New Tank: Placing Rock: Staging

[csjasona]

Hi all

About to move from a D-D Nanocube24 to a RedSeaMax. In the Nanocube I have paced the rock together in a way that the position and weight of the rock holds everything together. But for the new tank, I want to use some kind of "staging" to put the rocks at different levels or "shelves" and ensure that they are secure (the turbo snails have a habit of being rock pushers).

So, question is, what do I use for this? Should I put the bottom rocks str8 on to the glass and then add the sand around them? Others suggest putting base rocks, flat ones if possible, onto bog standard B&Q (UK DIY Store) waste pipes that have been cut and so act as "legs" and then cutting the sand around those to hide them.

i've also heard of "professional" staging or some such thing, don't know the right name, that are basically acrylic shelves that you snap/glue together in the configuration you want and then place your rocks onto those.

Any comments/ Any links to where I can see this stuff being used or to buy?

tx
J

 

[Matthew5664]

Sounds like your describing egg create; a lattice work of plastic arranged into squares. This is used as light diffusers in commercial lighting. You should be able to buy it from an electrical wholesalers for a couple of £ a sheet (4’x 2’). This would serve as a base to stand the rock on so not to sit them on the glass bottom however there is nothing wrong with that, however it could scratch the glass.

 

[steelhealr]

I set my rock up straight on the glass to avoid shifting. I then put the sand about the rock. It did fine. I personally don't like eggcrate...I feel it creates dead zones. If money isn't an object, you could be a few pieces of Atlantic base rock, or, just use aquarium silicone or epoxy to help stabilize your pieces. SH

 

[littleme1969]

I set my rock up straight on the glass to avoid shifting. I then put the sand about the rock. It did fine. I personally don't like eggcrate...I feel it creates dead zones. If money isn't an object, you could be a few pieces of Atlantic base rock, or, just use aquarium silicone or epoxy to help stabilize your pieces. SH

Steelhealr..
Just about to do my own scaping this weekend. is aquarium silicone OK to use on the rock work? I thought adout it but somehow wont it be a bit toxic? I will also be using cable ties and drilling rock wrok etc where needed.

 

[csjasona]

Whilst we're all here, any advice on the best way to go about moving stuff from the existing tank to the new? e.g. remove corals from LV, move LV to new tank, add substrate, add water, cycle, add corals, add inverts and then add fish, etc? Step-by-step, as it were.

 

[csjasona]

Is tonga branch rock any good to be the base onto which larger bits of rock are placed? I know the LFS sells this cheap as its ugly stuff! Is it strong enough to hold the weight off all the rock that can be added onto it??

 

[Musho3210]

branch rock is used as decorative, not base.... i wouldnt do it just in case

 

[SkiFletch]

You can always use silicone or epoxy putty to help secure the pesky/precarious pieces. Superglue gel CAN be used, but isn't that strong for rockwork. Good for corals though...

 

[tropicalwaters]

Is tonga branch rock any good to be the base onto which larger bits of rock are placed? I know the LFS sells this cheap as its ugly stuff! Is it strong enough to hold the weight off all the rock that can be added onto it??

ummm, i have tonga branch and finger in my tank. It was good because i was able to make a type of structure out of it, and it is able to fit into each other. I would love to kow who you lfs is, because mine charged around $ 15 a pound...

 

[BigC]

I would use the epoxy as below. Comes in a purple coraline colour wich will easily become disguised as the aformentioned algae takes hold.

Regards
BigC

 

[csjasona]

I've the D-D Aquascape for attaching frags to rocks etc. Is it strong enough to hold rocks to rocks as well?

What's in the stuff? My cat likes the smell of the stuff and I have to be careful to stop him eating it!!

 

[BigC]

Is it strong enough to hold rocks to rocks as well

Yup!

 

[steelhealr]

Aquarium silicone is safe. Tonga branch LR is great for accent and design, but, not for the bulk of your LR. Fiji, Solomon, Marshall Islands, Tamp Bay, etc...should work well. SH

 

[Sea Turtle]

I have a friend that used white cutting board for the base of his tank. He piled all the rock right on top of the board which he purchased from http/cuttingboardcompany.com/ here you can custom order specific sizes. Also it keeps the tank really clean and reflects the light well. If I hadn't purchased a ton of live sand already, I would have done the same thing. I really liked it.

 

[SkiFletch]

Barebottom tanks are a unique beast, I generally don't reccomend them for the new aquarist as keeping them with corals can be quite the challenge. A shallow sand bed offers a tank that is a little more chemically forgiving which is something of a concern for the new guy who doesn't exactly know what he's doing