Foam Rockwall w/ built in refuge for a 26 gal bowfront - Page 3

Saltydrip · 12/08/2014, 09:35 PM

Weds I'll swing by the hardware store and start framing in the egg crate. I plan to have an overflow in the corner where the mag 5 is and a closed loop plumbed in the wall. I'm going to try to use shells for the plumbing returns. I want the overflow for a place to hide my heater and other things.. Might even be able to incorporate my ATO.

I have a build thread started in Reef Discussion. I plan to get pretty in depth with my thread.

HunterBryan · 12/08/2014, 09:49 PM

how do you foam around your overflow? my 75 gallons overflow box is in the middle and i dint know if you have to foam right up on it or go around it? Like would water still get between the box and the foam or would that matter because I know the rest of the wall will but up against the glass but not on the overflow?

sam.basye · 12/08/2014, 09:57 PM

Salty, The shell idea is gonna be really cool. Do you plan to drill out the back of the shell and have it shoot out the opening?

Hunter, If I were you, I would build an eggcrate box that fits tightly around the overflow and just slide it over the overflow. Then silicone the gaps if there are any. Some critters may find their way in and not out if the gaps are too big.

As for water getting behind it, I wouldn't worry about it.

You could foam straight to the overflow, but that increases the risk of getting foam where you don't want it and it would then be a permanent part of the tank.

Saltydrip · 12/08/2014, 09:59 PM

The foam wall it's self will be the overflow in my tank. I'm building my foam wall right in the tank on account of the fact that I really don't care about the tank it's self... It's pretty old and my build is pretty much an experiment. I'm downsizing while at our new apartment since I can't have my 75 here. Once we buy a house I'm going with a 180!! This 29 is mostly for propagating and fragging corals until then.

Saltydrip · 12/08/2014, 10:02 PM

Yep.. I'm going to try and cut the back off of the shell so the water comes out the opening. I just don't want to risk seeing the PVC. Even though there will be egg crate shelving/racks but they will get sprayed to match the rock wall I think.

sam.basye · 12/08/2014, 10:26 PM

What will you spray the racks with?

Saltydrip · 12/08/2014, 10:33 PM

Krylon fusion. It bonds to most plastics and is "kid safe". I've seen guys use it to paint PVC that goes in the display.

sam.basye · 12/11/2014, 07:52 PM

I wish I'd known that before!

Turns out the light I bought was grossly misadvertised and had to be returned :O

As for the mp10 - it comes tomorrow

and I'm trying to determine its location on the right wall.

More diatoms are forming-still no ammonia spike.

Seeing more hair algae on the dead sea whip too.

Found a new 300w heater on sale for $12 because they didn't have room on the shelf after moving things around at Petco. Lol

Saltydrip · 12/11/2014, 09:03 PM

That's a shame about the light.

I'm hope to be spraying foam Saturday. I have some plumbing tests to run first.

sam.basye · 12/11/2014, 09:14 PM

Yes it is, the worst part.... He re-listed it and hasn't even received it back from me yet! Same description!!

It was "like new, only used two months"

A bunch of LED's were out, and the controller was broken, and it completely quit when I tried to turn it back on!

Oh well..

I look forward to your foaming fun

Saltydrip · 12/11/2014, 09:20 PM

What a joke. I hate when that crap happens. Been threw that with some car parts.

Saltydrip · 12/14/2014, 05:29 PM

Any updates??

I used an epoxy resin I had to affix a thicker sand to the wall. Looks a lot better. I was bummed after seeing the silicon mess that I made. It's not quite as nice as yours but it turned out pretty nice. I had to ditch the shell idea for the water outlets. I brought home the wrong size hole saw arbor. I didn't feel like trying to grind away at it and end up with stitches.

sam.basye · 12/14/2014, 05:44 PM

Salty, better off not losing a finger to the hobby!

Well, I got to install the mp10w

Still don't know how it works yet, but it's all set up for the next month.

