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01-26-2009, 02:26 PM
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#1
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55 gallon freshwater
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Indiana
Age: 24
Posts: 27
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artificial rock shelves
I'm currently making some artificial rock shelves (foam&cement). I have carved my rock structure out of the foam and i'm ready to coat it with cement. Is there a particular type of cement I should use? Any other tips or suggestions?
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travis 
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01-27-2009, 12:40 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Age: 20
Posts: 236
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Is this along the back wall or free-standing rocks? My only tip would be to make sure that you use as little foam as possible, otherwise you could end up with floating rocks.
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Kevin
5.5G Nano Reef
50G Reef
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01-27-2009, 12:50 PM
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#3
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55 gallon freshwater
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Indiana
Age: 24
Posts: 27
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I'm designing it to be free standing. I'm using chunks of the big square foam pieces you see in speaker box packaging. I'm hoping after 3 or 4 good layers of concrete, it will be heavy enough to stay down.
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travis
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01-27-2009, 03:27 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Age: 20
Posts: 236
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Sounds cool, definitely snap some pics for us. The only other comment I have is to soak the rock in a bucket and check the pH after like a day, as concrete has a very high pH 9-10 when not cred. Letting it sit in water for a week to a month should allow it to cure depending on how much concrete you use. HTH
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Kevin
5.5G Nano Reef
50G Reef
Last edited by k-dawg-; 01-27-2009 at 03:29 PM.
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01-29-2009, 02:23 PM
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#5
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55 gallon freshwater
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Indiana
Age: 24
Posts: 27
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That makes sense. Thanks for the help! I'll try to get some current pics up tonight. Thanks again!
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travis
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02-03-2009, 01:49 PM
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#6
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55 gallon freshwater
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Indiana
Age: 24
Posts: 27
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Here's a link to see it in after I did the first rough shaping:
http://www.fishforums.com/forum/albu...&pictureid=795
Let me know what you think!
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travis
Last edited by trrturne; 02-03-2009 at 01:51 PM.
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02-03-2009, 03:23 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Kennewick, WA.
Age: 52
Posts: 1,601
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trrturne, please do a little more research as to the use of cement in aquariums. I have been told many times by many experts that cement should never be used. I can't tell you exactly which chemicals, but I have had friends loose tanks full of fish.
Might I suggest using fiberglass to coat your "rocks" or what I did once was coat the styro with a 2 part epoxy died to match the color of stone, & used suction cups on the back to keep the wall in place.
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Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled
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02-03-2009, 04:56 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Age: 20
Posts: 236
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Looking good! Sue I've heard the opposite as long cement is used and not concrete. Cement has a naturally high pH so it may not be good for soft water tropical fish, but I've seen plenty of foam and rock walls on cichlid and reef tanks.
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Kevin
5.5G Nano Reef
50G Reef
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02-03-2009, 05:40 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Kennewick, WA.
Age: 52
Posts: 1,601
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Here is a slide show of some styro/slate rock piles I made for my U.S. Native tank, it was fun.
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Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled
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02-03-2009, 09:54 PM
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#10
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Custom User Title
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Where you live
Posts: 434
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Is petrified wood ok for a tank if properly cleaned and soaked?
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02-04-2009, 12:14 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Kennewick, WA.
Age: 52
Posts: 1,601
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Yes, I have lots of it in several of my tanks
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Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled
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02-04-2009, 01:36 PM
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#12
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Custom User Title
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Where you live
Posts: 434
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SWEET! I have an endless supply basically! Anyone wants any I will nearly give it away if I can find the large batch I have.
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02-05-2009, 08:17 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Age: 20
Posts: 236
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Feel free to send it my way!
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Kevin
5.5G Nano Reef
50G Reef
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03-07-2009, 02:06 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Age: 23
Posts: 161
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send some my way too haha
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03-07-2009, 04:02 PM
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#15
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Pirates get all the booty
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Little Rock, AR
Age: 27
Posts: 278
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leave the botton open.. when you get done with it turn it over and put a torch to it... be careful though... styrofoam is mighty flamable...
then you wont have any issue with floating
-me
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