Lava Rock Bkg + Discus = Good Idea?

[nacra99]

I'm not sure where to post this but i guess this would be a somewhat appropriate place.

Here's my lava rock background (still work in progress).
Materials:
1) lava rock
2) aquarium silicone
3) lots of patience.

Just put a blob of silicone onto the lava rock and then just stick it to the back of the aquarium. At first i was worried that the silicone won't be strong enough, but it actually holds the rocks pretty firm.

I'm realizing that the fish might hurt themselves really badly against the background when they go into "Spazz Out" mode. Is this a legit worry or am i just being paranoid?

http://www-personal.umich.edu/%7Ehmwong/simply/lava_bkg1.jpg

[nacra99]

Here's another. The unfilled space is for the spraybar, which will also going to be cleverly disguised with lava rocks. The white rectangles in the corner panel are the filter intakes. They will also eventually be disguised with lava rocks.

http://www-personal.umich.edu/%7Ehmwong/simply/lava_bkg2.jpg

[nacra99]

Finally, here's a pic of the drill-less corner overflow that all my friends doubted would work. Incidently ... it works great!!! Even if there is a power outage, no the water will not drain out of the tank! I know this pic doesn't show the full workings of the overflow, but i'll try to get better photos when i return from singapore.....
See this thread:
http://forum.simplydiscus.com//showthread.php?t=42408

http://www-personal.umich.edu/%7Ehmwong/simply/overflow.jpg

[wolfbane]

Seems to me that lava rock is like shards of glass, might cut up active fish.

[diskboy]

nice :))))))))))):)

[jdellman]

How about a stupid question- What is the purpose of the overflow?

[dirk50merc]

:confused: Yikes- might be OK for some african cichlids I wouldn't trust my discus in there. One good freak out in that tank could literally shred a fish, lava rock is verry abressive. I would rethink that tank if it where for my discus.
though the drilless overflow gives me a whole new concept in plumbing my fish room, great idea I think I might borrow it. Thanks

Dirk

[nacra99]

How about a stupid question- What is the purpose of the overflow?

My boss always says... "The only stupid question is the one that you didn't ask." So that was not a stupid question at all :D.

The overflow is to get the water out of the tank and into the sump/filter below the tank without actually having to physically pump the water out. It is basically the filter intake for the filtration system. There are many designs of overflow boxes, and systems in use out there, but I wanted to design one that accomplishes the following.

1) No drilling required. There are lots of systems that requires drilling into the side or bottom of the tank.

2) Intakes (where the water gets sucked into the filter system) must be towards the middle - bottom of the water depth in the tank. This is to get all the poop and heavier debris floating at mid or bottom level. (in most overflow boxes, only the water towards the top of the waterline gets sucked into the filter)

3) Even if the pump stops (power outage), there will be no siphoning of the water out of the tank and into the sump.

So far, there are not too many designs out there (that i have come across) that accomplish all 3 at the same time. So i went ahead and designed my own.

Hope i wasn't too confusing there..

Wolfbane and Dirk: Thanks for your input.... i'm seriously considering shelving the planted discus tank and doing a planted Altum tank instead.

Marc

[fatcat777]

I have a lot of lava rock in my african cichlid tank and they regularly get injured on the rocks. They don't freak out and fly across the tank like discus. I would'nt trust my discus in a tank of lava rock.

When i do a tank tear down and remove the lava rock you won't belive how much crap stays in there. The rock is so pourous it holds so much poop and scum. On a brighter note the tank looks really nice. :)

jason

[jeep]

Sorry, but I agree with Jason. I would think the rock would be a haven for all the nasties we don't want in a discus tank...

[peleg38]

I also think the lava rock will be dangerous for your discus. My other concern is the long term stability of your back wall (looks like glass) with the weight of all that rock attached to it.

[nacra99]

Thanks peleg for the comments.

yeah.. that's what i thought too.. about not putting discus in there. Unfortunatly i only realized that after sticking hundreds of rocks on there. I have hence decided to put altum's in there instead.

Lava rock is actually surprizingly light. And with all the little pockets of air trapped within it's structure, some of them are actually buoyant enough to float. I'm not too sure if it will affect the structural stability of the tank, but i'll definitely monitor the seams more frequently to make sure that things are good. I actually got the idea from an lfs who did all his tanks this way. His store is stunningly beautiful (all his tanks are heavily planted). He hasn't had a structural problem due to the rocks yet... so i'm also going to keep my fingers crossed:undecided

Oh... and nice tank you got there!! :D. Love those red spotted amazon swords... but i haven't had too much luck with them with the inadequate lighting that i have.

cheers
Marc

[KIWI13]

this might be a little late to suggest, but why didnt you stick the rocks on the outside pane ?? as in on the rear wall but instead of them being inside the tank they would be outside like any background. You would hardly notice the superglue too and then you would have little to no worries about dirt and damage...

JMO

Jas ;)

[nacra99]

Jas... .. that's a pretty good idea ... :thumbsup:

my only reaction to that is....

DOH!!!!!:inquisiti... *slaps self on forehead*

aw well... maybe next time..


marc

[KIWI13]

LOL Marc,

you know I have read this post when you first posted it and it was only today that I myself figured out this option. LOL

But maybe you can try something else, how about putting in another sheet of glass in front of the rocks that have been glued to the back pane and then glue in this glass so you will create a sandwich between the rocks and the 2 sheets of glass. Isolating the rocks from water and giving you that amazing backdrop without scratching a single discus. I am sure this can work.

Let me know what you think

Jas

[nacra99]

Jas,
That's a pretty good suggestion too... but if you noticed the back corners of my tank are curved outward in order to accomodate the overflow system, so it might be pretty difficult to do at this stage.

It's okay... i'm actually getting pretty psyched about my new altum tank. Breeding altums is tantamount to the holy grail of the aquarium world (next to breeding heckels of course :D)... so i'm actually pretty excited to see if i can get the "altum breeding program" to work.:)

Cheers
marc

[Alight]

My biggest concern would be with the algae and mold that might grow on the lava rocks. How to clean it? A host of SAE's, BN plecos and otos might help, but if spot algae and black beard algae get going, could be tough.

I have a partial rock wall of granite, that is a bit rough in my planted Discus tank, and have no more problems with injury than in my bare bottom tanks with upside down flower pots.

The fish seem to learn what they can and can't do.

It could be that the heavily planted tank calms them a bit so they rarely do the startle and bump thing that those in the bare bottom tanks do.

[dirk50merc]

Marc, Let me know when you have success with your altum program I'll make tank space in my angel program asap LOL. Can't blaim you for being psyched about it. Post lots of pictures, and good luck with it.

I really will take some of your hands when you get some fry :o

Dirk