Aquascaping GLUE and some "gluing" tips for your rocks!

Did you use an adhesive to create your aquascape?

  • YES (tell us in the thread)

    Votes: 185 46.7%
  • NO I just stacked them

    Votes: 186 47.0%
  • NO I used acrylic rods

    Votes: 13 3.3%
  • Other (tell us in the thread)

    Votes: 12 3.0%

  • Total voters
    396

tbrown

Nominated Cronie Intern - Might be failing?
View Badges
Joined
Nov 22, 2019
Messages
49,914
Reaction score
107,087
Location
Peoria, AZ
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
pvc.
two part.
no rock.
IMG_0463.jpg
scape.jpg
I like it!
 

F i s h y

2nd In Command. Where is Frank's firebug badge?
View Badges
Joined
Jan 28, 2020
Messages
9,753
Reaction score
59,468
Location
Indiana
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
This is the start of my new 6ft tank scape.
@Glue Masters thin , argonite sand and crushed rock powder. When done right the rock breaks before the bond.
276511.jpeg


Here are a couple others I've built.
20210702_214253.jpg
20210703_013349.jpg
20210703_013549.jpg


Here is my lagoon scape all growing in. 6 months. For this one I used same method with wet cured rock. Took a little more time but still works.
20210701_204537.jpg
20210701_204540.jpg
20210701_204545.jpg
20210701_204548.jpg
20210701_204543.jpg
 

Susan Edwards

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 28, 2016
Messages
5,462
Reaction score
7,004
Location
Tracy, California
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I'm just finishing up a scape for a 240. I used the BRS thin superglue and accelerator to tack the rocks, then used Reef Welder which is a plastic epoxy glue (2 colored beads you mix). The epoxy failed a few times--either it cooled too much or did not have a good mix of beads. I have 1 31 lb structure that is rock (haha) solid. Another structure that will be put in the tank in pieces--I marked corners with a perm. marker and glued 2 tiny bits of rubble to show where another point had to line up.

My center piece, a caribsea xl arch (24") will have Real Reef branches. For this one, after welding, I will use marco e400 as the epoxy can't get a solid hold. But the epoxy works great where branch tips broke and I welded back on and wrapped epoxy around like a big band-aid.

This is approximate the landscape with some slight changes to the left and not the red rock next to the center. Made a better zoa garden with rock and branch
20210703_224113.jpg
 

Cool tangs

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 16, 2021
Messages
237
Reaction score
348
Location
Aus
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I built a rock that plates up and once i layed out my scape i glued down with seachem coralcrete. I found early i didnt use enough, so use lots! If you want a very stable hold that is.

20210109_160420.jpg

I try to invision the whole picture and not get court up in the rock structure otherwise, personally im never happy with just rock
 

Appoloreefer

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
May 26, 2021
Messages
167
Reaction score
139
Location
Spring Hill, FL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Some may hate me for this but here goes...
I just did my very first glued aquascape and I'm rather pleased with results. I went on the recommended glue sites and had my order all set to be placed and then it occurred to me "cyanoacrylate" the Dollar tree down the road sells that stuff. What to lose? So sent my daughter, (poor child) and began my project. I love the Tidal Garden videos, so instructive and he takes his time showing you how to actually do stuff without selling you the bridge. Anyway first thing I learned was don't use the Gel. Buy the runny fast drying stuff. KEY is to create a powder with the crushed sand left from smashing the rocks into smaller usable pieces and toss it at the joint spots then add a few drops of glue. It joins immediately. Almost like Acrylic solvent. It isn't super strong but it holds. Here's my logic. I need to get it from where I'm building to the spot in the tank where it will stay indefinitely. So the most stressful part will be the move and avoiding it to break? Well that worked for me. I built several pieces and put them all together in the tank to appear as one. So far so good. So $12.00 in Dollar Store glue later. This is my result.
I use the Dollar Tree Gel Glue all the time and it really works.
 

alain Bouchard

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 13, 2019
Messages
418
Reaction score
710
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I can't believe how little people use acrylic rods? You can literally build a solid as hell, dismantlable Lego aquascape without any glue. I plan to make a Pico reef using the Acrylic rod method very soon and will post a Build thread :)
that is how I build my scape, and I am not little. But I believe it is because it requires more work to build, as you have to drill holes in the rock to fit your rod. But once done, It wont budge with strong waves, and is easy to remove when needed
 

Crotalus

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 20, 2019
Messages
143
Reaction score
147
Location
Dallas
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I used Nyos mortar to hold the rocks together. It takes a little experimentation to get the mix right, but it sets up fast and hard.
 

Spicy Reef

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
May 22, 2021
Messages
723
Reaction score
1,413
Location
Seattle
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I used plenty of adhesive :cool:

Oh, I used

MITREAPEL Super CA Glue​

to get a few "spot welds" then follow up with e-marco mortar to make it more permanent...
In hindsight I should have just used portland cement for the second part. It takes about a month to cure but Look how long it's taking me to do this darn aquascape!!! lol
 

Being sticky and staying connected: Have you used any reef-safe glue?

  • I have used reef safe glue.

    Votes: 83 87.4%
  • I haven’t used reef safe glue, but plan to in the future.

    Votes: 6 6.3%
  • I have no interest in using reef safe glue.

    Votes: 3 3.2%
  • Other.

    Votes: 3 3.2%
Back
Top