DIY Frag Rack

[returnofsid]

Well after attending the Spokane Reef Society meeting the other day at Tracy's, I came home with more corals than I had room for...lol. Not really...but close. SOooo, I did a quick search on DIY frag racks and came up with a cheap, 10 minute project. I cut some egg crate to the size I wanted, got out my tube of superglue and glued a Mag Float to it. I then let it cure for about 5 minutes, put it in the tank and 10 minutes later, started loading it up!!
Think next time, I'll fill the empty squares where the magnet will cover with epoxy so there's more surface to glue to. Other than that, works great!! Here's a couple pics. I've forgot how to post the pics directly to the thread...sorry.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mlhamilton/2900131444/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mlhamilton/2899289137/

 

[morgan]

nice have looked at my broken tunze mags and thought about doing that

 

[busdriver]

That is a good idea...
I think i'll try that!

 

[returnofsid]

Yeah, it was very simple. I think I'm going to build a couple more this week actually. Probably a little smaller though so they can go in a different area of my tank.

 

[surf_buddy]

I use that RepaititQuick puty (from my LFS) on my frag DIY frag racks, but now that I'm seeing Mighty Puty at the local Bartels for 9.99 which is twice as much from half the cost. I wonder if it's reef safe like RepaititQuick? I'll start a new post for that.

 

[busdriver]

miliput or aquascape from DD-aquarims worx GREAT!!!
2 pound 50 for gary miliput or 3 pound 99 for coriline coloured aquascape!-)

 

[poakley723]

I have one that i used some Neo magnets and hot glue to make! Works great!

 

[freetareef]

thats pretty cool!!! ya think it would hold if ya filled it full of sps?

 

[returnofsid]

Freetareef, it's basically full now. Have added quite a few frags since posting pics. I've fragged some of my own corals and placed them on there. It's not that every square is full, but it's full enough that corals are all almost touching eachother. It's holding up fine.

 

[freetareef]

right on i'll coopy this to my favs!!! nice job!!!

 

[returnofsid]

It was a pretty quick and dirty build...lol. Was just looking for something to make quick to make room in the tank. It's not pretty, but functional and cheap.

 

[ErikAnderson]

i bought a tube of "Curiousily strong magnets" from thinkgeek.com.
not only are they the strongest magnets you have ever seen for the size, but you get a tube of like 50 of them.

I made a rack similiar to that but with a back board that rests on the glass, and side boards that i can use to mount on the side glass as well (one on each side, if i choose to move it across the tank.) the rack is 9 inches long by 4 inches deep.

I then took three reef plugs and glued three of these super small but impossibly strong magnets to them. These magnets are so strong that the biggest ones (about half the size of a penny) force you to really buckle down in order to pull them apart.

After that it was a simple task of gluing the plugs in to the egg crate and then setting it in to place. i have two magnets holding up the backerboard (where your mag float is), and one magnet on the side where its mounted against the side wall of the tank. Currently have 8 or so frags resting on it with no sign of slippage.

 

[returnofsid]

Erik, any chance of pics??? I'll check out thinkgeek and see if I can find them? Found them. Did you worry about them being plated in Nickel? Did you coat them with anything?

 

[ErikAnderson]

should i be worried about them plated in nickel? if so i can coat them with wax.

i am up in bc for a day or so, so no picks as of now. I have the rack full with over 20 frags right now and its still holding up by its three little magnets. Those puppies are strong.

 

[tat2z_21]

Up in BC bring me back some of that good stuff.

 

[tat2z_21]

I mean fish of course!

 

[returnofsid]

Alrighty then....to get back on track, Erik, I'm unsure about the nickel. I think I'd be a little concerned about it. In this thread, we've talked about some of the neo magnets that are coated. On a side note, but still related, I just purchased some of these to try out
http://cgi.ebay.com/4-MAGNETIC-FRAG...14&_trkparms=72:1205|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318

WAY IMPRESSED. I'll post up some pics when I actually put them to use.

 

[mfinn]

I made some new frag racks using the 1"x1/2" epoxy coated neodyium magnets.
I found I needed a little more holding power than I had with the ones I made using
1"x2"x1/2" ceramic magnets. Plus the expoxy glue I used to glue the magnets to the eggcrate let go.

 

[returnofsid]

1"X1/2" or X 3/8" is probably the route I'll go too. I'll also get the epoxy coated ones. I really just need to get them ordered and get on with it...lol.

 

[mfinn]

I decided to go with the thicker 1/2" magnets on the inside. The holding power jumps pretty good and it's only 1/8th" difference.
However, on the outside I'm going with a little thinner, when I have to use these frag racks on the front glass where it's visable.

The square magnets that fit inside the eggcrate squares is also a slick idea.