Rock wall...

[cMidd]

Any handy at explaining the process of building a rock wall? Not so much from cement-but from live or dead rock?

[10gReef]

be sure your base rock is set on glass bottom of the tank. critters will dig under the sand causing the rock to settle and move.

[jestep]

Do you mean like a wall on the back of a tank? Use a tile saw to cut the rock flat and then attach using the adhesive or acrylic rods to secure the rock. Marco rocks sells some pre cut dry rocks for this purpose. You can probably get an idea of how to do it from the picture on their site.

[cMidd]

^ thank you

[AquaJohn]

I would recomend attaching it to egg crate with plastic tie wraps depending how big the tank is split it into 2/3 pcs. Make sure they fit then use the black pond foam sealent from home depot to fill in the gaps and make it look like 1 solid pc. You can then use 2 part epoxy and place crushed coral/sand on the foam to make it look like rock or you can add rock salt to the foam while its wet and wash the salt away after its dry so the foam has lots of nooks like real live rock. after its covered with caroline algae you will never know.

[AquaJohn]

that way you can then just wedge it on the back wall or add small amounts of adheasive so you can remove it.

[Timfish]

If you use tie wraps (zip ties) make sure you use heavy duty ones. The standard width/thickness ties you get at the home improvement stores will get brittle and start breaking after 3 - 4 years.

[AquaJohn]

after the foam is dry you can cut them out the foam will make it a solid pc

[DerrickH]

Ive seen these made with crushed coral, crushed oyster shells, argonite, and plain ole sand. Im thinking about building one of these but have yet to find any that show what they look like after being in for a year or so(covered in coraline). There was a thread on here somewhere that talked about someone that builds these cover up power heads and such, anyone have the link to it??

[DerrickH]

Never mind, found it.

[Mr Cob]

I posted a thread a year ago asking for multiple people to post examples of their foam tanks etc... hope it's ok to link back to MAAST, if not just remove it mods:

http://www.maast.org/showthread.php?60458-Calling-all-foamers&highlight=black+pond+foam

[DerrickH]

So looking like the right stuff foam doesnt hold up long term and the pond foam/sealant is the way to go.

[Mr Cob]

I used the cheap stuff several times but couldn't stand how "puffy" it was and the light color. I much prefer the pond foam and if used correctly it will hold long term, though I have not made it past 2 years with any one tank. I did create an aquapod with it that has gone from one reefer to the next over the last 3 years and I believe the wall is still in tact.

[AquaJohn]

there are tons of multi year tanks with foam walls on RC some are toatly made of foam no rocks at all

[afgun]

I used the black foam. My rock wall is under a weir and behind lots of rocks, so the black foam shows differently than the rocks. I tried epoxy and sand on the foam, but lots of it has come off (I have a very enthusiastic CUC). I'd recommend multiple layers of epoxy and crushed coral on the foam that remains exposed if there's a chance it won't be sitting in the light.