Cement floor

[Tre' Landrum]

OK, The sulfur based denitrofier thread has way out grown itself (for me),
but I keep gleaning through it and found something interesting. Wayne
Sallee, you take about using Portland cement for the floor of your tank. I
love this idea as far as preventing the fish from digging to the glass. I do
not like a deep sand bed (well I kinda do, but that is a whole new thread!).
I do like a little sand on the bottom for that natural look, and I want to
know more of how you did this. Did you just use strait cement? Did you mix
in any sand or crushed coral? Did you use any kind of strengthing (IE
something like rebar, only reef safe). How thick is your floor. Is it just
right on the glass. Do you have any trouble with detritus becoming trapped
under it? It is movable, or does it attach itself to the glass bottom. Or is
it acrylic. OK, a lot of questions, but I think this is a great idea. You
could even incorporate some of your reef structure into the floor. Thanks.
And your last post from the sulfur thread is below. Thanks.

Tre'

Nothing replaces dsb/lr I also once a pon a time decided to move my
live sand down to the sump, instead of haveing it in the reef, and had rock
bottom (Portland cement) instead. It was an interesting experiment. I still
use
Portland cement bottom, but with san on top. That way if a fish makes a bare
spot in the sand, you have nice natural rock showing through instead of
clear
glass. But anyway the experiment clearly showed that live sand in the sump
is
not as beneficial as live sand in the reef, because the live sand in the
sump
does not recive the fish droppings as the live sand in the reef does. Though
anyway that's getting a bit off subject, but yes nothing replaces dsb/lr.


--


In Christ,

Tre' Landrum
1323 S. Houston
Tulsa, OK 74127



(580)436-9291

[WayneSallee.com]

I just use strait portland cement no sand or anything else.I do not want it
bonding to the glass, so I lay a heavy black plastic on the bottom then poor
the cement on that. Let it set up, and then trim the black plastic. It does not
move, and sand does not get under it. I just poor it about 1/2" thick. It's a
glass tank.

I'll post some more details in 2 days from now.

To be continued ...... :-)

Wayne Sallee


In article <cyKwd.203$c%.95@okepread05>, "Tre' Landrum" >
writes:

>OK, The sulfur based denitrofier thread has way out grown itself (for me),
>but I keep gleaning through it and found something interesting. Wayne
>Sallee, you take about using Portland cement for the floor of your tank. I
>love this idea as far as preventing the fish from digging to the glass. I do
>not like a deep sand bed (well I kinda do, but that is a whole new thread!).
>I do like a little sand on the bottom for that natural look, and I want to
>know more of how you did this. Did you just use strait cement? Did you mix
>in any sand or crushed coral? Did you use any kind of strengthing (IE
>something like rebar, only reef safe). How thick is your floor. Is it just
>right on the glass. Do you have any trouble with detritus becoming trapped
>under it? It is movable, or does it attach itself to the glass bottom. Or is
>it acrylic. OK, a lot of questions, but I think this is a great idea. You
>could even incorporate some of your reef structure into the floor. Thanks.
>And your last post from the sulfur thread is below. Thanks.
>

[WayneSallee.com]

Ok here is some more info:

Because I'm too lazy to retype what I've typed before, here is some istruction
that I've e-mailed people. It goes into a little more detail than what you've
asked, but here it is:


