Get corals off the sand

[Paul B]

I got the gonopora up on it's new pedistal

Here is the thing in the building process

And here it is on the sand.

 

[radiata]

Not sure why you did this, but here's a good reason...

Returning from the weekend at MACNA I found that my old black sea cucumber had pooped sand all over my 3"x5" Alien Eye Chalice and killed off 2/3rds of it.

 

[mfisher2112]

Paul, I love seeing your posts! That things is pretty cool. What did you use to buildit? Looks like a combination of rock pieces and maybe some concrete?

 

[The_Codfather]

Looks cool! but a bit off topic here but what Substrate is that?.. almost looks like GARF Grunge

 

[Paul B]

I don't even know what the topic is but the thing is made out of a PVC skeleton with cement over it. Some of it is real rocks.
Here is a 3' piece that has beeen in my tank for many years.
I like this stuff because it is hollow and offers a great place for bacteria. It is also practically free to build.
The top piece is during construction

 

[Paul B]

but what Substrate is that?.. almost looks like GARF Grunge

I forgot. My substrait is dolomite and it has been in there long before garf was in business. It is over a RUGF

 

[The_Codfather]

I like it!.. i have sand right now but i really like that look... BTW the bottle neck in one of them pics did make me smile ;D

 

[mfisher2112]

Very cool. What is wrapped around the PVC? Is that drywall mesh tape?

 

[Paul B]

Mfisher, that is plastic window screen wrapped around the bent PVC.
Much of my rock was built this way and almost all of my rockwork is supported off the bottom by columns of cement coated PVC. It can be built in any shape for practically free. I build it to support rocks or individual corals. You can not buy rocks like this because they would break in shipping. I have some of those "rocks" stretching all the way across my tank and I think it looks much more natural than any rocks you could buy.
About 1/4 of these rocks are either made by cementing other rocks together or a combination of real rock and PVC rock.
Very little of my rocks are touching the gravel and this work is very open although you can't tell in this picture.