I will be away from the tank until the first week of January so the cycling will have to do its thing.

Still getting more diatoms and have the timer set up so the skimmer and light are on during the day and off at night. The mp10 is on low 24/7 and in night mode. Heater is also on.

Updated pic of the tank with the mp10 all hooked up.

sam.basye · 12/27/2014, 11:13 PM

Back from the beach and found these neat anemone's washed up!

They look like little cylindrical blobs as they can suck themselves in.

2 Calliactis tricolor anemone's that I let attach to a lettered olive and broken piece of shell. Normally found attached symbiotically with a hermit crab.

sam.basye · 12/27/2014, 11:17 PM

Sunrise over the water in Isle of Palms, SC

Lots of starfish washed up too!

Lavoisier · 12/28/2014, 07:34 AM

Interesting looking Anemones and beautiful pic.

Saltydrip · 12/28/2014, 11:49 AM

How's it goin? We need FTS with the livestock

sam.basye · 12/28/2014, 12:20 PM

Hopefully not shattered all over the floor ruining everything I and my landlord own.. Lol

The bowfront is in VA and I've been in NC for a couple weeks now and won't be back till the first week of January. I left it to 'do its thing' while I'm gone so it will most likely be covered in algae and water level will be pretty low.

The heater on 80°, mp10 on low, and lights and skimmer on a timer while I'm away.

I'll post a current FTS of my 5 gallon later today

Saltydrip · 12/28/2014, 03:52 PM

Sounds good. I didn't realize you were away that long

sam.basye · 12/28/2014, 05:58 PM

Yep, here's the 5 gal that needs to be retired.... old and needs resealing.

One of my two Asterias forbesi common sea stars
-working on starting them eating pellets, they currently crawl to the surface to skim when feeding time, otherwise pretty inactive.

Baby sea star next to mangrove root

mangrove propagule

not quite as green in the pic. the monti spongodes in the corner is starting to turn green again. it turned from bright green to dull pink...

mithrax getting bigger

fts

fresh and salt setups

Saltydrip · 12/28/2014, 07:12 PM

That is such a cool little setup. Well done

Lavoisier · 12/28/2014, 08:08 PM

Yes, great work...your passion is obvious.

sam.basye · 12/28/2014, 09:42 PM

Thanks guys!

If you asked the fiancee, its move of an addiction!

The 5 gal was my first tank for the freshwater fishes. Had to downsize them the 2.5 and transfer the sw to the 5 when I got more corals.

The plan is to get rid of the freshwater altogether so the only tank is the bowfront.

Saltydrip · 12/29/2014, 07:39 AM

And then the 5 gal will become a frag tank... And the 2.5 a little bedside tank... The the bow becomes a 40! And so on...��

sam.basye · 12/29/2014, 12:13 PM

Oh you know there can never be enough tanks!

I kind of limited for space in the current place, I acquired a free 55gal tank and sold it - what will power lol. Got $80 to feed the addiction though

And I have soo much time and effort invested in the bowfront that I want to see flourish!

One of these days, I want to do a biotope for fiddler crabs. Make a reinforced 'beach' so they can burrow with waves in a long tank with tidal fish.

12/08/2014, 09:35 PM	#51
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	Weds I'll swing by the hardware store and start framing in the egg crate. I plan to have an overflow in the corner where the mag 5 is and a closed loop plumbed in the wall. I'm going to try to use shells for the plumbing returns. I want the overflow for a place to hide my heater and other things.. Might even be able to incorporate my ATO. I have a build thread started in Reef Discussion. I plan to get pretty in depth with my thread. __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

12/08/2014, 09:59 PM	#54
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	The foam wall it's self will be the overflow in my tank. I'm building my foam wall right in the tank on account of the fact that I really don't care about the tank it's self... It's pretty old and my build is pretty much an experiment. I'm downsizing while at our new apartment since I can't have my 75 here. Once we buy a house I'm going with a 180!! This 29 is mostly for propagating and fragging corals until then. __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

