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To the ROCK WALLERS- Ill effects?


JayEeeTeeEss

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I'm researching doing a rock wall/foam background on my new tank. I've researched the process and I like the look so I'd like to get some opinions from people who have made a rock wall in their tanks.

 

Have you experienced any long term water quality issues?

Any issues with air pockets behind the wall?

Are there techniques that should be avoided?

Is it better to mount the rock on egg crate or should you just lay your tank on the floor and foam the rocks to the back of the tank?

 

More questions to come...

 

Input is appreciated!!!!

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Those walls look really good. I was wondering if people who have made the rock walls:

 

Have you experienced any long term water quality issues?

Any issues with air pockets behind the wall which trap detritus?

Are there techniques that should be avoided?

Is it better to mount the rock on egg crate or should you just lay your tank on the floor and foam the rocks to the back of the tank?

 

More questions to come...

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Well it's just like live rock; you have to cure it before adding livestock. Also, Epoxy helps with the prevention of break down. Depending on how much silicone you use to stick the rock to the wall determines the level of air pockets and water quality. So ensure that you lay down a decent amount of silicone and that there are no pockets. Those pockets will allow excrement, pests, and in some cases fish will accidentally get stuck and die causing a spike in nitrates, ammonia, etc. As far as laying it on the floor, it's up to you. However you do it, do it to where the rocks will not fall off during the drying phase of the foam. I ziptied the rocks to the crate and sprayed the foam down. Good luck!

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Epoxy helps with the prevention of break down. Depending on how much silicone you use to stick the rock to the wall determines the level of air pockets and water quality. So ensure that you lay down a decent amount of silicone and that there are no pockets.

 

What exactly do you mean about the prevention of breakdown, the foam? Where should the epoxy be used to prevent this?

 

I was thinking about ziptieing or siliconing the rocks to egg crate that is cut to the size of my back wall and then laying it on the back wall with silicone that I spread around liberally to minimize air pockets to attach it to the glass. Then I will fill in all the spaces with foam and shave down where I want after it is dried.

 

What is the best way to affix the sand to the wall?

 

I'm thinking about getting marco rocks and breaking some up to use for the back wall and then using the rest on the sand bed plus my 50 lbs of rock I already have. I figured the base rock would be better to use for the back wall because there won't be any risk of decay behind/within the foam. Then the cured rock I have will be used to seed it all.

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slather epoxy all over the foam. don't miss any spots.

 

Thats a lot of epoxy, but it would make sense. Is that the step where the sand is applied? I have never applied the epoxy out of the water, but in the water it seems to be brittle and will pop off easily, does the epoxy dry better when applied out of the water and left to cure correctly? Will it eventually start to chip off?

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It looks pretty fun. DHaut it looks like you applied the epoxy and sand at different times instead of covering the whole thing in epoxy and then sand. Did you do this becuase it dries so quickly?

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Great info so far...

 

Do you think the use of the majority of rock would make it easier because of less foaming and epoxying or more difficult becuase there are more crevices that you need to worry about sealing up?

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Everything has pretty much been said. Dhaut nice wall!

 

Just make sure that you let the foam and epoxy cure completely before doing anything else.

 

Also make sure you rinse the tank thoroughly many many times.

 

You can check my thread but I didn't post any building pics. Just pics of it freshly done and how it looks now at around 6 or 7 months.

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I'm sure a lot of people are benefiting form all the info that's being shared on this thread.

 

Curry: The wall looks really nice. I'm going for a mix of a rock wall with a typical rock formation that you would find in a no rock walled tank while not overdoing it with the rock (if that is possible).

 

Will coraline grow on the foamed/epoxied/sand covered sections?

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I'm sure a lot of people are benefiting form all the info that's being shared on this thread.

 

Curry: The wall looks really nice. I'm going for a mix of a rock wall with a typical rock formation that you would find in a no rock walled tank while not overdoing it with the rock (if that is possible).

 

Will coraline grow on the foamed/epoxied/sand covered sections?

 

Thank you. Yes coralline will grow on the sand/epoxy parts.

 

My wall was only partly covered with sand and epoxy. BUT the coraline does grow on the actual foam. It just takes longer than if it grew on the sand parts.

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I will have a curved center overflow so this may present a problem. Does the foam run if on an angle or is it pretty viscous?

 

Also, what is the best way to account for overflow teeth? Skip the foam and just put epoxy with sand covering it?

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You can always Shave the foam to form natural-looking cliffs and such. If I woul have done it over I would have formed more extruding rocks to make caves and hangovers. But I'm pretty satisfied. You can always add more with reef putty or super glue gel

 

I will have a curved center overflow so this may present a problem. Does the foam run if on an angle or is it pretty viscous?

 

Also, what is the best way to account for overflow teeth? Skip the foam and just put epoxy with sand covering it?

 

No the foam does not run. For the overflow teeth, it'll be a little tedious getting the teeth section. I just left mine alone, but with a little creativity and imagination, I'm sure you can conjour something up.

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When I built my "Polar Bear Exhibit" I used a 2 part epoxy from a hobby shop. It wasnt a putty or a gel, it was a liquid. I painted it on then sprinkled it with crushed coral, about a week later I put down another layer of epoxy and really fine sand.

 

I never ended up putting it in the tank though. I liked how it looked but it was the wrong shape.

 

6Rockwall20.jpg

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I've been looking at the porosity of the rock that I will be using and I am wondering if the water getting into all the cracks of the rock will be a problem? I know it was said that I should slather epoxy all over the foam, but what about the rocks?

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