FoamBack Project 101

maxalmon

maxalmon

Active Member
Here is what I mean about planning and thinking things thru, my goal was to create as many ledges and overhangs as possible without it looking cramped and fake looking and to also keep the distribution of light correct so that one ledge doesn't block the light of the one below it. Most of these ledges are of pretty good size, atleast 3" across and some of them are 5-6" across.
The areas marked in are the ledges
 
maxalmon

maxalmon

Active Member
Here are some random photos of areas that I've detailed, kinda amazing how much foam I've removed, maybe 2g of volume so far.....

Side view of overflow with caves underneath

after carving away foam and detailing

Top view of overflow after carving away excess foam

Hard to see, but most of the rock work in the middle is not attached to the backglass, I wanted the fish to have tons of nooks and crannies to dart in and out of, plus helps with overall water flow patterns.

Starting to take shape

 
maxalmon

maxalmon

Active Member
Now I'm finally off to get more foam and finish the bottom. Also need to add the final pieces of large LR, clean out all the excess sand bits and pieces of foam and I'll be done.
 
briand7878

briand7878

Member
Wow!! First off holy cow, now that the shock is over I do have a couple of questions. I assume that you are putting the epoxy over the sand that is on the foam right? What kind of epoxy are you using and where do you get it. Also, if something happened in the future and the foam fell apart how easy do you think it would be to peel all of that live rock out of it. I would like to do this and dont want to waste a ton of rock if i cant break it down if something happened.
 
maxalmon

maxalmon

Active Member
Originally Posted by BRIAND7878
http:///forum/post/2772492
Wow!! First off holy cow, now that the shock is over I do have a couple of questions. I assume that you are putting the epoxy over the sand that is on the foam right? What kind of epoxy are you using and where do you get it. Also, if something happened in the future and the foam fell apart how easy do you think it would be to peel all of that live rock out of it. I would like to do this and dont want to waste a ton of rock if i cant break it down if something happened.
I don't have the name brand of the epoxy in front of me right now, at the end of this thread I'll list in detail each product used and links to suppliers. It's a marine application based epoxy, so it's designed for high light situations and is supposed to be UV inhibitive.
I've already done some testing and the it's amazingly easy to remove the LR or rather remove the foam from the LR. I think this is the reason more people haven't gone this route with their tanks, most people are simply afraid to do a project like this because it makes no sense, but when you look around at all the huge public aquariums and other public tanks, most of their rockwork is made the same way.
 
grubsnaek

grubsnaek

Active Member
i like this cause it something different, also you wont have the urge to keep moving the live rock around. set the coral and done. plus give more water volume in the DT...plus you heard it here first.
you can get a nice garden of zoa's on the bottom...
i just wonder with me going more of a softies type tank if i should have more foam work down near the bottom so things have a chance of spreading....
any pics of the finished work
 
keebler

keebler

Member
Do you even have to put the overflow box in there, won't the rock have the shape and work without the plastic? I mean, I would put it in there just to be safe.
 
maxalmon

maxalmon

Active Member
Originally Posted by Keebler
http:///forum/post/2772607
Do you even have to put the overflow box in there, won't the rock have the shape and work without the plastic? I mean, I would put it in there just to be safe.
It was a perfect form, meaning that if I hadn't used it, I would have to carve and scultp a box, this way, all I had to do was level it and then foam around it and it aleady had all the correct vent spacing for water intake. My original intent was to remove it once the foam hardened, but now i'm just going to leave it.
 
maxalmon

maxalmon

Active Member
Originally Posted by grubsnaek
http:///forum/post/2772588
i just wonder with me going more of a softies type tank if i should have more foam work down near the bottom so things have a chance of spreading....
Guess it has more to do with which corals your going to stock, you can pretty much figure out what is the best type of design and just work form there.
This tank design was 100% sps frags, kinda overkill on little ledges to mount frags.
 
grubsnaek

grubsnaek

Active Member
any pics.....wait did you even make it to the store. hahahaha
i like the caves on the bottom right of the tank the most...
 
maxalmon

maxalmon

Active Member
Ah....Just finished, even put the lights on to see how it would look, pics are not so good, but it's done. let me upload the images and I'll start posting.
 
keebler

keebler

Member
I'd just like to say that every time I get ready to look at this thread I hesitate because I am worried that you are going to have another avatar that will freak the crap out of me.
 
maxalmon

maxalmon

Active Member
Originally Posted by Keebler
http:///forum/post/2772749
I'd just like to say that every time I get ready to look at this thread I hesitate because I am worried that you are going to have another avatar that will freak the crap out of me.
LOL.....
 
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