Total Lr Bottom

[mandarinfreek]

ok before I start this I want some opinions and feedback.

I have been researching the entire "agrocrete" thing and it looks pretty solid. especially now that FIJI is outta the picture for the time being. SOOOOOo I was looking at the table top rocks that people made (www.garf.org) for those that dont know. Then I came up with an idea.

what if I was to make a 2 wooden frames, lets say each about 1/2 the size of the bottom of the tank. and create the agrocrete mix and pour them into the molds. Then cover the mix like you normally do with crushed coral and stuff like that (PVC shavings, oyster shells.... blah blah blah). Then take a PVC and cut legs (or make plugs for the legs.) Knock the wood away and the final product will be 2 Huge square Agrocrete pieces (put both pieces toghter=size of bottom of tank.) cure and enjoy.

advantages
1. no sand or substrate for those who love bare bottom tanks.
2. De-nitrifying process (I read that somewhere) since the bed is lifted off the bottom of the tank.
3. something different

Disadvantages
1. no LR stabilazation
2. I cant spell
3.curing will take forever.

so what yall think...has this been done before????
let me know.
Ryan

[MiddletonMark]

I'd think that the rock would slowly clog with `gunk' ... and become a similar trap to a DSB [though different in ways]. It seems like Spanky and some of the other BB folks do their best to raise as much LR as possible off the bottom ... mainly so that there can be flow `through' LR ... with debris able to exit the bottom of the LR.
I don't explain this well ... but your idea sure is interesting [reason why they do starboard on the bottom of BB tanks is because it is totally impermeable]. I'd think arragocrete would be permeable ... thus able to collect debris.

Hopefully some `wise guy' will be able to jump in and correct my weird description.

--
As for Fiji ... my LFS just got in some decent looking Fiji Aquacultured Friday. Nice shapes, good coralline growth, smelled good right out of the stryo from the plane.

And there are other good live rocks - I sure like the Marshall Islands I have, and the Tonga branch/shelf. And the Florida aquacultured I have. IMO lots of good other choices than Fiji.

Anyway -good luck - and a very interesting idea.

[Geoff]

interesting idea, but i agree with mangomark. it will clog over time. bacteria are able to push out detritus over time from the LR or even your agrocrete. the problem is that the detritus has no where to go since the agrocrete is the bottom. gravity is not able to clear it away from the agrocrete like in a piece of LR. if you were to make the agrocrete not very porous then it may make it easier to vacuum out the detritus when doing a water change. i still think it would fill up like a substrate would, it my just take longer.

G~

[MiddletonMark]

Would allow a LOT more water flow though - which might help.

[mandarinfreek]

If you could rig a pump of some sorts, place it under the LR bottom to grab detirus from under the "False Bottom" that might help. Also I was thinking randomly place "Drain Holes" on the false bottom to allow detirus to be sucked through the false bottom (then later be pumped out by the rigged pump as mentioned above.) the rigged pump will also create a suction related to a undergravel water filter. Maybe a fix action????

[icebear]

i may be misunderstanding, but it kinda sounds to me like you would be making an 'undergravel' filter out of concrete, but without gravel....but the plate itself would basically act the same as a UGF.... with many of the inherant problems....


i'm thinking the thing would gunk up really fast unless you aim your powerheads to flow directly onto the concrete plate from top or bottom....



which i'm not comprehending a benefit to this...

but then, i might be misunderstanding your description....

[mandarinfreek]

pretty much just something new/different. Imagine the bottom of your tank covered in various corals and coraline alge. wanted feedback on something that prolly hasnt been tried before ... Now I kinda know why...lol I knew there was a reason that I loved youz guyz...thanks for the info all....
Ryan