Rock & Foam

[Parker]

What does everyone think of the rock and foam aquascape? When looking at pics of aquascaping my wife always comments that she likes the look of them a lot. Some people have been running them for several yeas now with zero problems.


Here are a couple examples:
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n67/SpeckledGrouper/Perfecto%20265g/FTS4.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a398/MrTiggs/fish0004-2.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a398/MrTiggs/Fishtanka0002.jpg

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w172/Kannin_photos/100_1919.jpg
(http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w172/Kannin_photos/100_1919.jpg)

[Rbacchiega]

I've done it a couple times in some of my FW tanks and love the way it looks. And just think of all the extra room for corals!!

[mark]

Only seen pictures but looks if done well, can look great. There's been some bad examples on RC where its looked like little piles of dog cr@p all put together on the back wall.

[Parker]

I agree it has to be done right. I think the ones that look terrible are the ones people try to build with very little or no real rock. For it to look good I think yout still need to use alot of rock and only use the foam to tie it all together.

[fdiddy]

I'd do some practice first :P Wouldn't want to start doing that on my 160g. Maybe a few 10g nanos to give it a try.

[StirCrazy]

do you know of any sites that show how it is done step by step.

Steve

[kipsix]

do you know of any sites that show how it is done step by step.

Steve

Although this is a 5.5gal tank, it turned out not too bad IMO. - Not my tank.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1375191&perpage=25&pagenumber=1
Lots of rock - I agree with Parker.
If you're patient/bored/at work and read the whole thread there are links to other peoples rock walls. I'm going to do one in my BC14 when I move in the summer.

[michika]

I agree it has to be done right. I think the ones that look terrible are the ones people try to build with very little or no real rock. For it to look good I think yout still need to use alot of rock and only use the foam to tie it all together.

Bingo...I've seen a lot of fugly ones. When they are done right, they look great, however, more often then not I see some real ugly ones.

[Whatigot]

I have so many extra tanks and LR that I am going to try this....
Imagine a tank where you couldn't move the live rock, even if you needed to.

[michika]

I just found another interesting thread here (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1557230). Its not constructed with foam, but it is done with ceramic media and eggcrate.

[gkersten]

I did the back of my 180 in black pond foam . I found it very easy to do . The key thing is to be as random as possible with the material as you are applying it . Also allow the tip of the nozle to sit in a few places to build up the thickness randomly as well . I did the 30X60 background in about 30 minutes and used 4 cans of material
The only thing I have noticed is that some of my tangs have taken to chewing off some of the foam when they peruse around for algae to eat . I find the bits in the sump but it does not seem to be harming anything. In some places I have been able to take sps frags and literally stick them into the foam backdrop to grow