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Rockpool vivarium build


weta

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This thread is kind of a continuation of this thread http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/209219-rocky-shore-biotope/

I've been meaning to make a new tank for about the past five or so years, but I never had a concrete plan on how to go about building it. I'm still a bit unsure, so I'm hoping to get some critical feedback from the experienced members on this site.

 

This is who the tank will be for-

IMG_20140525_234548_1.jpg

She is a Leptograpsus variegatus. Not the most affectionate pet, but a very fascinating one. She's also a voracious predator, so any other creatures that will live in the tank will need a safe place to hide from her claws.

 

This is a drawing on how I want the tank to look-

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I'm thinking it will be either a 550mmx550mmx550 or maybe 600mm cube.

It will be made similar to the first tank. Foam rocks that form a number of rockpools that flow down into a larger pool at the bottom.

 

This is a basic plan for how it might run-

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I'm thinking of ducting fresh air into the tank with a cpu fan, but I'm still unsure on how to do it.

I looked into chillers, but at the moment I'm thinking of going without. I want to use as little electricity as possible. The climate where I'm from is very mild, and I plan on stocking only the hardiest of creatures.

 

Here is a bad drawing on what I'm thinking for the sump-

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I don't know too much about saltwater filtration. I want to maintain better water quality than the previous tank, which only had some diy liverock as filtration.

 

I want to be able to look at the tank from above like this-

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I'm thinking of using thin led lights under a glass lid like in this sketch. Not too sure on how to do it. The tank doesn't have to be too brightly lit as I don't plan on adding anything photosynthetic.

 

So as you can see I'm still in the planning stage. Any ideas and advice would be much appreciated so I can get building.

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wow.such.chris

This looks awesome, but would be even more awesome if you kept some photosynthetic organisms. Like macros or mangroves. I built a foam rock wall myself and would love to answer any questions. The worst issue I had was when the foam was curing it warped and doesn't sit flush against the back of my tank. I would suggest building a wooden frame to build the foam wall on. Also, I wouldn't build the whole thing out of foam. I would use a foam base to hold real rocks in. Here check out my build http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/329285-soochs-lagoon-new-pics-slightly-higher-quality/

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This looks awesome, but would be even more awesome if you kept some photosynthetic organisms. Like macros or mangroves. I built a foam rock wall myself and would love to answer any questions. The worst issue I had was when the foam was curing it warped and doesn't sit flush against the back of my tank. I would suggest building a wooden frame to build the foam wall on. Also, I wouldn't build the whole thing out of foam. I would use a foam base to hold real rocks in. Here check out my build http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/329285-soochs-lagoon-new-pics-slightly-higher-quality/

Your tank looks awesome. I can't tell the real rock from the foam. I really like the barnacle shells. I'll be adding some oyster and barnacle shells to the foam to make it look more natural :).

I'm going to make a plywood and cardboard mould and fill it with two pot expanding foam. Then carve that back to the shape I want.

I was planning on making it to look like the local rock, which is very heavy. I really like that rough coral look though. Now I'm thinking I could use scoria to make it look like the rockpools around Rangitoto(a nearby volcanic Island).

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Incredible! I can't wait to see this!

Is this a temperate/coldwater setup?

It will start out as temperate, but might get upgraded to a coldwater if i get a chiller in the future. Can't really afford one now though.

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So I made a little model to get an idea on how to make the foam work-

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The model is really helpful in planning the lighting too.

I've still got to figure out how I'm going to do the overflow and the ventilation. I've got a few ideas, but they need refining.

 

Now I want to make a test with some real scoria blended into foam to see how that turns out.

 

Another thing that I'm not sure about is how I'm going to silicone the foam rock into the tank. Might it be easier to build the aquarium around the foam rock?

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wow.such.chris

Mine is held in by the top rim and the weight of the real rock in it. You could always make an eggcrate frame/base and have it geld down by rock.

 

What kind of foam is that? Howd you get it to take such a smooth shape.

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Mine is held in by the top rim and the weight of the real rock in it. You could always make an eggcrate frame/base and have it geld down by rock.

 

What kind of foam is that? Howd you get it to take such a smooth shape.

It's going to have to be siliconed into the tank because the rockpools need to be water tight. That eggcrate stuff looks good, but I've never seen it sold over here.

The model was cut out of a piece of urethane foam. It's ridiculously easy to carve. I used sandpaper to make it smooth.

20140527_113826.jpg

 

I had to give up the idea of using real rock. Scoria isn't very heavy as far as rocks go, but it would be far to heavy. I want to be able to move the finished tank on my own. The old tank is light enough that I can lift the tank and its stand with the tank full of water.

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Dr.Brain Coral

I think i the bottom pool you should carve those stones so any fish or any thing else can hide inder them from the crab.

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I plan on putting loose real rocks into the pools so that creatures can hide from the crab. I when I made the first tank I carved the rocks so that things could hide, but they were nearly impossible to get out of the tank when i remodeled it, because the rocks were glued to the glass to stop them floating.

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I'm a bit stumped on how to build the air vents into the back wall. I'm unsure if it would be best to have the fan inside the tank, or have it outside the tank and pipe the air in?

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Cameron6796

^^ pipe it in I feel like it would be risky having a fan in the tank due to water if you know where the water flows you could place it to avoid this though. Whats the reason for the fan?

 

Lol what are you going to do Irish the model when you have the large scale tank finished, me likey

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^^ pipe it in I feel like it would be risky having a fan in the tank due to water if you know where the water flows you could place it to avoid this though. Whats the reason for the fan?

 

Lol what are you going to do Irish the model when you have the large scale tank finished, me likey

The need for a fan is because I want to have a glass top and I don't want it too humid for the health of the crab. The current tank has a screen lid, but I'd like some air movement in that tank too.

I'm going to try and build some ducting into the little model and see how that goes. I'm also going to break down the glass and glue it back together with the foam and try and make it hold water.

 

Ha! if your're asking me to post the model all the way to Canada you can dream on buddy.

 

 

Are you putting any sand in the bottom or just the rock and foam?

I was planning on not having any sand because of maintance. Maybe just in the bottom pool. Would there be any benefit with sand?

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Dr.Brain Coral

I you have any gobys or shrimp they might like the sand but now that I think about it tide pools usually dont have sand on the bottom just rock.

 

also on the fan subject why not cut a hole in the lid to hold the fan and have it up top. But if you wanted the fan hidden for asthetic purposes the ducts would be better.

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Hmm I like your fan in the top idea. I'm picturing it bang in the middle and surround by led lights. It would block a bit of the view, but the lights are going to be doing that anyway. Plus I imagine it would be the most efficient place to push air around the tank.

 

Cheers buddy you just saved me from a ton of work :D

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