20long barrier/lagoon build

[bird]

Wow, that's good to know...I didn't even think about that really. And I was totally trying to plan out a smaller AIO tank and put in a rock wall...will definitely be re-thinking that. Glenn, did you have any problems at all with yours?

Not meaning to scare anyone away from rock wall building with Great Stuff, I am just sharing why I choose not to use it. I don't know one way or the other if it is safe or not for reef tank use.

All I have done was to talk to someone that works with polyurethanes and he said 'if the chemicals are not mixed correctly they can leach' which, considering great stuff is produced in mass I would hope the preparation is consistent with each batch.

Besides this I have seen a couple of systems only on forums that were going beautifully and then within a year of build crashed, the reason for the crash was not known or stated to be known. May have been totally non-related to the rock walls.

The MSDS sheet stating the chemicals used in Great Stuff do not set with me, but I am no chemist so do not know if, when cured, these are safe.

 

Please note that artificial decorative coral and rock is produced using polyurethane and has not been known to cause any problems to fish and invertebrates to date.

[bird]

And I would like to add, that the tech did suggest applying an epoxy coating over urethane.

[lnglostsurfer]

And I would like to add, that the tech did suggest applying an epoxy coating over urethane.

 

Yeah, in looking back through some of the rock walls on here I noticed most of them did coat with an epoxy. I will still be looking into it so we'll see. That build is a ways down the line...

[coachfraley]

I like the rockwork! Can't wait to see this thing up.

[lnglostsurfer]

So how much longer until a tank shot with some sand and rock? I'm so impatient...

[bird]

So how much longer until a tank shot with some sand and rock? I'm so impatient...

Same here. Hopefully I will come up with a stand this weekend and get it started.

 

Unfortunately though, a natural disaster is about to hit the FL panhandle.

Schools and some Gov offices are closing tomorrow in two counties because of the weather.

They are expecting cold rain and maybe some sleet and even might see snow before it hits the ground.

Only in FL.

Hopefully the roads will be cleared by the weekend though and I can look around for a stand.

[lnglostsurfer]

Same here. Hopefully I will come up with a stand this weekend and get it started.

 

Unfortunately though, a natural disaster is about to hit the FL panhandle.

Schools and some Gov offices are closing tomorrow in two counties because of the weather.

They are expecting cold rain and maybe some sleet and even might see snow before it hits the ground.

Only in FL.

Hopefully the roads will be cleared by the weekend though and I can look around for a stand.

 

Wow, I didn't even realize all that, guess I should pay closer attention to the news....I'm just down in Clearwater, so not too far from ya. Weather has been cold and dreary but nothing horrible. Just enough to make it miserable to get to work on the motorcycle...

[c_k_kuehne]

I'm in Central GA and it is snowing and starting to accumulate as I type. We only get snow accumulation about once every 8 years or so. My son is very excited. I promised to go out later tonight or tomorrow morning and help him build a snowman if it accumulates enough. Of course it's suppose to be sunny and 45 - 50 degrees tomorrow so this snow won't last long.

[bird]

Wow, I didn't even realize all that, guess I should pay closer attention to the news....I'm just down in Clearwater, so not too far from ya. Weather has been cold and dreary but nothing horrible. Just enough to make it miserable to get to work on the motorcycle...

I was kind of being sarcastic. lol.

I can't believe that they would cancel school and local gov agencies and so far all we have had is a few snow flakes (and that has been far inland only) that did not even make it to the ground.

Well, the children are plenty happy about no school today, but won't be at the end of the school year when they have to make it up.

Compared to the north of here, today is a picnic.

 

Back to the tank.

Don't have the funds yet to buy a stand and don't want to wait so tomorrow I am going to build one.

I will get some 2x4s and get the frame done and then the outer shell later.

Looking for any plans/suggestions.

Thanks

[Nemo Niblets]

You're doing it, but I've done it. Cooler.

 

JK, good luck with the build

[bird]

Think the tank would hold up without the trim?

I was thinking of making it rimless. Not sure if the waves created from MP10 would cause it to come apart.

I am thinking it should be OK, but...

[Paleoreef103]

Not meaning to scare anyone away from rock wall building with Great Stuff, I am just sharing why I choose not to use it. I don't know one way or the other if it is safe or not for reef tank use.

All I have done was to talk to someone that works with polyurethanes and he said 'if the chemicals are not mixed correctly they can leach' which, considering great stuff is produced in mass I would hope the preparation is consistent with each batch.

Besides this I have seen a couple of systems only on forums that were going beautifully and then within a year of build crashed, the reason for the crash was not known or stated to be known. May have been totally non-related to the rock walls.

The MSDS sheet stating the chemicals used in Great Stuff do not set with me, but I am no chemist so do not know if, when cured, these are safe.

 

Please note that artificial decorative coral and rock is produced using polyurethane and has not been known to cause any problems to fish and invertebrates to date.

