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Suggestions for back wall "texture"

AlanM

By AlanM,
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AlanM Oracle Reefer

AlanM

I am tired of staring at my black painted back wall of the aquarium which is currently covered with little white spirobid worms and would like to add some corals to give it some texture and life. I have some really strong magnets that I can mount some rubble to and add corals. My overflow box is internal and sticks out from the back by 2.5 inches, but it's up pretty high and doesn't shade that badly.

 

My first thought is to attach some plating montis like purple rim green or red or other quick growers to give some levels and plates and things, but I'd like something with some more visual interest. Are there some plating things that are nicer looking? I know some plating montis have colored polyps like seasons greetings and others. What about chalices or acan echinata? they look like they kind of grow and plate out, but I don't know enough about them except to know that they can be kind of agressive. Thought about efflos which seem to kind of plate out.

 

I'm interested in suggestions for what I could attach to that back wall to give something interesting happening back there, and I haven't been around coral long enough to really know what the options are. Zoas could be OK, btw, I don't plan to clean it ever, but I'm about to ramp up the flow around the back in order to try to get a gyre going, so it seems sensible to stick with hard corals.

AlanM Oracle Reefer

AlanM

  • Author

Green star polyps! Or blue clove polyps,lol

I really like the monti idea...

Hah, I had some GSP in my tank that always looked like crud. Never really did much. I also tried some neon green clove polyps early on and they never opened. Strangely, one polyp fell off when I was pulling it from the dip and I just tossed it in there with the others. It lived, apparently, and now there are a few little neon flowers that pop up from time to time.

 

I should get some of that red monti that Isaac has that came from Jan's tank which seems to be a heroic grower.

AlanM Oracle Reefer

AlanM

  • Author

I have these on the back wall of my 90.http://www.aqua-mags.com/

I saw those. They're really cool. Do you know the thickness of your back wall? My 75 has thicker glass than usual because it is built rimless. I think mine is 12mm. I'm concerned that they won't be strong enough.

surf&turf

surf&turf

It's a standard 90, not sure exactly the thickness, but they come with some pretty strong magnets.

YHSublime Neptune Reefer

YHSublime

Alan, I'll post a picture up of my back wall, I'm growing all sorts of things, sans magnets. I'm using epoxy and super glue. Also, swing on by, I'll get you a big chunk of red monti cap, it's a very fast grower.

Crob5965

Crob5965

Alan, I'll post a picture up of my back wall, I'm growing all sorts of things, sans magnets. I'm using epoxy and super glue. Also, swing on by, I'll get you a big chunk of red monti cap, it's a very fast grower.

I would love to see some pictures of that, I think i'm going to have to try that, did you coat the magnets with anything 1st?

surf&turf

surf&turf

I saw those. They're really cool. Do you know the thickness of your back wall? My 75 has thicker glass than usual because it is built rimless. I think mine is 12mm. I'm concerned that they won't be strong enough.

If you wanted to get one and try it and it doesn't work for you, I'll buy it from you.

YHSublime Neptune Reefer

YHSublime

I would love to see some pictures of that, I think i'm going to have to try that, did you coat the magnets with anything 1st?

Sans magnets

 

You should glue a fish to your back wall. You can target feed it everyday.

That's what I did with my new Gem tang.

YHSublime Neptune Reefer

YHSublime

Google failed me so now I have to ask lol, what exactly is a sans magnet

 

Sans= without

Without magnet. I just used epoxy and super glue, clean the glass first.

 

All these have been really recent, so they've not taken off yet. I've also put some sunset monti on my back wall in the hopes it will take off as well. Here are a couple pictures of my overflows and some of my recent back wall additions.

 

These were just one or two small polyps that have all started to grow on the plugs. They should start growing over the overflow.

DSC_0398_zps1b82c1aa.jpg

 

Right hand side overflow, I've got some montis (a slow growing reeftech starburst monti) by a baby golden torch from my torch spawning:

DSC_0399_zps9a428230.jpg

 

Rastas and utter chaos, loving the back wall experience:

DSC_0400_zps4b08adfd.jpg

 

Superman Monti that loves some high flow and light. I don't have any rocks tall enough for this piece, so it found it's way onto my back wall:

DSC_0401_zps126e118b.jpg

Jim Mc

Jim Mc

(edited)

th_20131002_134209_zpsbb30ec8b.jpg

 

Ok I managed to be able to at least insert a link as code you can copy to a browser.  That is when the tank was new so you can see everything.

 

 

 

I used this to cover my overflows and back wall.

 

Marco Rocks prime cuts and their cement kit

Great Stuff gaps & cracks

Pond Shield

 

Put in any return plumbing you want hidden

Cement in the rocks, doesn't have to be touching other rocks

Fill in gaps between rocks with crack filler

Epoxy crack filler with pond shield

 

I will say when I first did it I thought I made a mistake the crack filler looked like crap.  I couldn't be happier now though.  Purple algae grows better on the pond shield than it does on my rocks.  I have some kind of java problem preventing me from posting pictures or I would show you.

Edited by YHSublime
Fixed your link
AlanM Oracle Reefer

AlanM

  • Author

 

http://s1277.photobucket.com/user/james_mcintyre1/media/20131002_134209_zpsbb30ec8b.mp4.html
Ok I managed to be able to at least insert a link as code you can copy to a browser.  That is when the tank was new so you can see everything.

 

 

 

I used this to cover my overflows and back wall.

 

Marco Rocks prime cuts and their cement kit

Great Stuff gaps & cracks

Pond Shield

 

Put in any return plumbing you want hidden

Cement in the rocks, doesn't have to be touching other rocks

Fill in gaps between rocks with crack filler

Epoxy crack filler with pond shield

 

I will say when I first did it I thought I made a mistake the crack filler looked like crap.  I couldn't be happier now though.  Purple algae grows better on the pond shield than it does on my rocks.  I have some kind of java problem preventing me from posting pictures or I would show you.

Did you do that when the tank was full? Nice.

LCDRDATA Grandmaster Reefer

LCDRDATA

(edited)

This shot is dated, but it shows pieces of encrusting gorgonian (a lot like GSP) I super-glued to the back wall several months ago. They've done really well and now cover essentially the entire area of back wall visible in this shot. Although the color is somewhat bland, the movement is nice. Also, while I didn't do the attaching, the pulsing xenia visible on the left have back attached themselves to the back wall and spread some.

 

gallery_2631918_1271_62977.jpg

Edited by LCDRDATA
sachabballi reef

sachabballi reef

so is there a downside?....this thread of course made me go down stairs and stare at the back wall of my tank. 

TheyCallMeMr.703

TheyCallMeMr.703

so is there a downside?....this thread of course made me go down stairs and stare at the back wall of my tank. 

Besides it not being on a moveable magnet/plug type of thing....  could be harder to clean around, if not moveable. And could prevent your view to the wall behind :tongue: .

 

 Did a monti cap, and pulsing xenia so far... I love the Monti Cap much better... really interesting. Adds much more depth... will be doing a Monti plate, with a Arco right above it... for my own tank.:)

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