1) test aquarium for leaks, remove one overflow, and install bulkhead fittings,
plumbing, and test for leaks.
2) cut polyurithane foam to fit sides, and a strip of foam for the floor front
glass. Make sure all pieces fit corectly.
3) glue foam into place, make sure it's holding good.
4) give it a day to completely dry, and see that it is secure in place.
5) lay heavy black plastic on the floor of the tank, letting it overlap the
foam, and cut around the bulkhead fittings.
6) pore a floor of portland cement being carfull not to allow any portland
cement to bond with the glass (no acseterator needed or desired)
7) Put plastic or glass over top of aquarium to hold in humidity and add some
water to wet down the cement as soon as it has become solid. The himidity and
mosisture is to prevent cracking and warping. You will want to continue to keep
humidity and moisture high during the rest of the process. Just don't allow
water to get on the glue holding the foam to the sides, untill the foam has
been stiffened up with portland cement.
8) after setting up, trim excess black plastic.
9) paint the foam with a very light coat of portland cement, not trying to get
any real coverage, just stifining it up a bit. (no acseterator needed or
desired)
10) paint a second coat the next day
11) paint a third coat the next day.
12) if there is any foam showing get full coverage. But leave about a quarter
of an inch where the foam meets the front glass, and where the foam meets the
top rim, completely uncoated with portland cement.
13) next day using your hads and gloves, slop some portland cement on the sides
to thicken it up, but dont' try to get full coverage, and make it structured,
not flat.
14) next day repeate step 13, and get full coverage. You want to creat lot's of
surfae area, nooks, and crannys, (no acseterator needed)
15) next day, using acseterator, make caves, and overhangs, working around
different areas untill the earlyer places are set up enouph to add some more.
You can take more than one day to do this, if you want to.
In the next chapter we will discuss step (16) which is "Set up your own brewery
in your new tank" :-)


Wayne Sallee

[Tre' Landrum]

Wow, this is great I have wondered how to do this before. So what you see in
the front is actually the foam. Do you color it in some way? the sides of
the tank did the cement come up to the glass with only the plastic between
the two? In the front you have a strip of foam (colored I am assuming).
About what.... 1/2-1 inch thick. Then the black foam... then the cement?
Also what is "acseterator"? I have never seen anything like this.... am I
the only one? I really want to try it. Does anyone know any pics out there
showing some of this. Oh, how thick is the cement on the bottom. Also...
what glue do you use to glue foam to glass? Thanks!

Tre'


"WayneSallee.com" > wrote in message
...
> Ok here is some more info:
>
> Because I'm too lazy to retype what I've typed before, here is some
> istruction
> that I've e-mailed people. It goes into a little more detail than what
> you've
> asked, but here it is:
>
>
> 1) test aquarium for leaks, remove one overflow, and install bulkhead
> fittings,
> plumbing, and test for leaks.
> 2) cut polyurithane foam to fit sides, and a strip of foam for the floor
> front
> glass. Make sure all pieces fit corectly.
> 3) glue foam into place, make sure it's holding good.
> 4) give it a day to completely dry, and see that it is secure in place.
> 5) lay heavy black plastic on the floor of the tank, letting it overlap
> the
> foam, and cut around the bulkhead fittings.
> 6) pore a floor of portland cement being carfull not to allow any portland
> cement to bond with the glass (no acseterator needed or desired)
> 7) Put plastic or glass over top of aquarium to hold in humidity and add
> some
> water to wet down the cement as soon as it has become solid. The himidity
> and
> mosisture is to prevent cracking and warping. You will want to continue to
> keep
> humidity and moisture high during the rest of the process. Just don't
> allow
> water to get on the glue holding the foam to the sides, untill the foam
> has
> been stiffened up with portland cement.
> 8) after setting up, trim excess black plastic.
> 9) paint the foam with a very light coat of portland cement, not trying to
> get
> any real coverage, just stifining it up a bit. (no acseterator needed or
> desired)
> 10) paint a second coat the next day
> 11) paint a third coat the next day.
> 12) if there is any foam showing get full coverage. But leave about a
> quarter
> of an inch where the foam meets the front glass, and where the foam meets
> the
> top rim, completely uncoated with portland cement.
> 13) next day using your hads and gloves, slop some portland cement on the
> sides
> to thicken it up, but dont' try to get full coverage, and make it
> structured,
> not flat.
> 14) next day repeate step 13, and get full coverage. You want to creat
> lot's of
> surfae area, nooks, and crannys, (no acseterator needed)
> 15) next day, using acseterator, make caves, and overhangs, working around
> different areas untill the earlyer places are set up enouph to add some
> more.
> You can take more than one day to do this, if you want to.
> In the next chapter we will discuss step (16) which is "Set up your own
> brewery
> in your new tank" :-)
>
>
> Wayne Sallee
>

[WayneSallee.com]

Ok I got more pictures up, and fixed the picture link error.
Go to WayneSallee.com, and click on the link for the pictures.

Wayne Sallee