eggcrate under LR

[alix2.0]

is there any real advantage to this? added stability, etc? i know people do it to keep the rocks off the glass & to keep fish & things from burrowing under the rockwork... i was planning on doing this in my new tank, but im wondering if its a waste of time and money? im scraping pennies. lol. i mean, im all for it if it will help, but if theres no point, ill pass.
thanks. =)

 

[veni vidi vici]

It don't think its necessary if you put the rock in before the sand but,it will add some places for the rock to get a grip to stop the LR from slipping in case sand is displaced from around the rock base.

 

[geoj]

Yes/No
How do you define real
If you have dropped a rock and smashed the bottom of a tank then that is real if not well then maybe its not…

 

[renogaw]

it prevents pinpoint stress areas on the glass because the rock is on the eggcrate. its so cheap why not do it?

 

[alix2.0]

thanks for the input everyone. youre right, it sounds like theres no reason not to do it.
alright. im not a huge fan of the LS before LR deal, (i realize its better, but it just bugs me) so i may just use the eggcrate to keep the sand there in place. im going to be having a fairly shallow sand bed, so i think it sounds do-able.

 

[renogaw]

um, noooooo
put the live rock (or better base rock) ontop of the eggcrate, then the live sand around it

 

[alix2.0]

yeah thats the plan

 

[tclark828]

I've never heard of doing this before. I am in the process of starting a new tank, so could someone tell me more about this, and where to get it?

 

[mboswell1982]

you can get it at lowes and at home depot, you put it under ur live rock, and it will add more stability, and lessen the chance of your tunneling fish tunneling under the rock and collapsing it on top of them, thereby killing said fish, and poisoning your tank if you cant find said dead fish

 

[alix2.0]

hardware stores or online. i havent been able to find it at lowes.com, homedepot.com, or even ****.com. but the actual stores may be a different case.

 

[matt b]

Originally Posted by Tclark828
http:///forum/post/2868365
I've never heard of doing this before. I am in the process of starting a new tank, so could someone tell me more about this, and where to get it?
You can find it at homedepot or lowes in the lighting section. Ask for it. But call it light diffuser or they will look at you like your crazy. Some people also use to put on top of their tanks to stop fish from jumping. I have never put egg crate on the bottom of my tanks but it cant hurt.
Here is what it looks like.
http://www.goodmart.com/products/1101445.htm

 

[tclark828]

Sweet, thanks. Not to hijack this thread, but is it safe to put the egg crate and then base rock in dry, and then add fully cured live rock after we add the water and get it stable?

 

[matt b]

Originally Posted by Tclark828
http:///forum/post/2868863
Sweet, thanks. Not to hijack this thread, but is it safe to put the egg crate and then base rock in dry, and then add fully cured live rock after we add the water and get it stable?
Yes. Most people are just worried about a super heavy rock sitting on the glass. And then cirtters getting under the sand and then under the rocks and making them shift. So yes it is fine to add your egg crate, base rock, sand, then live rock.

 

[addicted4life]

I use various sizes of large pvc pipe. 2" , 4", 6" . I have a 180G 6' tank and I have 6-8 of these towers under all my rocks on the sandbed.
I cut the pipe into lengths that are roughly the depth of my sandbed. Set them in and put your bottom rocks on these towers. Keeps the rock off the bottom, and also keeps you from burrying the rock under any sand.
I did drill 1/2" holes in the cross sections of pipe so critters and sand can get inside the pipe even with a rock on top.
I did all this after the sand was in.