Egg Crate

[DigitalStorm]

Hi there,

Looking to put down some egg crate.

What's the best material to make it from, can I get if from Homebase/B&Q?

In relation to the placement does there need to be a phyiscal height gap between substrate and rock using the crate? Can I just put a layer down on the bottom place rock and then sand not having to worry about water flow underneath?

Complicated stuff this marine lark!

DS

 

[plecostomus-mad]

ive never used egg crate but i assume you will get debris under it if there is a gap..... maybe get a power head to blow under it to keep it clean underneath?

 

[DigitalStorm]

Sort of, read a few posts surrounding substrate depth and build up of nasties etc having direct placement of rock on sub if you only have the 1 inch depth.

Thought might be able to circumvent by using the egg crate to raise up the rock slightly from the bed.

Just after thoughts as I'm at the stage where my tank is currentlya totally blank canvas. Having just dried out it's ready for anything.

What about going > 3 inch depth and aiming to replicate the deep sea bed?

 

[plecostomus-mad]

in my tropical tank, i had sand and rocks on top.. the build up of poo and uneaten food was way too much. when i moved the pebbles/rocks out from there it was a right mess. i tried it with gravel too and the same happened.

im thinking rocks on top of egg create with a power head blowing underneath would fix this.


however, your using live rock right? i think the best way to tackle it would be to cut the egg crate to the desired size, then fill with fine gravel( more coarse than sand )....the problem with sand is that nasties find there way to the lower section of sand no matter what.if gravel is used, its harder to be dislodged or moved by a current.

so egg crate, fill with crushed coral or fine-ish gravel, then sand on top.you maybe not want to put sand directly under the rock.

just an idea, i may well be wrong but im sure some peeps from the marine side of things can straighten out anything wrong with what i have said

 

[AK77]

Egg crate is readily available on eBay. I've never seen it locally like at a DIY shop.

Essentially you just put it on the base of the tank. It acts as a shield between the rock and the glass, thereby protecting it from cracks. If you wanted you could just place a sheet of 3-5mm acrylic in the base of the tank, as it would do exactly the same job. You then just place your base rock / live rock onto the egg crate and then add the sand to hold the rock in place.

 

[steelhealr]

Not big fan of it. In my books creates deadspots and blocks burrowing creatures. JMO tho'. SH

 

[CoMan]

Not big fan of it. In my books creates deadspots and blocks burrowing creatures. JMO tho'. SH

Don't know if this of any use now but i just wanted to agree with SH. I have egg crate and though yes it does a good job of keeping the rocks off the glass I find my cerith snails can't manover around it as it too high and they tend only to borrow at the sides of my tank where there is no egg crate. I'm thinking if taking it out when I next scape.

Just my 2p for what it's worth.

 

[DigitalStorm]

Nab, didn't bother in the end. My rock has gone really brown- u think altering the lighting pattern will help?

 

[seffieuk]

Normal part of the tank cycle for new tanks

Seffie x

 

[CoMan]

As above. Very normal. Once cycled you can add cuc and they will munch it. Snails did it in my setup. Just looks ugly for a while

 

[Harry1996]

i know this way to late to answer but some people use putty stuff to keep it off the base of the tank.

 

[DigitalStorm]

Nice one harry, that's exactly what I did - just gives a slightly more solid base. Works a treat.