keeping "burrowers" where you want them......

[segraves1]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"#ed_cl#I am sure I'm not the only person who has bought a species of the "burrowing" persuasion, only to have it decide it's home should be in the back of the tank where it will never be seen.................#ed_op#?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /#ed_cl##ed_op#o:p#ed_cl##ed_op#/o:p#ed_cl##ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"#ed_cl##ed_op#o:p#ed_cl##ed_op#/o:p#ed_cl##ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"#ed_cl#well..............so I figured out a solution.............make a "plate" to prevent any burrowing in unwanted areas.......#ed_op#o:p#ed_cl##ed_op#/o:p#ed_cl##ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"#ed_cl##ed_op#o:p#ed_cl##ed_op#/o:p#ed_cl##ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"#ed_cl#so what I did:#ed_op#o:p#ed_cl##ed_op#/o:p#ed_cl##ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"#ed_cl##ed_op#o:p#ed_cl##ed_op#/o:p#ed_cl##ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"#ed_cl#today I went to the hardware store and got a $2 piece of 1/16" plexi glass (cut to19" X 6" to fit in my 10gal is 20" X 10" thus "covering" 2/3s of the substrate and leaving the front 1/3 open.....), brought it home, marked it in the general "shape" of the rock works "caves", and then put it about 1/8" into the substrate (in other words, I laid the plexi down and put a light layer of crushed coral over it).......#ed_op#o:p#ed_cl##ed_op#/o:p#ed_cl##ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"#ed_cl##ed_op#o:p#ed_cl##ed_op#/o:p#ed_cl##ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"#ed_cl#results.....well it has been 4 hours and what a surprise, everyone is making their burrows in the front of the tank........they can still burrow all the way to the back of the tank but just can't come "up"...... #ed_op#IMG src="http://www.captivereefing.com/richedit/smileys/Happy/2.gif"#ed_cl##ed_op#o:p#ed_cl##ed_op#/o:p#ed_cl##ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"#ed_cl#now the only problem I could think of is that the entire back 2/3s of the sand are now pretty much "anaerobic" but the way I see it, any sand that would be under rock work is "anaerobic" so no difference......#ed_op#o:p#ed_cl##ed_op#/o:p#ed_cl##ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[graphixx]

huh, that is one approach i have never seen, I will give you points for creativity. I am not sure the affects it will have on your biological filtration. I would keep an eye on your parameters for the next week or so just to make sure. you are affecting the health of the sand which is an important part of your tank. Keep us posted on this if it has any ill effects on your tank.
But its an original idea.

[segraves1]

huh, that is one approach i have never seen, I will give you points for creativity. I am not sure the affects it will have on your biological filtration. I would keep an eye on your parameters for the next week or so just to make sure. you are affecting the health of the sand which is an important part of your tank. Keep us posted on this if it has any ill effects on your tank. #ed_op#BR#ed_cl#But its an original idea.

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#didn't think about that......hmmmm.....yeah I'll have to watch things for the next few weeks........I would think if anything the system would just need to rebalance its self, though I plan to put a hang on refugium on the tank anyways (built it today......needs a day or two so the silicon can dry.....)#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[graphixx]

awesome. just keep up posted. I hope it works out

[perpetual98]

I think a better idea would be that plastic screen. Think of the old-school strawberry containers. It would prevent digging, and also allow the sand bed to 'breathe"

[segraves1]

I think a better idea would be that plastic screen. Think of the old-school strawberry containers. It would prevent digging, and also allow the sand bed to 'breathe"

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I throught about drilling a bunch of really small holes in the plexi to do that.........just have to decide if I want to take it all back out again...... #ed_op#IMG src="http://www.captivereefing.com/richedit/smileys/Sad/4.gif"#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[graphixx]

that is wht I ws thinking also is to drill some holes in it. that way your are getting some flow in there. I know that would make me sleep a little better at night if it were my tank. but I am sure taking it out again would be kind of a pain

[segraves1]

I probubly will do it......just have to do it...........blahhhhhh

[graphixx]

chin up buddy!!! it could be worse better than crashing the tank especially with a 10 gallon your parameters can swing quick

[segraves1]

well.......that didn't work like I thought it would.....turns out the fish were smarter than me........they just dug around the plexi but still exited in the back....LOL.....

I was going to try some different ideas but broke the plexi while drilling holes.......so....I'm back to nothing........guess I'll look around for some stainless screen.......

oh well.....