Capillary Bond Aquascaping

[SoWhatNow]

This is something i developed when creating my HNSA.

What You Need:

• Clean cigarette filters (unused, unflavoured)
• Cyanoacrylate (CA) glue (thin type works best — it wicks fast!)
• Marco rock or similar porous reef-safe rock
• Rock dust or crushed aragonite
• Shaping tool (e.g., blunt probe, forceps, or skewer)
• Gloves (you'll thank me)

Step-by-Step:

1. Dry Fit Your Rocks:
   Line up the rocks the way you want them. Think LEGO but cooler.
2. Insert the Filter (Core):
   Tuck the filter into a crevice or gap between the rocks. Push it in so it makes contact with both sides. This acts as a structural core.
3. Shape and Splay (Optional):
   Use a blunt tool to force filter bits deeper into cracks, or to splay the filter ends into rock texture. This improves contact and surface area.
4. Add the Thin CA Glue:
   Soak the filter with thin glue. Let it wick through — don’t smear it. The glue flows deep into the filter and surrounding rock pores, fusing them like rebar.

4.5. Note on Vapor and Heat:
When the glue soaks into the filter and rock, it may release a small puff of white vapor and generate mild heat. This is normal — it's the glue curing rapidly through a chemical reaction (polymerisation).
Don't breathe it in directly and always work in a ventilated area. The vapor is harmless in small amounts but irritating to mucous membranes.
If it smokes visibly, you're doing it right — just let it flash off and proceed.

1. Hold or Brace:
   Hold the rocks in place for 30–60 seconds, or use gravity/bracing. Once set, it's rock-solid.
2. Gap Infill (Mortar Mode):
   Use trimmed filter bits to fill any seams or voids. Soak again with thin CA to lock everything in — this acts as structural mortar.
3. Dust Covering:
   Immediately after applying glue, sprinkle dry rock dust or crushed aragonite over the bond. This masks the join visually and improves textural blending with surrounding rock.
4. Cure & Check:
   After a few minutes it’ll set like stone. Let it cure fully (15–30 minutes) before stacking more.

Why It's Stronger Than Cement:

• The glue penetrates the filter and the rock
• The filter acts as both core and mortar
• Break tests show rock fractures before the bond fails

Tips:

• Only use dry rock
• Excellent for vertical joins, cantilevers, floating shelves
• Filters can be trimmed or layered for custom fits
• Dust makes your joins nearly invisible — pro-level finish
• Shaping tools give you control and precision for cleaner fits

 

[KrisReef]

This is something i developed when creating my HNSA.

What You Need:

• Clean cigarette filters (unused, unflavoured)
• Cyanoacrylate (CA) glue (thin type works best — it wicks fast!)
• Marco rock or similar porous reef-safe rock
• Rock dust or crushed aragonite
• Shaping tool (e.g., blunt probe, forceps, or skewer)
• Gloves (you'll thank me)

Step-by-Step:

1. Dry Fit Your Rocks:
   Line up the rocks the way you want them. Think LEGO but cooler.
2. Insert the Filter (Core):
   Tuck the filter into a crevice or gap between the rocks. Push it in so it makes contact with both sides. This acts as a structural core.
3. Shape and Splay (Optional):
   Use a blunt tool to force filter bits deeper into cracks, or to splay the filter ends into rock texture. This improves contact and surface area.
4. Add the Thin CA Glue:
   Soak the filter with thin glue. Let it wick through — don’t smear it. The glue flows deep into the filter and surrounding rock pores, fusing them like rebar.

4.5. Note on Vapor and Heat:
When the glue soaks into the filter and rock, it may release a small puff of white vapor and generate mild heat. This is normal — it's the glue curing rapidly through a chemical reaction (polymerisation).
Don't breathe it in directly and always work in a ventilated area. The vapor is harmless in small amounts but irritating to mucous membranes.
If it smokes visibly, you're doing it right — just let it flash off and proceed.

1. Hold or Brace:
   Hold the rocks in place for 30–60 seconds, or use gravity/bracing. Once set, it's rock-solid.
2. Gap Infill (Mortar Mode):
   Use trimmed filter bits to fill any seams or voids. Soak again with thin CA to lock everything in — this acts as structural mortar.
3. Dust Covering:
   Immediately after applying glue, sprinkle dry rock dust or crushed aragonite over the bond. This masks the join visually and improves textural blending with surrounding rock.
4. Cure & Check:
   After a few minutes it’ll set like stone. Let it cure fully (15–30 minutes) before stacking more.

