Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board  

Go Back   Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board > General > Reef

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 05-14-2012, 03:50 AM
gridley's Avatar
gridley gridley is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Calgary
Posts: 246
gridley is on a distinguished road
Default Looking for Aquascaping help in Calgary

My wife and I are putting together our first tank (90G) and are getting close to doing the aquascaping. We purchased 50 lbs of dry rock (we will seed it with additional live rock) and have been looking at aquascaping ideas. A number of people have suggested building a frame out of PVC and attaching the rock to the frame with cable ties. We were wondering if someone in the Calgary area that has expereince with this could show us what they have done and share tips and tricks with us. Or if people have pictures of what they have done with a PVC frame or can point us to some resources that would be appreciated. - Thanks!
__________________
90g mixed reef (eventually!); 23g sump; 20g QT; Waveline DC-5000 return; 2 Radions; 2 Vortech MP10s; Koralia 3; ELOS ATO with 14g ATO tank; RLSS R8 skimmer; BRS reactor - GFO/Carbon; filter socks; Puratek RO/DI
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=85303
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 05-14-2012, 04:19 AM
fishytime's Avatar
fishytime fishytime is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: E-town
Posts: 5,390
fishytime will become famous soon enough
Default

I have two pvc substructured overhangs in my tank atm.....you would be more than welcome to come over and have a look if you like (as long as you promise not to notice the aptaisia)........

biggest tips I can give are:

buy a couple lengths of 3/4" pvc (I used 1/2 and thinks I should have used 3/4")
drill small 3/16" - 1/4" holes every couple inches to eliminate stagnant areas inside the pvc and to provide mounting points for the zipties if you use them...
buy a crap load of various fittings (90s, Ts, 45s), dont worry, you can return what you dont use
take your time and get it right,....you'll be glad you did when people see your tank and say "how did you do that?"
__________________
260g mixed reef, 105g sump, water blaster 7000 return, Bubble King SM 300 skimmer, Aqua Controller Jr, 4 radions, 3 Tunze 6055s,1 tunze 6065, 2 Vortech MP40s, Vortech MP20, Tunze ATO, GHL SA2 doser, 2 TLF reactors (1 carbon, 1 rowa). http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=50034 . Tank Video here http://www.vimeo.com/2304609 and here http://www.vimeo.com/16591694
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 05-14-2012, 04:57 AM
Madmak's Avatar
Madmak Madmak is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Chestermere, AB
Posts: 432
Madmak is on a distinguished road
Default

I would be happy to chat or drop by, just finished building a 200 with a lot of dry rock. Check out my build thread for some details. The extra time and energy spent now when the tank is dry is well worth it I have come to learn.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 05-14-2012, 08:01 PM
gridley's Avatar
gridley gridley is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Calgary
Posts: 246
gridley is on a distinguished road
Default

Thank you very much - I appreciate your comments.

PM'd both of you.
__________________
90g mixed reef (eventually!); 23g sump; 20g QT; Waveline DC-5000 return; 2 Radions; 2 Vortech MP10s; Koralia 3; ELOS ATO with 14g ATO tank; RLSS R8 skimmer; BRS reactor - GFO/Carbon; filter socks; Puratek RO/DI
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=85303
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 05-14-2012, 08:34 PM
globaldesigns's Avatar
globaldesigns globaldesigns is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Calgary, AB
Posts: 1,863
globaldesigns is on a distinguished road
Default

I personally look at it as a very expensive lego set. I don't use PVC, but try to do it by interlocking, then using epoxy to secure once all in place.

I actually just redid mine last week, got bored, and I haven't reworked the rock for 2-3 years.

I can also help you, as long as you are in the SW area.

Rick
__________________



Setup: 180G DT, 105G Refuge (approx. 300lbs LR, 150lbs Aragonite)
Hardware: Super Reef Octopus SSS-3000, Tunze ATO, Mag 18 return, 2x MP40W, 2X Koralia 4's Wavemaker
Lighting: 5ft Hamilton Belize Sun (2x250W MH, 2X80W T5HO)
Type of Aquarium: mixed reef (SPS & LPS) with fish
Dosing: Mg, Ca, Alk
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 05-14-2012, 11:15 PM
albert_dao albert_dao is offline
Good Guy Albert
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Richmond
Posts: 3,035
albert_dao will become famous soon enough
Send a message via MSN to albert_dao
Default

You should PM Fooser. His rockwork is WORLD CLASS and I'm sure he'll have some awesome advice.

