Barnacles on Center Overflow idea

[CincyReefer07]

Have any of you guys ever tried attaching barnacles to your overflow? I’m considering ordering a number of small groups of barnacles and glueing them with frag glue to my center overflow. I wanted to try to hide and make my overflow feel much more natural, as I went with a blue background on my tank because I felt that was a more natural look, but then the center overflow is black and so sticks out like a sore thumb. I know a lot of folks will go the GSP route on overflows or backwalls, but wondering if anyone has tried doing this.
Will it attach okay to the overflow with some coral frag glue? I figure may make for some good homes for some smaller fish I may keep as well, any thoughts??

 

[Bucs20fan]

It will attach, similar to a porous frag plug, My only caution would be those are going to be razor sharp, and youll have to be very careful doing maintenance or trying to net a fish out. If you plan to have larger fish they could seriously injure themselves on them, buttttt it would look awesome for sure.

 

[blaxsun]

^ This. They're not bad lying loose in the tank, as if you bump them they just tip over. But glued, well... lookup "keelhauling".

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Very creative. Nice idea!

 

[dennis romano]

I have tried several times with not much luck in my NPS heavy tank. They do not get enough food to do well.

 

[Bucs20fan]

I have tried several times with not much luck in my NPS heavy tank. They do not get enough food to do well.

Talking about buying dead barnacles and using them as decor I believe.

 

[CincyReefer07]

I have tried several times with not much luck in my NPS heavy tank. They do not get enough food to do well.

Not live, dead. With the idea of using them attached to center overflow to hide the overflow in a more natural look

 

[Bucs20fan]

Personally Id grow GSP or wait for coralline to take it over, but we all know this will take time. What your looking at doing will obviously work and will look awesome. The only drawback is how dangerous barnacles are for you and for your fish.

 

[taulgrl]

I love this idea and have the same challenge w my overflow. Did you do it? Curious how it looks

 

[CincyReefer07]

I love this idea and have the same challenge w my overflow. Did you do it? Curious how it looks

I haven’t done it yet, as I’ve been more so focused on getting the rest of my equipment and all the little things finished up on my build. But I was at my LFS today and was talking to them about it, and after discussing it more with them, i plan on going ahead with this idea. So in the next week or two I’ll be attaching the clusters of barnacles I have to my overflow using coral frag glue. If I end up not liking it or doesn’t work out for whatever reason, can always remove it and just let coraline cover the overflow or attach gsp or something instead. Coral glue is easy enough to get to separate if I want to take it off the overflow later on, I just won’t use massive amounts of it to attach them. But I think it will add a cool realistic look to it as well as give additional homes to any smaller fish such as basslets, blennies, etc.