Bare bottom tank

[canadianeh]

For those of you go goes bare bottom on your tank, do you use egg crate? What other option to make it look nicer other than egg crate?

 

[jlts21]

black or white starboard. It'll get covered with coralline anyway

 

[ColdOceanReef]

White polyethylene (cutting board)

 

[ScottR]

I just go bare bare-bottom.

 

[Ruben's Reef]

I'm going BB on my new 75g but I just will paint the bottom "outside of course" in black because my plan is to cover the bottom with corals anyway. So the rocks will go straight on top of the glass.

 

[SliceGolfer]

Just put the rocks right on the glass. I like to build my structures first and epoxy them together. You could epoxy frag disks to the bottom of the structure to level them, give a firm base, and it raises the rock so there is flow beneath.

 

[Silent]

I used liquid rubber to coat the bottom in case of a rock falling over or slipping out of my hand to protect the glass.
Edit...it also helps them from sliding around.

 

[bsr2430]

Reef tiles! It’s a free way for fragging.haha

 

[bsr2430]

I used liquid rubber to coat the bottom in case of a rock falling over or slipping out of my hand to protect the glass.
Edit...it also helps them from sliding around.

No leeching or anything from that?

 

[Silent]

No issues here. They have been using liquid rubber for years in ponds. Stuff now a days is pretty safe with low voc's.

 

[Silent]

Its kind of like a pourable aquarium sealant.

 

[flyfisherman]

bare glass or its not bare bottom. coralline will eventually cover it thick, multiple mm's thick.

 

[Coral Reef Keepers]

Just put the rocks right on the glass. I like to build my structures first and epoxy them together. You could epoxy frag disks to the bottom of the structure to level them, give a firm base, and it raises the rock so there is flow beneath.

What a great idea, using the frag discs! I wish I would have though of that when I set my tank up

 

[Just_Pete]

Bare glass, no ABS plastic, rock on glass and one power head pointed directly down on the glass. Poop and other debris swirl up into one pile. Love going BB, wish I did it from the very very beginning.

 

[bsr2430]

Just put the rocks right on the glass. I like to build my structures first and epoxy them together. You could epoxy frag disks to the bottom of the structure to level them, give a firm base, and it raises the rock so there is flow beneath.

what epoxy did you use for this?
Awesome idea.

 

[jlts21]

You could epoxy frag disks to the bottom of the structure to level them, give a firm base, and it raises the rock so there is flow beneath.

that is an awesome idea! I didn't think to do that on my 120 but will definitely do it for my 180 build

 

[bsr2430]

that is an awesome idea! I didn't think to do that on my 120 but will definitely do it for my 180 build

I’m thinking about taking everything out and doing this!

 

[JumboShrimp]

BRS sells black egg crate, I believe. Just in case you are unaware. Best wishes with whatever you decide.

 

[jlts21]

IMO egg crate will collect detritus (and sand if you are going from sand to BB if you do not get every last bit out). If anybody watches Gold Rush, I think it would work similar to how a sluice box works. Heavier particles would settle in the squares

 

[SliceGolfer]

what epoxy did you use for this?
Awesome idea.

AquaStik Underwater Epoxy Putty - Coralline Red

AquaStik is our go to epoxy for its low cost, and excellent performance. Epoxy putty is widely used around the aquarium hobby because it is reef-safe and easy to use. The Two Little Fishies epoxy putty is easy to mix, and the coralline purple is one of the closest color matches on the market...

www.bulkreefsupply.com