Simulated Rock-bottom reef tank.

[acurro]

I am interested in setting up a reef tank with a hard bottom. I have been looking at some options:

1) GreatStuff pond foam

2) Some type of agro-concrete bottom;

3) MarcoRocks morter.

Anyone ever do this? Have any ides?

[Wildman]

I am getting ready to do one out of clay. I plan on using an old piece of live rock to push into the clay for texture.

[acurro]

It's an interesting idea but does clay have to be fired? Also doesn't it contain metals or something?

[KafudaFish]

Clay may dissolve in water.

My tank has a floating rock bottom in it and I have a build in the zoa forum if you are interested in how I did it.

[Wildman]

It will be fired. Should not be any different than ceramic frag plugs. I am following a build, I believe Kcress did, in the DIY section.

[acurro]

Is there any inexpensive epoxy that could be used to build a hard bottom? The little tubes would work but they are too expensive.

[rhdoug]

I have used Apoxie-Sculpt from Aves Studio (google it) with great success for shelves etc. It comes in many colors and if you texture it with a piece of live rock like wildman said it looks exactly like real rock.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=3952&pictureid=27181

http://reefcentral.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=3952&pictureid=27185

[acurro]

rhdoug: That does look good. I am trying to make a iron shore like you see in some places in the Caribbean. I will look into that.

Kafudafish: That Quickcrete/Sand mixture looks really good too but isn't there a problem with curing it, that it leaches for awhile? What brand of Quickcrete do you use. I looked at your zoanthid thread but it didn't seem clear.

[KafudaFish]

I got it at Lowe's at the end of the concrete section. 20 pounds for 15 dollars. I think quikcrete is the brand. The container is the same.

First time I used it there wasn't a delay. This time there was like one to two months. I think it was because the amount I used for a small tank. No freshwater soak for this unlike Portland. Saltwater only.

There is a DIY foam thread you could check out. There is no wait time for that. Custom color I think is the guy to go to on that.

Good luck and post pics. If you need help ask.

[rhdoug]

If I were doing this, I would get some suitable live rock, and epoxy that to the bottom with the aves product, and fill in any gaps between the rocks with the same stuff, of course leaving some nice crevasses where they already occur between the rocks.