Unique Aquascape

[jcolon2]

Hello everyone. I am going to attempt to recreate the following rock structure for my tank. http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...US387&biw=1345&bih=470&tbs=isch:1&um=1&itbs=1

I have a 55 gallon tank so I will be making 3 of them for the tank and placing them in at the ends, and middle. All my rocks have very odd shapes so this should be interesting. I purchased 1/2" of pvc pipe and cut it a foot and 2 inches high. I attached a fitting at the end with 3 pieces of pvs coming from each opening. I am going to silicone the pvc to the live rock to make it appear as if the silicone is part of the rock, while still providing support. I am goign to cover the silicone in epoxy and then cover it in sand. What epoxy should use and where shoudl I purchase it? Also, I will be drilling holes in the pvs as well and fastening the rocks to it for extra support. If anyone has other ideas let me know. I came up with the idea of using silicone from a thread that was posted on another site, and linked on this one. Thanks!

Justin

 

[OneTimer]

Sounds really nice - what do you use as a base for the pvc laying on the sand bed?

 

[rkaragozler]

jcolon2, I would mount all the rockwork to 3 different pieces of 1/4" acrylic, take all sand out place on bottom of tank, then put back sand, all the acrylic should fill the base of the 55. as far as attaching rockwork. I read somewhere that a person used driveway markers here is the link
http://www.gridlineexpress.com/servlet/the-162773/APPROVED-VENDOR-164-Driveway/Detail
nice aquascaping keep is informed.

 

[anthony27]

That looks realy hard to do . I dont know if it is going to be pratcial for sps but it is def. going to look crazy when you get it done. Very nice

 

[jcolon2]

Thanks everyone. Anthony, I was wondering about the functionality of it as well. I was contemplating doing three different size formations. Tall at the right end of the tank, then medium height in the middle, and short at the left end, like a diagonal. But I don't know if I like that as much aesthetically.

 

[jcolon2]

rkaragozler, thanks for the link. I already purchased the pvc. I am going to go get some acrylic. That sounds like a plan!

I have to clean all my sand with bottled water. Disgusting and alarming amous of detrius have collected : ( Advice is appreciated lol.

 

[albano]

Are you sure, that you want 3 formations, like that? Very limited as to what corals, you can place, either very close to light, or at bottom of tank. A 55g is only 12" wide, so you will be blocking a lot of the light from reaching the bottom.

 

[jcolon2]

Albano, that is what I am worried about. Should I make the rock formations 3 different heights? I want something aesthetically unique and pleasing to the eye.

 

[Audi0s]

Maybe you can do a few formations, but have them meet to form shelves at different levels?

 

[Killarsox]

You should do all 3 the same height, and make live rock bridges connecting each island. I think that would give you plenty of options for corals, look amazing to the eye and give your fish places to swim under/through.

 

[jcolon2]

7 tubes of silicone, a ton of ties, and several hours later, and I have finished the middle structure. I have yet to cover it in sand. It is less of an umbrellea shape. It is funky looking and I created a very cool texture on it : ) I am very happy with it even though I am exhausted already.

 

[JimmyR1rider]

You should do all 3 the same height, and make live rock bridges connecting each island. I think that would give you plenty of options for corals, look amazing to the eye and give your fish places to swim under/through.

I think albano hit it on the head. The way they mushroom out at the top any corals that were not on the top of the islands wouldnt get light. Even if you put bridges across , then the bridges will also block the light down low between the islands.

jcolon- if you notice the person with that tank has mostly bangaii cardinals and other fish, its not much of a reef tank, he has corals but a lot of them down low are low light corals(suncorals), unless youre going to have alot of your corals in the sandbed. I also dont believe like Alfie said it being 12" deep it would let you even make the tops big enough to look right with the tank length. But hey if you do it good luck. Id also be afraid of them toppling over if anything ever goes wrong and then kinda being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

 

[jcolon2]

Jimmy,

I took everyone's advice. I did three structures, one small, one medium height, and the other large. I measured them in comparison to the top. They will form a diagonal shape in the tank (to allow for different corals). Also, I have very odd shapes; not the umbrella/mushroom effect. I changed it up. My shapes are funky and they allow light to pretty much reach the entire structure now. I didn't do the bridges. I put the rocks around a piece of pvc. Then I fastened the rocks to it as well as each other. Then I siliconed the entire structure. It has taken me since 10 just do to one rock though lol.

 

[tttony]

I want to see a picture! I to ,was so tired of the rock pile look against the back wall, I found a tank done by this guy , Type in {crazy for acros} !!! Its a BONSAI look. He also has several cardnials and the rock formation is like a hand reaching out to you with acros mounted all over. Note their are two photos hes posted one early on and one with lots of acro growth. In my 26 bow I tried to make a double formation with epoxy, and lotsa zip ties. Im happy with the look . lots of flate , hand shaped live rock stuck together to create perches. Im gonna do another set up in my 120 corner once my two lion fish out grow that tank, ill make it my new reef.

 

[DHaut]

Why do a diagonal? Can you mix it up and do like a tall then short then medium?

 

[jcolon2]

DHaut- I like that idea!

I need advice someone. I measured and cut a piece of 1'2 inch pvc. I then fastened the rocks around it with ties. THen I added silicone to create the effect that it is one giant rock. THe problem is the rock still shifts toward the base and the silicone never hardened, and yet it has been drying for about 20 hours (and the tube says it only needs 3). Now my first rock formation (With my favorite rocks) is covered in silicone, that wont come off, but refuses to dry.

What should I do for the remaining structures?

 

[NYreefNoob]

rock work is my favorite part of building a tank, anytime i would see a really nice structured rock i would buy it, mentally thinking where it would go, hard to tell on my tank thread how my rock work is but it mainly is 3 towers, but it would be hard to do in a 12" wide tank

 

[albano]

...the silicone never hardened, and yet it has been drying for about 20 hours (and the tube says it only needs 3). Now my first rock formation (With my favorite rocks) is covered in silicone, that wont come off, but refuses to dry.

the silicone never will harden, it should remain 'pliable'...probably would have been better to join rocks with 2 part epoxy, that will eventually be covered by coraline, plus how are you going to attach corals to silicone? I think you should remove as much as possible from your 'favorite' rocks, and start over.



.

 

[jcolon2]

ALbano,

The rocks are completely trashed. Thankfully, I have a lot of rocks. I decided to do three rock structures that have ledges so corals can grow at different levels. But they are far from stable. Where would I find epoxy, Ace hardware?

 

[jcolon2]

Also, how strong is epoxy. Will it hold a crazy structure. that doesn't balance on its own?