall? For future reference in case anyone else starts running into trouble...

Quick question for everyone on building these - I'm using Great Stuff pond foam and Bob Smith 30 minute epoxy. I finished foaming the rocks onto the egg crate and let it cure overnight and flipped it over this morning to let the other side cure. There are a lot of large pockets where there's no foam between the rock and the egg crate on the back. Should I go ahead and fill these up too? Thanks!

 

[janes_mw]

I have done 3 of these. 2 with resin and 1 with Gorilla Glue for adding the sand finish. The Gorilla Glue worked great and after 6 months still going strong with no adverse effects.

 

[ReefWhatYouSow]

The Foam/rock Projects Here Thread

This thread is great! And I only wish that I had came across it before starting my 210 gal. build.

Here is a link to my 210 gal. In-wall build with steel stand, and DIY rockwall with closed loop system built into. It's easier to post the link to the entire build instead of starting a new thread just for the rockwall. Please let me know your thoughts! I'm hoping to have it all in the tank with water by Christmas.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2461391

 

[Coelli]

I just finished mine last night and did a hose rinse today. It'll get silicone'd to the back once it's dry. This is for a 36x18x24 tank with a corner overflow; the right side of the wall will go flush against the side of the overflow, and I left enough room on the left side so I can still scrape the glass all the way to the back wall. I didn't do the epoxy/sand all the way to the bottom since it'll be buried in the sandbed.

 

[Coelli]

By the way, THANKS!!! to everyone who posted their builds... it was super helpful in figuring out and planning mine.

 

[ReefWhatYouSow]

So I'll be putting up my rockwall this weekend. Can anyone tell me how much silicone to apply to the back of the wall when adhering it to the glass? Bead size? Just around the edges or cover it like icing on cake? : )

Thanks!

 

[Saltydrip]

Just finished mine.. A little dark in here..

 

[julie180]

Has anyone used foam to attach their wall to the tank?

 

[janes_mw]

So I'll be putting up my rockwall this weekend. Can anyone tell me how much silicone to apply to the back of the wall when adhering it to the glass? Bead size? Just around the edges or cover it like icing on cake? : )

Thanks!

I have always just done "random strings" of silicon with a good size bead. Make sure the Silicon is of the correct grade/type and let cure for a few days at least. I think there is a whole thread or two on Silicon types (imagine that!)

mike

 

[ReefWhatYouSow]

I have always just done "random strings" of silicon with a good size bead. Make sure the Silicon is of the correct grade/type and let cure for a few days at least. I think there is a whole thread or two on Silicon types (imagine that!)



mike

Haha... Yeah. I've come across some fun threads. I have the right silicone, and I hope that it holds up for the job. I started putting the wall up yesterday, but I noticed that by doing the string of silicone it would not always make contact with the glass. I'm guessing that the walls might be a little twisted. So I started putting big globs which flatten out when I press the rockwall against the glass. I hope it all holds though!

Do not need anything falling during the night : /

 

[janes_mw]

Have fun! The blobs are sure to work

 

[Saltydrip]

I bhilt my wall in the tank. Bit of a pain. The foam bonded right to the glass. It's not moving.

 

[Kreeger1]

If you just used foam to bond to the glass it will come up in a few months. Seen it first hand and from others experiences as well

 

[Saltydrip]

Well luckaly I have a closed loop inside the foam that is stuck to the glass with silicon. Glad I did that now.

 

[janes_mw]

If you just used foam to bond to the glass it will come up in a few months. Seen it first hand and from others experiences as well

Hey Kreeger1 - how about to acrylic? I was just getting ready to do my 300 and was going to do directly to the acrylic. Any history with that?

thanks,
mike

 

[BlueFyre]

Bluefyre, would you mind listing again the components/brands you used when you made the wall? For future reference in case anyone else starts running into trouble...

Quick question for everyone on building these - I'm using Great Stuff pond foam and Bob Smith 30 minute epoxy. I finished foaming the rocks onto the egg crate and let it cure overnight and flipped it over this morning to let the other side cure. There are a lot of large pockets where there's no foam between the rock and the egg crate on the back. Should I go ahead and fill these up too? Thanks!

I just saw this

I used Tetra Pond foam
Eggcrate
Dry rock
Parks Super Glaze-I tried to use this to add sand but it didn't work great.

I also did not full seal the wall since I had used the pond foam.

 

[BlueFyre]

If you just used foam to bond to the glass it will come up in a few months. Seen it first hand and from others experiences as well

Mine never did after 2 years. I had to pry it off when I finally removed it.

 

[HunterBryan]

So I'm about to move with the next month. Sooo I'm about to make my rock wall to put in my 75 when I move it and have all my coral and fish out. Plans are to get eggcrate and some pieces of rock and lay them down and start foaming around. Then get some type of epoxy/resin/glue to throw sand on it. Then I will silicon it to the bottom and sides of my tank. Questions are...

Best foam to use?
What type of resin/epoxy/glue?
How long will I have to wait to put my fish and coral back in my 75 when I place the rock wall in?

Thanks, any advise will help

 

[cas1069]

So I'm about to move with the next month. Sooo I'm about to make my rock wall to put in my 75 when I move it and have all my coral and fish out. Plans are to get eggcrate and some pieces of rock and lay them down and start foaming around. Then get some type of epoxy/resin/glue to throw sand on it. Then I will silicon it to the bottom and sides of my tank. Questions are...

Best foam to use?
What type of resin/epoxy/glue?
How long will I have to wait to put my fish and coral back in my 75 when I place the rock wall in?

Thanks, any advise will help

depends it can take up to 3 days for the foam to cure add a day or 2 for the epoxy and a few more days for what ever glue type of stuff you use

 

[Saltydrip]

The foam takes a few hours to cure but 24 hours would be smart. Most epoxies cure very quickly. I used west systems epoxy resin and then applied a little heat. Cured in about 2 hours. I did all the foam and epoxy in an afternoon and had it in a tank of rodi to soak up any chemicals. It's been in there 2 days. Tonight I'm going a water change and then it's time for a carbon filter to pull out any more chems.