Any ideas for a false bottom???

[toi_ss]

Okay, I think I will use stephs idea and have the sand in a suspended tray above the base of the tank, thank you everyone for your input and ideas

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Okay, I think I will use stephs idea and have the sand in a suspended tray above the base of the tank, thank you everyone for your input and ideas

Please post an update and let us know how it turned out

 

[BeanAnimal]

And you are not concerned about aesthetics of a plastic or glass wall and shelf?

A false concrete wall (use lightweight concrete or pond foam and cover it with concrete). There are simple ways to build a pleasing reef ledge. Are you hoping to have a sand bottom for the clams?

A few DIY rock columns and a flat top rock would also work and have cave area beneath, etc.

 

[AviR]

If you do do a deep sand bed, garden eels would be super cool.

 

[toi_ss]

Please post an update and let us know how it turned out

I'm currently just planning this for a future tank project. Will make a build thread. Im going to start building the stand soon and will order the glass right after that

 

[toi_ss]

And you are not concerned about aesthetics?

A false concrete wall (use lightweight concrete or pond foam and cover it with concrete). There are simple ways to build a pleasing reef ledge.

Sorry, I'm just meaning about the false bottom. Not the divider wall - I will just make that out of glass and use lots of reef rock to make a ledge. The flat piece of glass that is raised above the tank base will have a 4" tray of sand in it, rather then having no raised base and having to buy $2000 worth of sand for this area of the tank.

 

[toi_ss]

If you do do a deep sand bed, garden eels would be super cool.

I wish, they aren't allowed in new zealand unfortunately. I'm going to do quite a few pipefish though.

 

[rhitee93]

A few DIY rock columns and a flat top rock would also work and have cave area beneath, etc.

I'd be inclined to do something along these lines so that you can have good water flow throughout the entire tank envelope. Trying to box of an area to keep the water out stands a good chance of having a leak into the dead space with all sorts of nasty growth to follow.

 

[BeanAnimal]

I personally would not go through the trouble of trying to design and secure a "false" bottom or a glass divider. But, that is up to you.

My preference would be to build a reef ledge of real or DIY rock, likely very open underneath with a real or DIY rock on top.

My second preference would be to use pond foam to build a large structure covered with real rock or sand embedded in it and/or cover it with DIY aragonite stucco.


I don't prefer to see man made materials, but to each their own. It is your tank and your vision. If you go with the "false" bottom idea, I would certainly paint the inside to be black for aesthetics.

 

[toi_ss]

I'd be inclined to do something along these lines so that you can have good water flow throughout the entire tank envelope. Trying to box of an area to keep the water out stands a good chance of having a leak into the dead space with all sorts of nasty growth to follow.

Yeah, I think I will just use some acrylic with slots cut out of that to allow for water to pass through and chuck a powerhead in there to avoid a full dead zone. For flow in the tank i'm going to put the 2 returns on the shallow end and have a bunch of gyres on the deep end pushing towards the shallow side to make a sort of beach wave effect. Thinking about the tunze wavebox.

 

[toi_ss]

I personally would not go through the trouble of trying to design and secure a "false" bottom or a glass divider. But, that is up to you.

My preference would be to build a reef ledge of real or DIY rock, likely very open underneath with a real or DIY rock on top.

I could try do that - to make sort of an open cave underneath. Would be a nice spot for some nps corals

 

[BeanAnimal]

I could try do that - to make sort of an open cave underneath. Would be a nice spot for some nps corals

If you have a way to spot feed them. With anything you do or design, think of the maintenance, both short and long term.