DIY - raising rock

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raising rock

Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: DIY
Forum Description: Do it Yourself
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=427
Printed Date: June 24 2026 at 9:30am
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Topic: raising rock

Posted By: ewaldsreef
Subject: raising rock
Date Posted: April 17 2003 at 6:41am

Were do you get those plastic egg crate looking things people use to put there live rock on? I am thining of elevating most of my rock to alow the sand be to breath. I have heard this helps.

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Contact me for professional aquarium maintenance and localy grown coral frags. [URL=http://www.aquatitranquility.com][/URL]

Replies:

Posted By: Flaz
Date Posted: April 17 2003 at 6:57am

Most hardware stores carry it in their lighting department. The egg crate is typically used to cover fluorescent lighting fixtures�

Posted By: SSpargur
Date Posted: April 17 2003 at 7:27am

I believe the proper term for it is a light difuser grid. As Flaz said they sell them in any hardware store.

Posted By: Jeff Hite
Date Posted: April 18 2003 at 7:06pm

just use pvc pipe cut off in stubs.

Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: April 20 2003 at 4:38am

If you place your rock the way Jon Finch described in a post about a week ago, you will be fine and will avoid having the artificial grid visible in your tank.

Place bottom rock on edge rather than flat. Push it down through the sand until it contacts bottom, so that burrowing fish, shrimp or crabs cannot cause it to topple.

After hearing the warnings and seeing this method in use for many years in many tanks, it seems to me that the worry about keeping all rock off the bottom is overkill.

I would like to hear differing opinions.

Posted By: Suzy
Date Posted: April 20 2003 at 7:07am

Hi, Mark. We used an eggcrate/pvc table just because I didn't want to buy a ton of rock! Our structure is hollow, with plenty of room for fish to hide and sleep at night. I think if fish have places to feel "secure" ,they are less skiddish and actually hide less...BTW, who is our fish psycologist? Suzy

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http://www.suzysreef.com - SuzysReef.com

http://z4.invisionfree.com/UtahBreeder/index.php?showtopic=11&st=0&#last - Using Macroalgae for Aquascaping

Posted By: ewaldsreef
Date Posted: April 20 2003 at 10:17am

I agrea with what Suzy said part of the reason I want to do this is to provide extra hiding places for fish and inverts. Also I plan on having some rocks sit on the sand bed in front of the pvc legs to hide them. I dont think it would hurt to have a few on the sand bed.

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Contact me for professional aquarium maintenance and localy grown coral frags. [URL=http://www.aquatitranquility.com][/URL]

Posted By: Flaz
Date Posted: April 20 2003 at 7:47pm

My reef structure is built on two PVC steps. The bottom level of rock is on the base of the tank in the sand. The rock then stacks up from here on up the steps, completely hiding the PVC structure. This creates a full looking tank but provides a lot of room for fish to swim and hide.

Posted By: sjlopez39
Date Posted: April 20 2003 at 11:11pm

I think raising the rock is beneficial in a few ways. It allows less rock having to be placed directly on the sand bed, therefore helping to maximize the filtration going on there. As earlier stated it allows fish to feel like they are hiding while they still are more easily seen. It can also allow water to be circulated in areas that may not normally get circulation if the rock is blocking the flow.

The material I used for my shelf is 1/2 inch pvc with holes drilled in it. I basically copied the one that was at Bird World about a year ago.

When we had this discussion awhile back at a meeting someone mentioned that you don't want to use abs. I can't remember exactly why but they did say it could be harmful to the inhabitants of the tank.

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Keep your hands and arms inside the tank and enjoy the ride!

Steve

Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: April 21 2003 at 9:28am

Quote: Originally posted by sjlopez39 on 21 April 2003

When we had this discussion awhile back at a meeting someone mentioned that you don't want to use abs. I can't remember exactly why but they did say it could be harmful to the inhabitants of the tank.

I don't think that's true. I've used abs on almost all my tanks without any problem. I think some people get spooked by it because it's not nsf-pw (drinking water grade).

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Jon

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing...

Posted By: ewaldsreef
Date Posted: April 21 2003 at 10:45am

It really doesnt cost anymore to use the pvc so I think I will stick with that. However I wouldnt think that there would be a problem with the abs. Just better safe then sorry.

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Contact me for professional aquarium maintenance and localy grown coral frags. [URL=http://www.aquatitranquility.com][/URL]

Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: April 21 2003 at 10:57am

ABS pipe is absolutely safe in an aquarium. Yes, absolutely.

A question is whether one wants black or white pipe showing in their tank. Black is less noticable and coralline algae grows on it just as well as white PVC.

But do they manufacture 3/4" diameter ABS?

Posted By: sjlopez39
Date Posted: April 21 2003 at 9:53pm

I think it was Jim Perry who had mentioned that it wasn't good to use abs. But hey! It's worked in John's tanks for years. Mabe it was that whole not suitable for drinking water thing that I had heard.

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Keep your hands and arms inside the tank and enjoy the ride!

Steve