12/08/2014, 10:02 PM	#55
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	Yep.. I'm going to try and cut the back off of the shell so the water comes out the opening. I just don't want to risk seeing the PVC. Even though there will be egg crate shelving/racks but they will get sprayed to match the rock wall I think. __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

12/08/2014, 10:33 PM	#57
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	Krylon fusion. It bonds to most plastics and is "kid safe". I've seen guys use it to paint PVC that goes in the display. __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

12/11/2014, 07:52 PM	#58
sam.basye Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Lynchburg, VA Posts: 1,227	I wish I'd known that before! Turns out the light I bought was grossly misadvertised and had to be returned :O As for the mp10 - it comes tomorrow and I'm trying to determine its location on the right wall. More diatoms are forming-still no ammonia spike. Seeing more hair algae on the dead sea whip too. Found a new 300w heater on sale for $12 because they didn't have room on the shelf after moving things around at Petco. Lol __________________ }<`SAM`;{°< Current Tank: 30 Cube build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2661418 26g Foam Rockwall build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2457621 Foam Wall

12/08/2014, 09:49 PM	#52
HunterBryan Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 370	how do you foam around your overflow? my 75 gallons overflow box is in the middle and i dint know if you have to foam right up on it or go around it? Like would water still get between the box and the foam or would that matter because I know the rest of the wall will but up against the glass but not on the overflow?

12/08/2014, 09:57 PM	#53
sam.basye Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Lynchburg, VA Posts: 1,227	Salty, The shell idea is gonna be really cool. Do you plan to drill out the back of the shell and have it shoot out the opening? Hunter, If I were you, I would build an eggcrate box that fits tightly around the overflow and just slide it over the overflow. Then silicone the gaps if there are any. Some critters may find their way in and not out if the gaps are too big. As for water getting behind it, I wouldn't worry about it. You could foam straight to the overflow, but that increases the risk of getting foam where you don't want it and it would then be a permanent part of the tank.

12/08/2014, 10:26 PM	#56
sam.basye Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Lynchburg, VA Posts: 1,227	What will you spray the racks with?

12/11/2014, 09:03 PM	#59
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	That's a shame about the light. I'm hope to be spraying foam Saturday. I have some plumbing tests to run first. __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

12/11/2014, 09:14 PM	#60
sam.basye Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Lynchburg, VA Posts: 1,227	Yes it is, the worst part.... He re-listed it and hasn't even received it back from me yet! Same description!! It was "like new, only used two months" A bunch of LED's were out, and the controller was broken, and it completely quit when I tried to turn it back on! Oh well.. I look forward to your foaming fun

12/11/2014, 09:20 PM	#61
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	What a joke. I hate when that crap happens. Been threw that with some car parts. __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

12/14/2014, 05:29 PM	#62
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	Any updates?? I used an epoxy resin I had to affix a thicker sand to the wall. Looks a lot better. I was bummed after seeing the silicon mess that I made. It's not quite as nice as yours but it turned out pretty nice. I had to ditch the shell idea for the water outlets. I brought home the wrong size hole saw arbor. I didn't feel like trying to grind away at it and end up with stitches. __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

12/14/2014, 05:44 PM	#63
sam.basye Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Lynchburg, VA Posts: 1,227	Salty, better off not losing a finger to the hobby! Well, I got to install the mp10w Still don't know how it works yet, but it's all set up for the next month. I will be away from the tank until the first week of January so the cycling will have to do its thing. Still getting more diatoms and have the timer set up so the skimmer and light are on during the day and off at night. The mp10 is on low 24/7 and in night mode. Heater is also on. Updated pic of the tank with the mp10 all hooked up.

12/27/2014, 11:13 PM	#64
sam.basye Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Lynchburg, VA Posts: 1,227	Back from the beach and found these neat anemone's washed up! They look like little cylindrical blobs as they can suck themselves in. 2 Calliactis tricolor anemone's that I let attach to a lettered olive and broken piece of shell. Normally found attached symbiotically with a hermit crab.

