LR lifting question.

Geoff · 09-25-2003, 10:49 AM

i am thinking of raising my LR above the SB using PVC. i know i should have done it when i first set up the tank, but i must have missed it in the TRT manual. question how do you do it so it does not look like it is above the SB? what do you all do about sand dunes moving around? i also assume you drill holes in the PVC to let the critters move in and out.

thanks,

G~

squid · 09-25-2003, 12:03 PM

Geoff, you might want to send steveweast an e-mail. I know he has done this to is 500 gallon and probably will do the same with his new tank.

thebigblue · 09-25-2003, 12:03 PM

i dont have an answer, im just jumpin on!...

a guy i knew did this in his 200+ reef...i think it really is a good idea as it gets the LR up off the DSB and then you use less rock, especially in a bigger tank...

my concern is how it looks, thats why i always thought it was a bad idea...i couldnt even tell that he had done it...his tank is a built inwall tank...

brad

ReefDave · 09-25-2003, 12:20 PM

Geoff,
I have heard of people drilling holes for critters to get into the pipes.....

As for the sand, I could be wrong here, but I don't believe you are actually raising the rock up "off the sand" rather, supporting the rock with the PVC, so that the sand doesn't settle and cause the rockwork to tumble. I could be wrong, and some people might raise up thier rock work so that water can flow under it, i have just always been under the impression that the PVC is to support the rock, not to get it off the sand. The benifit is taht you have all of your rock "visible" rather than 4-5 inches hidden under the sand....

HTH
Dave

thebigblue · 09-25-2003, 12:26 PM

oh, my bad...i thought he meant building a little skeleton to hold the LR up...thus using less rock...

i wouldnt wanna see the white pvc though...i wonder if you could use a black ABS pipe instead, but i think it only comes in larger diameters (like 1.5")...at least at HD type places...

brad

salt creepette · 09-25-2003, 12:56 PM

ive heard of people using pvc to do all of the above; i personally think its a good idea to support the rock so burrowing critters cant get crushed by potentially shifting rock, and gives them more room to get at the sand; also you get more height out of your rock, esp if you have a deeper sand bed. i personally intend on using pvc to get the rock off the sand so my sand sifting star can get at more sand, and also to lift a piece or two of rock a little higher so it gives my tank height. i will use the smaller pieces to put in front of the pvc table to hide it. i may even build a 'tunnel' like jay did... he is my inspiration!

i will use short pieces for the front rock as my sand bed is only about 1 inch. i'll do it this weekend and post pics for critiquing!

EdgeKrusher · 09-25-2003, 01:01 PM

How bout this. Use acrylic rods instead of PVC. you don't have to drill cuz the rod is solid, and asthetically it'll be better since teh acrylic is clear. Just an Idea.

Peace

Edge

Geoff · 09-25-2003, 01:14 PM

thanks all! i have heard both ways and was looking for all suggestions. i have heard of using acrylic, but getting acrylic in large enough diameters i think would be cost prohibitive in my case.

G~

Ray1214 · 09-25-2003, 01:52 PM

Someone on this board used Black Eggcrate and came up with a spectacular disply. The Reefer wanted to have his rock mounted firmly without relieing on a sb. He used Black eggcrate and tie wraps and If I am not mistaken, you could hardly see the acrylic form the front.

Ray

sam · 09-25-2003, 04:21 PM

i used the white egg crate and 1" pvc for the support legs tied with white zip ties. i cut the 1" pvc in lengths taking into concideration the depth of my sandbed to get the hieght i wanted in differant sections of the tank. as you work forward make your egg crate shelf/table lower to the sandbed then use small pieces of rock to cover the front edge of the eggcrate. you can make caves and varying hieghts for your rockwork and in time coraline alge will take the place of any white spots standing out form the pvc or eggcrateing. hope this helps

pista01 · 09-25-2003, 09:50 PM

I'm getting ready to setup my 75gal this way. How do you attach the rock to the framing? Cable ties? Glue? I would think cable ties wouldn't look very good.

JPerkins · 09-25-2003, 10:30 PM

I did this very same thing with my 65 except....I don't use sand. One big difference also, I drilled holes in the pvc and attached my return hose to it.

I drilled the holes so the water from the surface gets returned to the bottom of the tank and it pushes most of the detritus to the front where I can siphon it out.

Aestethically its not the most pleasing to the eye simply because the detritus (especially those mongo algae turds the turbo snails pinch off) rolling around like depth charges on the bottom of the glass.

It scares me to think how much crap builds up in a dsb, hopefully my gsp lawn will grow over the eggcrate since current pushes up from the bottom through it and coralline will cover everything else.

Ray1214 · 09-26-2003, 07:14 AM

Actually that sounds like a cool idea. Do you have soemthing that the GSPs can grow on, like some rubble or just bare tank?

RAy

Geoff · 09-26-2003, 08:41 AM

Brain Fart: what is GSP?

hey Tom what did you do in your tank?

G~

Alice · 09-26-2003, 09:32 AM

Green star polyps??