Faux Sandbed or Aragocrete filled BB

[joedirt]

I'm still in the early stages of my 18x21x16 custom glass "cube". It's going to be a cube because I'm going to partion the back three inches for overflow.

SPS will be the focus later on and flow will be on the high end...without getting into a DSB vs BB...I'm thinking about two options:

1) A epoxy/sand bottom

2)Aragocrete lined bottom

If I go with a aragocrete bottom I think I'll run into a few problems...first, if I pour a flat surface for my bottom outside the tank it will be sure to trap all kinds of stuff around the edges. My second thought is that if I pour it directly into the tank it will break my tank when it cures.

one plus for the Aragocrete would be the option to cement some acrylic rods in to help with the rock work.

I'm not going to have any trim so starboard is out.

I'd be open to any other options. I've read a lot of pages on these two but nothing with any long term pics or results.

~dirt

 

[Anonymous]

I am still wondering why you can't use epoxy with sand in the tank bottom. It would be permanent, but if you coat it with one coat of epoxy and let it cure and then another coat with sand in it the sand should be insulated from the glass so that there will be no pressure points.

For some reason I think people said epoxy and sand was a bad idea but I don't remember the reason.

 

[Anonymous]

I am still wondering why you can't use epoxy with sand in the tank bottom. It would be permanent, but if you coat it with one coat of epoxy and let it cure and then another coat with sand in it the sand should be insulated from the glass so that there will be no pressure points.

For some reason I think people said epoxy and sand was a bad idea but I don't remember the reason.

the epoxy and the glass swell and contract at different rates- you could end up with a catostrophic failure of the glass

 

[brandon4291]

interesting concept though, essentially a bare-bottom but with texture and the visual appeal of the bed. cool beans!

What about using triple expanding foam, letting it dry, leveling it out and then sloping all edges so you can glue/epoxy some sand or chips to it--making it look like your epoxied bed but not having the expansion issues. just brainstorming

 

[Anonymous]

I had actually planned on using Silicon over the entire bottom of my next nano and dumping a load of CC on it while it's still wet to become imbedded.

 

[joedirt]

Starboard would be another option(the white cutting board stuff), sanded down on the edges with sand glued down with clear PVC cement.

One thing I want to avoid is leaving a space around the edges for anything to get trapped.

Brandon foam is yet another option, covered with something. I think you can cover that foam with just about anything. If I use that I'll paint some wet cement on it and cure it under water till the pH calms down.

~Dirt

 

[Anonymous]

So, we don't want the epoxy all the way to the edge of the tank.

How about putting a tape border around the edge, pouring the epoxy and then removing the border and siliconing around it?

Will that fix the problem?

 

[joedirt]

I was thinking that if I used a drop-in bottom of any kind I would silicone around and drop some sand over it.

If I go with epoxy and sand I'll probably put some clear wrap under it to cure.

Actually Knuckelhead, I want something that will go right to the edge with out putting stress on the tank.

One thing in my mind is the fact that this isn't a $3000 custom acrylic tank...but a DIY 26 gallon starfire cube that's going to run less than $150.
If, I mess this up it's not the end of the world. Down the road I can just cut it a part and buy a new bottom for $20 if it comes to that.

~dirt