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View Full Version : Egg crate rock structure with PVC arm.


kwirky
02-27-2007, 07:14 PM
So I've been trying to figure out a good way to "fill in" my rockwork without spending another $400 on liverock. I don't know how some people can afford to buy 1.5-2 pounds per gallon for their 180 gallon setups! I think I've finally found a good method that's nice and ballanced and doesn't look "fake".

Originally, I had a PVC "arm" that I used to build an arch of rock. It looked nice, and was strong, but I didn't like how the rest of my tank looked empty. The rest of my rock just barely reached 12" off the tank floor.

Here's a photo of my first rock setup:
http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/508/11-15-06.jpg

The arch was nice, but it looked quite empty, and there wasn't enough space really for the coral to grow out.

So the other day, I built this hideous thing:
http://www.kwirky88.com/images/aquarium/07-02-27/crappyrack.jpg

And my tank looked like a pile of rocks:
http://www.kwirky88.com/images/aquarium/07-02-23/rocks.jpg

It dealt with the problem of filling out the rockwork, but the rack was too big from front to back, and too high. It was great for making a pile, but I couldn't even get my magnet cleaner past certain areas of the front pane of glass.

So I decided to go for a ballanced approach. Instead of making one huge rack that decided my tank's look before I even put it in the water, I made a few little racks that could be placed wherever I'd like. It would allow me to decide on the look as I go.

http://www.kwirky88.com/images/aquarium/07-02-27/racks.jpg
btw I love egg crate. You can build anything with just a pair of wirecutters and some zap straps :)

The largest one is 10" high, and the little one's only like 4". They allow for good water movement and are quite sturdy. The little racks worked so well because it doesn't take much to fill it all in. I only used three. I also decided to reuse the "arm" I had built the original arch with.

So here's my final rockwork layout. The picture doesn't really do it justice because I have the rocks placed so that there's foreground, middleground, and background. Some rocks block sight, while some areas open up. Finally figured out how to make 90 lbs of liverock look like 120+ without looking like ass (in my opinion anyways :D)

It's a 120g 48x24x24" tank btw.

http://www.kwirky88.com/images/aquarium/07-02-27/newrockwork.jpg

Beermaster
02-27-2007, 07:24 PM
good job, looks good

ed99
02-27-2007, 07:40 PM
Looks good Sean. When those half dozen giant toadstools grow up it should look really filled in!

andsoitgoes
02-27-2007, 08:38 PM
AWESOME!!

I've now fallen in love with eggcrate, and am going to pick up a nicer pair of wire cutters and at least 2 more sheets to bring down the house :) I can't wait, can you get some side pics???

Great, great work

kwirky
02-27-2007, 10:11 PM
The great thing was this cost me no more than aproximately $25 :)

I can't wait, can you get some side pics???

I've never been able to get good pictures of the sides because on the one side is a wall, and on the other is another fish tank.

Here's what I could get:

http://www.kwirky88.com/images/aquarium/07-02-27/leftside.jpg
Left Side

http://www.kwirky88.com/images/aquarium/07-02-27/rightside.jpg
Right Side

http://www.kwirky88.com/images/aquarium/07-02-27/distortedangle.jpg
At an angle

BCOrchidGuy
02-28-2007, 02:16 AM
Nicely done, wow that's a great idea, I was just trying to figure out how to stack my rock nicer in my aquarium that I'm setting up and now I know.

Hey nice Cinnamon clowns too.

Doug

Dale
02-28-2007, 04:47 AM
That's weird :mrgreen:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d190/fishherder/100_2738.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d190/fishherder/100_3023.jpg

kwirky
02-28-2007, 04:51 AM
ha, did you find that picture somewhere on google images or something?

Dale
02-28-2007, 04:56 AM
May be... may be not?

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d190/fishherder/100_2753.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d190/fishherder/100_2769.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d190/fishherder/100_2894.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d190/fishherder/100_2904.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d190/fishherder/100_2905.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d190/fishherder/100_2906.jpg

kwirky
02-28-2007, 05:23 AM
did you paint 'em, or did you buy it black/purple?

Dale
02-28-2007, 06:40 AM
That first shot was after one coat of Krylon fusion spray paint. I eventually used two coats.