FoamBack Project 101

maxalmon

maxalmon

Active Member
Yeah,....It's Done

Only had a couple of setbacks, but this stuff is really easy to work with, if you make a mistake, just use a knife and cut the section out and start over, it's that simple

I ended up not using all the large pieces of LR that I had set aside for this project. I wanted a nice, balanced foam-scaping and it was starting to look a little crowded and overdone, so I decided to edit my design and cut back on the # of large pieces to use in the final install.
I have 41 ledges in varous sizes from .75"x1" (pefect for a fragplug) to some that are 4"x6". The tank is 36" wide. I also left some large areas on the bottom for lowerlight loving corals, on the bottom left there is a huge overhang and undeneath was left empty for this reason.
The entire left hand side is elevated up, off the bottom of the aquarium so there are lots of caves etc...You can kinda see this in the photos, sorry this thing just doens't photograph very well.
I may scoop out a small area of foam on the bottom of the tank and add a small sand pit area something like 6"x9" and maybe 1" deep, just incase I want to add a clam or other sand loving critter.

Here is the before pic, you can see the empty area's where I added the large pieces of LR.
 
maxalmon

maxalmon

Active Member
Originally Posted by grubsnaek
http:///forum/post/2772792
haha are you standing on the table.....that looks sweet, its a done deal. im in
Yeah, thats my feet....Most of the time, the tank is laying on it's back when your doing the back wall part, I had just foamed some of the larger pieces of LR into place and didn't want to move the tank.
 
ilovemytank

ilovemytank

Member
WOW !!! Thats all I can say about the tank. WOW !!! Now to a different subject, All your avatars are awesome, but the origional one you used is SUPER AWESOME !!!! Please go back. Please !!!!!!!!!
 
grubsnaek

grubsnaek

Active Member
so wuts next with this project....
sump, stand, canopy, plumbing, equipment, etc, etc....what are your plans for this tank. actually what are going to be the details of this tank...
 
keebler

keebler

Member
Originally Posted by grubsnaek
http:///forum/post/2774597
so wuts next with this project....
sump, stand, canopy, plumbing, equipment, etc, etc....what are your plans for this tank. actually what are going to be the details of this tank...
I think next we get to see him awesomefy a 250.
 
maxalmon

maxalmon

Active Member
Originally Posted by Keebler
http:///forum/post/2775735
I think next we get to see him awesomefy a 250.
Awesomefy
thats funny.....
This was actually going to be nothing more than a test tank to see how easy a project like this would be, but now I'm loving it so much that I'm going to make a custom stand and canopy......
Guess I'm going to need a custom sump as well, ya know, this is a great example of how a $12 can of foam is going to get me into some serious trouble, once again
Now I have to figure out how to tell the other half that the MH fixture I have, simply won't work in a custom canopy and that I'll need a "special" fixture with better lights....It's reef weezil time

The last time I did something like this, I just started ordering all kinds of stuff, then I'd take it out of the box and kinda hide the stuff around the house. Everyonce In a while I'd walk past a few of the pieces and yell out "Hey, Hun, I forgot I had this, If I can find enough spare equipment can I set up another tank?" Then one day I got busted "why doesn't any of this stuff look used, you *&4%$@# reef weezil.....As I was running and ducking, trying to make it outside
 
grubsnaek

grubsnaek

Active Member
ive been back and forth wit this idea for my upgrade. and today i was swaying towards no cause what about fragging, but then i thought i have a 125DT i can frag out of...so im gonna do it, and just let corals get to the Battle Roy-al for spots....
alright we got a custom stand, canopy, and sump in the plans. what you lookin at as far as lights, skimmer, water movement etc etc...
 
maxalmon

maxalmon

Active Member
It's a 36" wide tank, with a glass center brace. Dual 250's might fry everything, so I may go for 150's...I'll have to do some research and see what fixtures Coralife makes that are 36" retro fit and have actinics. Figure I can order it, then splash saltwater all over it, let it dry, splash some more on it so that it gets nice and crusty looking with salt creep, then I can call it used and "just found"
I have a spare 1/10hp chiller that I can use, should be enough to keep the heat at bay. Also have a MRC reactor that's never been out of the box (that one I confessed too, said I'd had too much to drink and got a little click happy and it was not returnable))I also have some mag drives in storage that I'll use for the return pump. Also have some Koralia 3&4's that I could drop in. Decided to redo the very top part of the foam scaping and make a place where I can hide one of the K3's. I figure with the mag drive, the hidden majijet 1200 and a K3, water flow will be no issue.
The sump is going to be another story, Probably use the same size tank as this DT, then cut some glass for the individual compartments. Problem is that once I add the calcium reactor, the chiller and sump, not sure If I'll even have enough room under the stand. May have to see about doing a mini-inwall system somewhere.
I ended up using about 25lbs of LR in the foam and would like to have another 40-60 in the sump.
Plans are to make it a 100% sps tank
 
grubsnaek

grubsnaek

Active Member
well a sps tank will work fine. especially with the sump return + koralia #3 + the maxijet flow is covered, 300w of halide plus actinics lights are covered. i would imagne your putting a fuge in the sump. only thing is a skimmer, what are you thinking there...
 
maxalmon

maxalmon

Active Member
Skimmers,...the great debate...Might try and find a used EuroReef or ASM....Good grief, that a lot of equipment for under a 36" stand.... I knew I should have practiced this on a 125g....argh, huff, snort...
 
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