12/27/2014, 11:17 PM	#65
sam.basye Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Lynchburg, VA Posts: 1,227	Sunrise over the water in Isle of Palms, SC Lots of starfish washed up too!

12/28/2014, 07:34 AM	#66
Lavoisier Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Overland Park, KS Posts: 1,030	Interesting looking Anemones and beautiful pic. __________________ "...for it is not necessary that these hypotheses should be true, or even probably; but it is enough if they provide a calculus which fits the observations..."--Introduction (attributed to Andrew Osiander) to On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Sphere by Nicolaus Copernicus. Current Tank Info: 600g DT, 140g sump, 200g Cryptic, 90g Refugium, 3-400w MH, 2 Reeflo Barracudas, and 3 MP60s

12/28/2014, 11:49 AM	#67
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	How's it goin? We need FTS with the livestock __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

12/28/2014, 12:20 PM	#68
sam.basye Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Lynchburg, VA Posts: 1,227	Hopefully not shattered all over the floor ruining everything I and my landlord own.. Lol The bowfront is in VA and I've been in NC for a couple weeks now and won't be back till the first week of January. I left it to 'do its thing' while I'm gone so it will most likely be covered in algae and water level will be pretty low. The heater on 80°, mp10 on low, and lights and skimmer on a timer while I'm away. I'll post a current FTS of my 5 gallon later today __________________ }<`SAM`;{°< Current Tank: 30 Cube build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2661418 26g Foam Rockwall build: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2457621 Foam Wall

12/28/2014, 03:52 PM	#69
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	Sounds good. I didn't realize you were away that long __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

12/28/2014, 05:58 PM	#70
sam.basye Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Lynchburg, VA Posts: 1,227	Yep, here's the 5 gal that needs to be retired.... old and needs resealing. One of my two Asterias forbesi common sea stars -working on starting them eating pellets, they currently crawl to the surface to skim when feeding time, otherwise pretty inactive. Baby sea star next to mangrove root mangrove propagule not quite as green in the pic. the monti spongodes in the corner is starting to turn green again. it turned from bright green to dull pink... mithrax getting bigger fts fresh and salt setups

12/28/2014, 07:12 PM	#71
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	That is such a cool little setup. Well done __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

12/28/2014, 08:08 PM	#72
Lavoisier Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Overland Park, KS Posts: 1,030	Yes, great work...your passion is obvious. __________________ "...for it is not necessary that these hypotheses should be true, or even probably; but it is enough if they provide a calculus which fits the observations..."--Introduction (attributed to Andrew Osiander) to On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Sphere by Nicolaus Copernicus. Current Tank Info: 600g DT, 140g sump, 200g Cryptic, 90g Refugium, 3-400w MH, 2 Reeflo Barracudas, and 3 MP60s

12/28/2014, 09:42 PM	#73
sam.basye Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Lynchburg, VA Posts: 1,227	Thanks guys! If you asked the fiancee, its move of an addiction! The 5 gal was my first tank for the freshwater fishes. Had to downsize them the 2.5 and transfer the sw to the 5 when I got more corals. The plan is to get rid of the freshwater altogether so the only tank is the bowfront.

12/29/2014, 07:39 AM	#74
Saltydrip Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 1,826	And then the 5 gal will become a frag tank... And the 2.5 a little bedside tank... The the bow becomes a 40! And so on...�� __________________ Current tank 48" 75g DT w/ 55g sump/fuge.

12/29/2014, 12:13 PM	#75
sam.basye Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Lynchburg, VA Posts: 1,227	Oh you know there can never be enough tanks! I kind of limited for space in the current place, I acquired a free 55gal tank and sold it - what will power lol. Got $80 to feed the addiction though And I have soo much time and effort invested in the bowfront that I want to see flourish! One of these days, I want to do a biotope for fiddler crabs. Make a reinforced 'beach' so they can burrow with waves in a long tank with tidal fish.