AquaticEngineer Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Got a bunch of cans of black pond spray foam. I did a test piece today and pushed most of the air out and pushed a bunch of rock salt into it as after it stopped expanding. Came out looking just like a tupperware shaped piece of lace rock It actually dries kind of a charcoal gray color, which is cool since I'm trying to mimic rock from the Oregon coast. I'll be using a few shades of gray marine epoxy paint in some areas to blend the background also. The area I'll be working on is a 66" x 36" back of an acrylic tank. I dont plan on ever removing this once its in there, so I'm going to spray foam directly onto the back of the tank. I'm going to use a few large pieces of lace rock as a support structure for a few areas. I'm just curious about things others have learned when using spray foam. I've read through every thread on about 6 forums that I could find, but any other tips you got I'd love to hear them. Here's my 5 minute test rock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smann Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Not bad, I remember seeing a few forums also, one was a actual video demo somewhere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanareef Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 Since you are applying it on the back wall, you don't have to worry about the "thing" being too buoyant. After it dries (24-48hrs) you can cut some caves and passages for the fish to swim thru or such. You will need an extra set of hands for applying the sand after applying the foam. (If you wait too long, like several seconds after applying the foam, it'll have started to "skin" over and the sand won't stick). Then the areas that you missed with the sand, you will need to do the epoxy/sand thing to it. Wear gloves and "throw away" "T-shirt" clothes, cause you will get some on them. And for that area, you'll need several cans of the Pond/Stone Foam have fun http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f230/wanareef/?action=view¤t=foam-rock-wall.jpg http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f230/wanareef/th_rock-wall.jpg?t=1254264553 http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f230/wanareef/th_IMG_5353.jpg pix's of the 80gal's rock wall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquaticEngineer Posted July 2, 2011 Author Share Posted July 2, 2011 Thanks for the info and pics Since you are applying it on the back wall' date=' you don't have to worry about the "thing" being too buoyant. After it dries (24-48hrs) you can cut some caves and passages for the fish to swim thru or such.[/quote'] Sweet I think I'm going to use some old soda bottles to creat some tunnels or passages, and then collapse them and cut them out after it dries. You will need an extra set of hands for applying the sand after applying the foam. (If you wait too long' date=' like several seconds after applying the foam, it'll have started to "skin" over and the sand won't stick).[/quote'] No sand on this rock wall The black foam along with some gray expoxy paint will give me the color I'm looking for. We are going to press rock salt into it as it is expanding to give it the texture we want. Wear gloves and "throw away" "T-shirt" clothes' date=' cause you will get some on them.[/quote'] Coveralls FTW And for that area, you'll need several cans of the Pond/Stone Foam I'm going to use roughly 1 can per square foot of background area. So I'm going to have at least 15 cans on hand when we start. Then I can always add more structures later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVPaquatics Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 Balloons work good for tunnels and overhangs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquaticEngineer Posted July 2, 2011 Author Share Posted July 2, 2011 Balloons work good for tunnels and overhangs! NICE!!! Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquaticEngineer Posted July 24, 2011 Author Share Posted July 24, 2011 Gots some more work done on the spray foam rock work, thought I'd share Still gotta hose off all the rock salt and let it soak to get the rest off. Then some highlights with gray 1 part epoxy paint to make everything look like the last picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badxgillen Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 So Stylish.i can dig it.it makes me want to tear down my tank and start over.me likey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnkrcklives Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 LOOKING GOOD!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquaticEngineer Posted July 25, 2011 Author Share Posted July 25, 2011 I finished up the spray foam on the intake for the closed loop and got the rest of the rock salt off last night and finished painting. All I need to do now is get that large piece in the last picture secured and blended into the rest of the wall and a little more touch up paint. Then its on to laying the concrete pad to level it out in the garage, then start plumbing it up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefsickness Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Does foam Rock Cost more then live rock ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finch6013 Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Consider dry rock. Check out marcorocks.com or bulk reef supply for good prices on dry rock. I think foam rock would defiantly be cheaper than live rock but it doesn't look as good in my opinion. Dry rock turns to live rock after 6 months and costs a third as much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finch6013 Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 AquaticEngineer did the foam rock to replicate the local tide pool solid rock and granite. I think it came out quite well. One of the better Foam rocks builds I have seen. I have yet to see a reef tank that pulled this off though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquaticEngineer Posted July 28, 2011 Author Share Posted July 28, 2011 Does foam Rock Cost more then live rock ? All depends on the type of tank your setting up "Live" Rock for my coldwater tank is anything but. Its so solid that the only life on it is literally on the surface. The foam rock wall I made in this tank will probably harbor more beneficial bacteria on it and in it than any rock I could harvest myself (laugh) AquaticEngineer did the foam rock to replicate the local tide pool solid rock and granite. I think it came out quite well. One of the better Foam rocks builds I have seen. I have yet to see a reef tank that pulled this off though. QFT. I did this in my coldwater tank because the aquascaping possiblitys are pretty minimal with the native granite rocks. So this will allow me to aquascape more vertically without trying to stack boulders on top of eachother. It also takes up far less space than stacking rock against the back, gives me more real estate to attach anemones and such to, and doesn't allow my fairly shy fish like my Sarcastic Fringehead to just hide under or behind a rock. I also have yet to see a reef tank with a decent enough foam wall to make me want to copy it. Everything I did was based of of copying techniques used in public aquriums and zoos to make displays as opposed to the "Great Stuff and crushed coral" walls most people do in tropical tanks. I figured it was worth a try since I got the tank for free, and I only spent $60 on spray foam. I've spent more on a single liverock for my tropcial tanks (laugh) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquaticEngineer Posted July 31, 2011 Author Share Posted July 31, 2011 Pics after doing more paint last night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mohaynow Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 Wow, that looks really freakin awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquaticEngineer Posted August 14, 2011 Author Share Posted August 14, 2011 (laugh)Doesn't look like I'll have any problems with adhesion of the spray foam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefsickness Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Please show photos with water in the tank I like what you have done, Iam getting ideals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquaticEngineer Posted August 15, 2011 Author Share Posted August 15, 2011 Will do I just got the overflows finished and in place today, still gotta foam over them though. So once I finish this last bit of foam and paint it will time to plumb it up and get water going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefsickness Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 were did you pick up the black pond spray foam? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquaticEngineer Posted August 15, 2011 Author Share Posted August 15, 2011 Bi-mart sells it for $4.39 a can, they just bumped up their price to $4.69 a can. Its probably because I bought everyone of them on the shelf at 3 locations within a week, lol. Its the best price I found on it anywhere, even cheaper than buying it online. Its called Touch N' Foam pond and stone I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefsickness Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 did you hit the newberg store lol? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquaticEngineer Posted August 16, 2011 Author Share Posted August 16, 2011 I would have but its a little out of the way for me, lol. I hit the Damascus store, the Woodstock store, and the Gresham store. So there should be some left out there for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquaticEngineer Posted September 6, 2011 Author Share Posted September 6, 2011 Yay for labor day I managed to get everything done but the paint on the rock work. The tank is sitting in the front of the garage sun drying so I can start painting later tonight when it cools off. There's three bulk head returns for the closed loop in the above picture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnkrcklives Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Lookin good. Sorry I did not make it out today. I was down all day with a Migrane... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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