Here's a video:

http://s1112.photobucket.com/albums/...thonysTank.mp4

There's barely any rock touching the bottom of the tank, most of it is held up in the water column by clever spacing, ingenious stacking and a crap load of zip-ties. He's also allowed plenty of room for his corals to grow out.

The last point is something a lot of people do not properly account for when they set up their elaborate rock work overhangs and whatnot. Corals can grow big and they can do it FAST. Take a look at Leonardo's Formosa Forest for further evidence on this:

http://www.leonardosreef.com/formosa-forest/

Another option is to go total, all-out Iwagumi and run something like this:

http://www.leonardosreef.com/leonardos-lagoon/

Minimal rockwork, just plenty of planning and foresight towards composition and negative space.
__________________
This and that.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 05-15-2012, 12:01 AM
gridley's Avatar
gridley gridley is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Calgary
Posts: 246
gridley is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by albert_dao View Post
You should PM Fooser. His rockwork is WORLD CLASS and I'm sure he'll have some awesome advice.

Here's a video:

http://s1112.photobucket.com/albums/...thonysTank.mp4

There's barely any rock touching the bottom of the tank, most of it is held up in the water column by clever spacing, ingenious stacking and a crap load of zip-ties. He's also allowed plenty of room for his corals to grow out.

The last point is something a lot of people do not properly account for when they set up their elaborate rock work overhangs and whatnot. Corals can grow big and they can do it FAST. Take a look at Leonardo's Formosa Forest for further evidence on this:

http://www.leonardosreef.com/formosa-forest/

Another option is to go total, all-out Iwagumi and run something like this:

http://www.leonardosreef.com/leonardos-lagoon/

Minimal rockwork, just plenty of planning and foresight towards composition and negative space.
Wow - some great resources there - thank you for sending this.
__________________
90g mixed reef (eventually!); 23g sump; 20g QT; Waveline DC-5000 return; 2 Radions; 2 Vortech MP10s; Koralia 3; ELOS ATO with 14g ATO tank; RLSS R8 skimmer; BRS reactor - GFO/Carbon; filter socks; Puratek RO/DI
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=85303
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 05-15-2012, 12:02 AM
gridley's Avatar
gridley gridley is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Calgary
Posts: 246
gridley is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by globaldesigns View Post
I personally look at it as a very expensive lego set. I don't use PVC, but try to do it by interlocking, then using epoxy to secure once all in place.

I actually just redid mine last week, got bored, and I haven't reworked the rock for 2-3 years.

I can also help you, as long as you are in the SW area.

Rick
Thanks for the offer Rick - I may end up taking you up on that - at the least to have a conversation about how you go about doing the epoxy. Do you have any pictures posted with your new look?
__________________
90g mixed reef (eventually!); 23g sump; 20g QT; Waveline DC-5000 return; 2 Radions; 2 Vortech MP10s; Koralia 3; ELOS ATO with 14g ATO tank; RLSS R8 skimmer; BRS reactor - GFO/Carbon; filter socks; Puratek RO/DI
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=85303
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 05-15-2012, 04:22 AM
gridley's Avatar
gridley gridley is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Calgary
Posts: 246
gridley is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Madmak View Post
I would be happy to chat or drop by, just finished building a 200 with a lot of dry rock. Check out my build thread for some details. The extra time and energy spent now when the tank is dry is well worth it I have come to learn.
Tried to PM you tonight, but received a message saying that you need to delete some messages before you can accept more. Just one of the problems of having a great tank build!
__________________
90g mixed reef (eventually!); 23g sump; 20g QT; Waveline DC-5000 return; 2 Radions; 2 Vortech MP10s; Koralia 3; ELOS ATO with 14g ATO tank; RLSS R8 skimmer; BRS reactor - GFO/Carbon; filter socks; Puratek RO/DI
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=85303
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 05-15-2012, 04:35 AM
Madmak's Avatar
Madmak Madmak is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Chestermere, AB
Posts: 432
Madmak is on a distinguished road
Default

Ha, thanks, I'll delete some.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
aquascape, pvc


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 10:59 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.