egg crate

All of my research on the egg crate shows the same thing as Oceanparadise wrote, it will cause a build up caught in the egg crate. While there are benefits to weight distribution this can be minimized by careful stacking or using zip ties or drilling in the rock and use dowls (imo).

 

How about those pizza tables?

At least that's what I call them.

Could they be glued up-side down to the bottom of the tank to hold rocks in place with their legs? It would be only in spots, and does not create an enclosure. This should eliminate the problems associated with the egg crate.

 

interesting idea

 

I had eggcrate under my DSB and live rock in my 110g. I had lrg. brittle stars. Pistol shrimp & midas blenny. Hermits, nudis, snails, etc. The tank was up & running for almost 3 years until I had to move. Makes sense that detritus could & does build up between the eggcrate holes.....don't know. To me, its like catch 22. Unless you really fasten the rock with pegs, glue, mortar, ties, whatever; I couldn't sleep at night knowing my rock was sitting just on sand without any kind of rigid support.
You buy the beers kd, I'll be there!! You're only 40min. away.....8)

 

Kelly, I've also heard that vacuuming your gravel is not good either? So the deal is to not impede the action for the critters, bugs, worms, etc. But regardless, you still build up detritus. Just pick up a large handfull from anyones tank and let it fall into the water column. So, I'm confused. I trust my LFS to not sell me stuff I don't need or advice on the "latest". Eggcrate was their ecommendation. :-/

 

I recently used egg grate under my base rock as well. I put the egg grate out on my deck and placed the rock on the grate the way I wanted it to be. Then I took shears and cut around the base of the rock so that only the rock was on the grate. Then just brought the grate in, placed it in the tank and built my rock back onto it. This leaves allot less area for buildup.

 

Now that makes alot more sense. I'm doing the same with my LR but will fasten with pegs.

 

wont the egg crate be able to move around then? I would think the idea would be to lock the crate edge to edge so it cant slip at all.

 

With all that vertical weight and sand all around it I don't think that will be much of a problem. It also connects around 4 foot of rock together at the bottom for my 90 gallon tank so if ones gonna slide all of them have to do the same.

 

Yup!!