Eggcrate or not

lilredwuck · 10/14/2011, 01:04 AM

Should I put eggcrate in the bottom of the tank or not? It'll be for a 180. I know it keeps the rockwork stable and helps with pressure points, but is it really needed?

IndexKey · 10/14/2011, 05:38 AM

Depends on what you consider "Needed". No, it is not required for a successful tank, however, that added insurance against crushing your favorite sand dweller and the lowered chance of cracking the bottom glass really makes it worth it IMO since egg crate is so inexpensive.

John

Ron Reefman · 10/14/2011, 06:21 AM

I'll suggest you even go one step further. Raise the eggcrate above the sand by making short PVC posts that will hold the rock just off the sand. Drill a hole in the end of the PVC pipe and tie it onto the eggcrate with a cable tie. Make enough legs to insure the eggcrate platform is stable. After you have your rocks on the platform, place some smaller rocks around the edges to hide the eggcrate and posts. Now you have lots of sandy bottom for snails, hermits, sea cucumber, wrasses, blennies, shrimp... And none of the big rocks are against the glass bottom. You also get much better water flow all around the tank with just a small gap between the sand and the eggcrate, less algae and much lower chance of red slime! I even took a 6" PVC pipe and cut a piece so it fits against the back glass and extends out about 9". My rock work is a slope up the back glass so the pipe creates a big cave. Some of the front edge showed, but in 6 months it was all covered with coraline and now you can't tell it's there. I have 2 fish and a banded coral shrimp that love it.

If you want to see pics of how I did it, let me know and I'll send them to you.

thegrun · 10/14/2011, 07:52 AM

Not needed, but I've been using it in all my tanks for the past 3 years. I'm not worried about the bottom of the tank being scratched or broken, I use it simply to help anchor the rocks in place, and it does a good job doing that. I wish I had started using egg crate years ago.

SneakyPete · 10/14/2011, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thegrun

I use it simply to help anchor the rocks in place.

Same here. I like it because its about half the depth of my sand bed, so if I ever move rock, it is easy to get back down to the grippy edges of the eggcrate and it won't move again.

10/14/2011, 01:04 AM	#1
lilredwuck Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Excelsior Springs, (Kansas City) Missouri but mainly LA-LA land Posts: 383	Eggcrate or not Should I put eggcrate in the bottom of the tank or not? It'll be for a 180. I know it keeps the rockwork stable and helps with pressure points, but is it really needed? __________________ 120 gallon, 75 gallon sump 180 gallon, 100 gallon sump, 45 Gallon Frag Tank 125 gallon Freshwater Oscars, Bichor and a Clown Knife.

10/14/2011, 06:21 AM	#3
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	I'll suggest you even go one step further. Raise the eggcrate above the sand by making short PVC posts that will hold the rock just off the sand. Drill a hole in the end of the PVC pipe and tie it onto the eggcrate with a cable tie. Make enough legs to insure the eggcrate platform is stable. After you have your rocks on the platform, place some smaller rocks around the edges to hide the eggcrate and posts. Now you have lots of sandy bottom for snails, hermits, sea cucumber, wrasses, blennies, shrimp... And none of the big rocks are against the glass bottom. You also get much better water flow all around the tank with just a small gap between the sand and the eggcrate, less algae and much lower chance of red slime! I even took a 6" PVC pipe and cut a piece so it fits against the back glass and extends out about 9". My rock work is a slope up the back glass so the pipe creates a big cave. Some of the front edge showed, but in 6 months it was all covered with coraline and now you can't tell it's there. I have 2 fish and a banded coral shrimp that love it. If you want to see pics of how I did it, let me know and I'll send them to you. __________________ The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017

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10/14/2011, 05:38 AM	#2
IndexKey Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 316	Depends on what you consider "Needed". No, it is not required for a successful tank, however, that added insurance against crushing your favorite sand dweller and the lowered chance of cracking the bottom glass really makes it worth it IMO since egg crate is so inexpensive. John

10/14/2011, 07:52 AM	#4
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	Not needed, but I've been using it in all my tanks for the past 3 years. I'm not worried about the bottom of the tank being scratched or broken, I use it simply to help anchor the rocks in place, and it does a good job doing that. I wish I had started using egg crate years ago.