Quote:
Originally Posted by discocarp
My problem is that it seems like this would leave you with extra holes in the starboard. Those holes would then collect detritus that would not easily be blasted out, somewhat defeating the purpose of going BB and lifting the rock up. Right? What's the solution? Smart planning? I can try that, but its unlikely to work out for me.  What about plugs for the unused holes made from the same rod? Think that would that work? |
I use extra holes, although I no longer use the mass amount of rods program anymore. I suspend each rock by its own single rod, but the extra holes are still necessary as proper planning for the long haul of course simply isnt going to happen, and you dont ever want to pin yoruself down in such a way that you dont provide yourself options should you want to change things up a little.
To be perfectly honest, with a BB tank, lifting the rock up in order for detritous not to collect underneath it is kind of a moot point. That isnt the rods purpose, or at least isnt IMO. You have a BB, the rock doesnt need lifted to keep the floor clean. The rods have two purposes on a BB tank imo
1. 1 million percent stability. Nothing can move or sway in any way, and you can create impossible looking rock structures to any shape you desire. this is of course more along the lines of the new way I do it with a single rod imbedded into each rock. using the teeth and bunch of rods program only the first row of rocks is bulletproof stable. Drilling the rod into the rock, and drilling the rock above it into that rock.........there is no stacking, it is all connected to s single immovable point on the floor
2. you can use much less rock and still create endless places for coral to perch at all kinds of angles. The back parts of your reef can be hollow, with a little bit of rod instead of rock, allowing more free flow throughout.
the plugs you mention.....yep. I do that, although it isnt so much because I am worried abut a little detritous collecting in them. It is because I dont like seeing holes in the floors of my tanks. You do want to make sure your supoport holes do not go all the way through....you want the floor intact and no paths through to underneath for crap to get into
If I could offer any advice in cocern to doing this HDPE/BB method with the rods it is to take your time setting it up. Use at LEAST 3/4" thick hdpe if not thicker so it wants to sit perfectly flat, and cut it absoutley flush with the walls and or seal the ends with silicone. The stuff floats, so make sure it is secured down solidly or make sure to keep it weighted down if movign stuff aorund. A little bit of stuff getting underneath it is no big deal....but if you let one end float up while moving the tank or moving anything and you get anything of decent size stuck underneath there, you will have to break the tank down to deal with it as 1" of detritous exposed to the water column is not ok. Been there.
hth
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