Floating reef build

[Reefphd]

Hi, my name is Bill and I'm fairly new to R2R.

I'm posting about my tank build, because I'm super excited about it!

I've always admired aquariums that have rockwork that defies gravity and floats over the sandbed. Besides it looking really cool, I'm most interested in keeping detritus off my sand bed.

The tank is a 120 gallon Reef Ready 24x24x48.
The sump is hard plumbed with a 12vdc pump. (Sorry, I don't remember the model ATM).
I have a home made Venturi skimmer, a bio pellet reactor, and a GFO reactor.
The lights are two Radion G4 15wpro. (Love them)

I've filled the tank with deionized water and it's salted.

Anyway, we all like the pictures, so here's where it is so far. More updates to follow.

 

[Brew12]

Hi, my name is Bill and I'm fairly new to R2R.

I'm posting about my tank build, because I'm super excited about it!

I've always admired aquariums that have rockwork that defies gravity and floats over the sandbed. Besides it looking really cool, I'm most interested in keeping detritus off my sand bed.

The tank is a 120 gallon Reef Ready 24x24x48.
The sump is hard plumbed with a 12vdc pump. (Sorry, I don't remember the model ATM).
I have a home made Venturi skimmer, a bio pellet reactor, and a GFO reactor.
The lights are two Radion G4 15wpro. (Love them)

I've filled the tank with deionized water and it's salted.

Anyway, we all like the pictures, so here's where it is so far. More updates to follow.

Very nice!

 

[jsker]

Like the concept, floating reefs are so cool looking

 

[Reefphd]

thanks guys.
One question, is it obvious how the rocks are "floating"?

 

[jsker]

once the tank is filled and I would think that the effect of the floating rocks will be realized.

 

[Brew12]

My only concern long term is keeping the acrylic supports clean. If you get algae growing on the supports it will ruin the floating effect.

 

[Reefphd]

Good point.
I did do my best to keep the rods shaded, though corraline algae will grow into the lower sections of the rods.
I don't think there is anything I can do, except grow massive sps colonies that block the upper rods. Lol

 

[FlyinBryan]

Looks great! Is that all the rock you're going to have in your system? Are you running a sump with a dsb?
Just curious.

 

[Reefphd]

Thanks Bryan!

I will be adding some rock that a friend has been holding since last winter. It's nice and cured and filled with critters.

I'm not planning a remote DBS, but it's not completely out of the question.

Do you have one?

 

[FlyinBryan]

I do have one in my fuge. I'm seeing the minimalist displays as something becoming more popular in terms of rock and sand and I just wonder biological process standpoint how they are pulling it off.

 

[ss95003]

Good point.
I did do my best to keep the rods shaded, though corraline algae will grow into the lower sections of the rods.
I don't think there is anything I can do, except grow massive sps colonies that block the upper rods. Lol

I will look sweet if/ when corals grow enough to cover up the supports.

 

[Reefphd]

I do have one in my fuge. I'm seeing the minimalist displays as something becoming more popular in terms of rock and sand and I just wonder biological process standpoint how they are pulling it off.

I've done that before back in the 90's when Dr Ron Shimek proposed very deep sand beds. I had a DSB that was 20" deep in a 30" high container.

I fed my system massive amounts of food and had wonderful growth from my corals. Specifically an Elegance coral that grew to be around 2' in diameter.

I did run a skimmer, and an algae scrubber, but that was all I used for filtration. It was a 600 gallon system, with 2 20 gallon Carlson Surge devices. I wish I had pictures.

 

[Duke4Life]

Very cool! Took me a second to see the rods as I thought that was water running down at first.

 

[USMC4Life]

Very cool! Took me a second to see the rods as I thought that was water running down at first.

Me too! I am getting old lol.

 

[Brew12]

Any updates on how it looks with water? Can't wait to see this with fish swimming around!

 

[revhtree]

Oooh I'm loving it!

 

[Paul B]

I like it.

 

[Reefphd]

Hey guys, the tank has water, I will snap some shots tonight.

Hey Paul B, how are you?
I'm not sure if you remember me, but I went by Reef Junkie on Reef Central.

 

[Reefphd]

Almost there.

 

[Wh00pS32]

How did you attach the rods to the rock?. I've been thinking about a floating scape and was thinking about using 2 part epoxy to attach the rocks.