I would like to add that it is now recommended that you build a rockwall out of the black pond foam as opposed to great stuff because great stuff is much more likely to degrade with UV. Once you cover it in rock, crushed coral, and sand you won't be able to see the color anyway.

[bird]

I would like to add that it is now recommended that you build a rockwall out of the black pond foam as opposed to great stuff because great stuff is much more likely to degrade with UV. Once you cover it in rock, crushed coral, and sand you won't be able to see the color anyway.

May very well be the answer to safe rock wall building.

I am not going to go that route, basically because of the petroleum gas that is used to discharge the product from the can. Petroleum products around corals scare me. It very well may become inert enough to never have any effect in a reef tank. Besides I do not know enough about bacterias and what they are capable of feeding upon and breaking down.

I am weary of Fusion paint though I am using it. I have seen it break-down/peel before, though no harmful effects were observed.

If I were to use the expand a foam urethanes I would, as someone mentioned earlier, have to seal it with something I knew was saltwater resistant and safe.

But that is just me. The black pond foam is for building waterfalls in F/W. I would have to see long term exposure results to saltwater before I became comfortable with using it in a nano.

A larger tank I would be more at ease with its use. This tank will probably hold a total of 15gl if that. I can cut flat small rock and super glue it to the wall and that will also serve the same purpose to an extent.

MSDS for the black foam

http://www.fomo.com/FileUploads/RichTextbo...m%20Extreme.pdf

[bird]

decided to try the rimless.

Hopefully it will hold up.

I think it will. The seams are pretty strong and the added compartment with its seams should reinforce the tank.

Not a great pic. Will look better once i get rock and all in it.

Mardi Gras today so never got around to building the stand.

For sure tomorrow though.

Tank needs a cleaning desperately.

 

[c_k_kuehne]

Rimless should be OK -- no worries.

[bird]

Stand built. Still have to get the shell on.

Vid of the rock but no sand. Will probably still have to rearrange rock so can get the most shelf space for corals.

Think it will work out pretty nice. Will let it go till next weekend before starting to finalize set up/filteration and transfer corals.

Probably going to go a little slower than I had hoped but you know how tank builds can be.

[ihatesears18]

That little bugger sure is noisy

[jereader]

Very cool idea. Best of luck.

[bird]

Think I am doing the switch over this weekend.

Problem is the new tank has to go in the place of the old tank.

I am concerned about removing all the corals and placing them in buckets and such and then putting them all in the new tank throughout the day.

I am thinking that maybe I can put them in the new tank set and glued and then drain the tank of water and move it to the new location and refill. I think it would take less than 15 minutes to drain, move and refill.

Bad idea? OK idea?

Almost at a point I am not wanting to tackle this now that the day for transfer has come.

[c_k_kuehne]

Think I am doing the switch over this weekend.

Problem is the new tank has to go in the place of the old tank.

I am concerned about removing all the corals and placing them in buckets and such and then putting them all in the new tank throughout the day.

I am thinking that maybe I can put them in the new tank set and glued and then drain the tank of water and move it to the new location and refill. I think it would take less than 15 minutes to drain, move and refill.

Bad idea? OK idea?

Almost at a point I am not wanting to tackle this now that the day for transfer has come.

 

No worries about the corals being in the bucket for a few hours to do the switch. They might not like it but most likely they will get over it. I have moved a 7 gal nano for a 2 + hour drive in the morning. Set it up for a club meeting around 11:00 am. the meeting lasted 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm then I moved it back home and didn't set it back up till the next morning.

[bird]

Think I will go that route. I am going to setup a larger tank next to this, put all the livestock into it and have it with heat and flow so I do not have to rush, then move the old tank out, the new tank in and go from there.

Not looking forward to this at all.

I think I am going to go fishless and concentrate on growing the corals.

[bruce922]

I likee. Keep us updated with more pics.

 

 

Bruce

[acme54321]

Something like that but a little longer and deeper might be awesome with a wavebox.

[bird]

Got the tank in place and will move corals in tomorrow.

I am reconsidering adding a sand bed to the deep end.

I tore the Finnex down and the sand bed was surprisingly super clean.

Seems the Tiger pistols had done a great job with it and I would love to be able to keep them and the goby.

Still debating if any other fish or not.

Might keep the Cherub angel, but I think the tank is going to be too small for it to be happy in.

FTS

shallow

deep

 

 

 

MP10 is set at long pulse wave and does not disturb shallow end sand bed.

I built the rock up high to keep both ends well separated.

Holds less than 15gls.

[bird]

Looks like room is going to be an issue.

I had figured it would be. Will have to thin some I guess.

Think it is going to work OK though.

Funny how a tank gets smaller the more you work with it.

SPS are extending polyps right after placing them in and zoanthids are starting to open.

 

 

Added a pipe next to the overflow at the shallows.

Thought it would be a good way to run cords from bottom chamber, ATO and act as an emergency overflow in case the main overflow filter material becomes clogged up when I am away.