I didn't even think about sealing the back of mine. It looks the same as when I made it almost a year ago. (It's not flush with the glass as I made a built in 'fuge behind my wall). I think sealing it is basically just so you can glue sand to it to make it look more natural.

OK Thanks.

Here's a pic of the back of my wall that is exposed. No epoxy or sealing done.

There is about a 3" gap between the glass and backside of the wall.

The blurry top half of the pic is algae growing on the glass. The bottom half is accurate.

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps2n240omm.jpg

really nice post

Are people still making these? Have there been any problems with algae growing because of the egg crate?

i just removed what I had and found none. and I wish I didn't remover it it was looking great and was causing no problems

Thanks

Im thinking about doing this to cover my corner weir, will urchins and sea stars damage the foam even when coated in epoxy resin and crushed coral?

My turbo snails eat the foam on my wall..
A thicker coat of epoxy and sand probably would've helped.

Here's my 40 gallon breeder with a fake back rock wall, one year later. It's holding up well and everything is doing fabulous. It was made with styrofoam and then covered in black pond foam and covered in aragonite.

http://2ndnaturecreations.com/reef/March-2016.jpg

Nice!!

Cool wall

Ok so is the great stuff pond foam safe to use?

I have two urchins on mine and they don't seem to make a dent in it. I'm assuming if the my don't the sea stars won't either.

My wall so far

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...psq2zsypxb.jpg

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps0f7qeqat.jpg

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...psrtgwcmrm.jpg

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...psjb29jdyi.jpg

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...pskakhwyzf.jpg

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...psrnikep0y.jpg

More rock is showing on the top of the ledge then what you can see in the pic. Go easy on me this is my first wall ; )

looks good so far

Thanks

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps8hvbmbid.jpg

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...psnej9zwnh.jpg

Needs more coatings

Looks great!

Thanks

And thanks for the advice

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...psjbhxzklq.jpg

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps3c1fgfpi.jpg

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...pshv9r70xo.jpg

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...psxlytzvb0.jpg

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...psvclqr12r.jpg

Did a test fit in the tank

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps5y37f4cf.jpg

In no time at all you won't even notice that it is artificial. I like how you covered your corner overflow. I made my back wall cover mine as well and then carried it over to the other corner where I also angled it a bit in the other corner to keep the flow in the back of my tank moving instead of getting trapped in the back corner.

Thanks

Got any pics?

Does anyone have pictures of a new biocube with the foam walls. On the right side of the false wall in the back are the return water to the pump and I am wondering how you left those open to get water flow?

I am building a new tank, was going to order live rock until I saw this post and links to all the other builds. WOW, absolutely incredible. These tanks are works of art! You all should not be called hobbiests but rather artists. GREAT JOB.

Threw some sand on

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...pshrvvdw7i.jpg

Filled in some more

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...pshzjjx5ni.jpg

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...pseclou5gd.jpg

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...psnmzcjn42.jpg

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...psovm8rzhg.jpg

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...psblk51gzm.jpg

Crushed coral doesn't seem to stick very well. The rock is bumpy I have to keep moving it to fill in spots.

I think it looks great.

Might have try this out

Thanks

What worries me a little is the crushed coral seems to fall off. The sand seems to stay on pretty good. I've been brushing the loose stuff off. I'm probably being over picky about it but then again I have to look at it day in and day out. I've beem spot filling with sand and covering up gaps.

what epoxy are you using

Bob smith industries

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...s9cnzvdiz.jpeg

Looks really cool! I love the over hang. I made a foam wall to cover my overflow box but just left it foam. Doesn't look as nice as yours with the sand and crushed coral but I figured it would all get covered in coralline eventually.
Can't wait to see your in the tank with water and lights!

I'm working on the overflow as well

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...psxlytzvb0.jpg

Agreed

Thanks guys

Unfortunately I have to save up for some big ticket items so I think I'm a ways off. Found an external skimmer and return pump I like. Going to take a while to save up for them but that's ok. OT here I come. I have to get LEDs as well which I know what I want in those and power heads. To much stuff to think about all at once. Been learning a lot and doing stuff I've never done before. I build my stand, 2 sumps an ATO tank. I have part of a mixing station set up and part of an ATS made. Interesting hobby.

The idea of my scape is this

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...pskbnzsyc5.jpg

The orange ball will be this

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...psrnmm3u6w.png

The blocks on the right will be two or three of these at different heights like columns

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...shgyeubmy.jpeg

The green bridge will be some kind of rock. I may make it rounded like the bridge not sure yet.

Going to put low light coral on the rock that is where the bridge is and going to cover the top of the ledge in coral. For sand I was thinking something like this

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...sy4eqvxrb.jpeg

Have you considered one of those pirate chests with an air tube that opens the lid every few seconds?
:D

Just kidding, of course. Can't wait to see it under the LEDs

Outstanding progress in this thread and with peoples projects. I haven't been on RC nor with a tank in 6 (?!) years and its joyous to see these results here, still, in this thread. I will contribute as I finally (!) start my new build.... long time no see YSF... glad you're still here...

Still working on my rocks. Trying to cover as much foam as possible.

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...psia5tg4r4.jpg

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps6q0wwg5q.jpg

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...psunm19uwy.jpg

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/l...pstsoyvzpa.jpg

Who would have thought I'd spend more time putting sand on then making the rocks them self.

anyone who has done this themselfs

I think i'm just about done. I'll let the loose stuff fall off and probably call it good.

i just used a cheapo paint brush and mixed the epoxy in a cup and painted it on and dumped the dry sand over everything and repeated after the first coat dryed. worked pretty good

That's what i've been doing. The first few coatings are not to bad. It's spot filling that took forever. The surface isn't even which forced me to turn the rocks to get different spots. It's not hard work just a little tedious but the outcome is well worth it.