Aquascaping/Rock/Glue Questions

KarenLR75 · 01/02/2018, 09:46 PM

I'm not the aqua-scaper of our tank so I have a very stupid question(s) to ask...what do most of you use to glue rock work together...super glue?

Also, despite what you use, have you had INCREDIBLE difficulty trying to AUGMENT your aqua-scape once you've filled your tank and then realized you need to create move caves/hidey-holes?

My logical side says "of course it's more difficult as initial 'scape' was done and 'cured' together in a dry tank until we added water. We had no livestock nor sand in the tank to worry about when we re-positioned something.

We could pull the rocks out of the tank in order to 'line up' anything we wanted to add in terms of height, stackability, fit, etc.

I've heard of others having a bit of struggle trying to create caves/hidey holes after the fact and was wondering if there were any tips that helped you in this situation. I do think we need to let new pieces 'cure/dry' longer than 30 minutes but I honestly don't remember.

RobZilla04 · 01/03/2018, 08:34 AM

Try searching reef putty. You can use those products to connect Rock work together. Of course it's difficult to adjust once the tank is running but that doesn't mean it's impossible. You just have to be careful.

hijinks · 01/03/2018, 08:39 AM

My advice is search images and find a look you like and try to emulate it. As for rock work a lot of the people that do the really nice rock work use a 2 part marine epoxy and they drill the rock and insert like acrylic rod with epoxy to hold the rock together.

Uncle99 · 01/03/2018, 09:07 AM

I think putty works the best but I never glue my rock work together.
This is because I sometimes needs to take it apart or move the rocks somewhat.
I stack my rock work at the store starting with the biggies on the bottom until I have a general picture. I sometimes use Very small bit of putty to glue the small rocks but only when needed.

Diana A · 01/03/2018, 09:13 AM

Try Aquaforest Stone Fix. I have Walt Smith Reef Rock which is extremely dense....heavy. I created hang-overs by using this product.

top shelf · 01/03/2018, 10:12 AM

I used and really like the aquamaxx reef welder. There little plastic pellets that you can heat up in water and use like a putty. It doesn't permanently fix the rocks together like a glue or epoxy would so you can always change it later without a lot of hassle and can be used on a running system without affecting your skimmer either. If you don't like your scape or need to rearrange just heat the putty back up and try again.

tkeracer619 · 01/03/2018, 10:20 AM

Personally I never have used anything to glue the rock together. Unless you are doing some extravagant archways I feel it is more of a hassle than anything. Both setting up and tearing down if there is an issue.

It is very difficult to remove fish in an emergency if you cannot pull the rock out of the tank.

I start aquascaping by finding my base rocks, then I cut the bottoms flat with a hacksaw. These go directly on the bottom of the tank. After that I make sure each rock placed is stable and will not move. Sand is added last.

der_wille_zur_macht · 01/03/2018, 10:51 AM

Superglue works well for small rock rubble and frags. Epoxy putty for bugger rock.

You can also drill holes in rock (with a concrete bit) and insert acrylic rods to help give you something to lock the rock together.

It's as much an art as a science. Knowing the techniques helps but ultimately you just have to get creative and/or accept the limited ways your given rocks will stack.

stonedage · 01/06/2018, 01:21 AM

Fiji Crete. Best you can find for building reef forms out of rock.

01/02/2018, 09:46 PM	#1
KarenLR75 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 139	Aquascaping/Rock/Glue Questions I'm not the aqua-scaper of our tank so I have a very stupid question(s) to ask...what do most of you use to glue rock work together...super glue? Also, despite what you use, have you had INCREDIBLE difficulty trying to AUGMENT your aqua-scape once you've filled your tank and then realized you need to create move caves/hidey-holes? My logical side says "of course it's more difficult as initial 'scape' was done and 'cured' together in a dry tank until we added water. We had no livestock nor sand in the tank to worry about when we re-positioned something. We could pull the rocks out of the tank in order to 'line up' anything we wanted to add in terms of height, stackability, fit, etc. I've heard of others having a bit of struggle trying to create caves/hidey holes after the fact and was wondering if there were any tips that helped you in this situation. I do think we need to let new pieces 'cure/dry' longer than 30 minutes but I honestly don't remember. Last edited by KarenLR75; 01/06/2018 at 08:30 PM. Reason: worded sentence incorrectly

01/03/2018, 08:34 AM	#2
RobZilla04 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: St. Augustine, FL Posts: 1,857	Try searching reef putty. You can use those products to connect Rock work together. Of course it's difficult to adjust once the tank is running but that doesn't mean it's impossible. You just have to be careful. __________________ 90g Mixed Reef

01/03/2018, 09:13 AM	#5
Diana A Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 656	Try Aquaforest Stone Fix. I have Walt Smith Reef Rock which is extremely dense....heavy. I created hang-overs by using this product. __________________ diana Current Tank Info: 60g SPS started May 2014 bare bottom.

01/03/2018, 10:12 AM	#6
top shelf Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 997	I used and really like the aquamaxx reef welder. There little plastic pellets that you can heat up in water and use like a putty. It doesn't permanently fix the rocks together like a glue or epoxy would so you can always change it later without a lot of hassle and can be used on a running system without affecting your skimmer either. If you don't like your scape or need to rearrange just heat the putty back up and try again. __________________ Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it into a fruit salad. Philosophy is wondering if that means ketchup is a smoothie. Current tank info: 45g SCA Cube

01/03/2018, 10:20 AM	#7
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,127	Personally I never have used anything to glue the rock together. Unless you are doing some extravagant archways I feel it is more of a hassle than anything. Both setting up and tearing down if there is an issue. It is very difficult to remove fish in an emergency if you cannot pull the rock out of the tank. I start aquascaping by finding my base rocks, then I cut the bottoms flat with a hacksaw. These go directly on the bottom of the tank. After that I make sure each rock placed is stable and will not move. Sand is added last. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

01/03/2018, 08:39 AM	#3
hijinks Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 518	My advice is search images and find a look you like and try to emulate it. As for rock work a lot of the people that do the really nice rock work use a 2 part marine epoxy and they drill the rock and insert like acrylic rod with epoxy to hold the rock together.

01/03/2018, 09:07 AM	#4
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,031	I think putty works the best but I never glue my rock work together. This is because I sometimes needs to take it apart or move the rocks somewhat. I stack my rock work at the store starting with the biggies on the bottom until I have a general picture. I sometimes use Very small bit of putty to glue the small rocks but only when needed.

01/03/2018, 10:51 AM	#8
der_wille_zur_macht Team RC Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NY Posts: 17,750	Superglue works well for small rock rubble and frags. Epoxy putty for bugger rock. You can also drill holes in rock (with a concrete bit) and insert acrylic rods to help give you something to lock the rock together. It's as much an art as a science. Knowing the techniques helps but ultimately you just have to get creative and/or accept the limited ways your given rocks will stack. __________________ Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman)

01/06/2018, 01:21 AM	#9
stonedage Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: ontario canada Posts: 136	Fiji Crete. Best you can find for building reef forms out of rock.