Why It's Stronger Than Cement:

• The glue penetrates the filter and the rock
• The filter acts as both core and mortar
• Break tests show rock fractures before the bond fails

Tips:

• Only use dry rock
• Excellent for vertical joins, cantilevers, floating shelves
• Filters can be trimmed or layered for custom fits
• Dust makes your joins nearly invisible — pro-level finish
• Shaping tools give you control and precision for cleaner fits

Very neat!

Added benefit for the nic addict in me, I can still smoke the cig after the filter has been removed~!


Thanks for publishing this novel technique.

 

[bluemon]

Ive seen similar things being done with cotton and CA glue in freshwater, never thought to do with cigarette filter.

Definitely lower effort and cheaper than acrylic rods.

Will try the next time I set up a new tank!

 

[SoWhatNow]

Literally rock solid, i was doing BRS randys tests on them last week as a pre curing check, i knew they were solid, i shook one so vigourouly the rock snapped. The join was fine. I have the scabs on my shins still to prove it lol.

Very neat!

Added benefit for the nic addict in me, I can still smoke the cig after the filter has been removed~!


Thanks for publishing this novel technique.

You can buy just the filters. Popular European brand is zigzag. Just make sure the paper layer is removed.

Ive seen similar things being done with cotton and CA glue in freshwater, never thought to do with cigarette filter.

Definitely lower effort and cheaper than acrylic rods.

Will try the next time I set up a new tank!

I wouldn't even consider cotton tbh, its not inert and might burst into flames from the reaction (seriously)

I'll do a demo at some point so folks can have confidence in its efficacy.

 

[SoWhatNow]

 

[xiaoxiy]

Bold of you to say you developed this.

Also why not just directly use dust sand/rock dust, add glue and skip the filter step?


People were doing this 4 years ago. See video below from Tidal Gardens from 2020.

 

[SoWhatNow]

Bold of you to say you developed this.

Also why not just directly use dust sand/rock dust, add glue and skip the filter step?


People were doing this 4 years ago. See video below from Tidal Gardens from 2020.

Bold of you to reply in such a manner without comprehending whats going on and unique.

Where in that vid is the use of cellulose acetate piles? Nowhere.

Do you understand that this is a process of polymerisation between the cellulose acetate, cyanoacrylate and aragonite?

The 'filters' become actual support beams, embedded in the rock, they are the rock. This isnt sticking bits together and sprinkling dust, theyre structural.

 

[SoWhatNow]

Think Carbon Fibre.

 

[xiaoxiy]

Bold of you to reply in such a manner without comprehending whats going on and unique.

Where in that vid is the use of cellulose acetate piles? Nowhere.

Do you understand that this is a process of polymerisation between the cellulose acetate, cyanoacrylate and aragonite?

The 'filters' become actual support beams, embedded in the rock, they are the rock. This isnt sticking bits together and sprinkling dust, theyre structural.

Sand/dust and glue creates enough of a strong bond that it will outlast the rock work in terms of durability. I can tell you that from personal experience.


The “cross-polymerization” with filter fiber is redundant and not needed. I don’t even think it truly is a chemical polymerization in the sense of the definition of polymerization from a chemical reaction perspective. Maybe @Randy Holmes-Farley can chime in.

Similar to your dynamic light idea, you seem to be repurposing existing techniques/ideas, putting them in AI, and claiming it to be your own “developments”.

 

[KrisReef]

@revhtree

I think you should try building your new reef scape using this technique, first published on this obscure website.

Get started with this today!

 

[Griev]

Bold of you to say you developed this.

Also why not just directly use dust sand/rock dust, add glue and skip the filter step?


People were doing this 4 years ago. See video below from Tidal Gardens from 2020.

I set up my aquascape with this method of using glue with dust/sand to set shapes then strengthening with mortar. The super glue took a while to set enough to move to the next rock and it was a relatively brittle and weak bond until the mortar was added and could set.

The method being shared here would offer two key improvements;
1) Set time is way faster, near instant. So less time sitting there holding a rock waiting on the glue to set.
2) Stronger bond. Sounds like mortar isn't required, only if you cosmetically want it.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[SoWhatNow]

Sand/dust and glue creates enough of a strong bond that it will outlast the rock work in terms of durability. The “cross-polymerization” is redundant and not needed. I can tell you that from personal experience.

Similar to your dynamic light idea, you seem to be repurposing existing techniques/ideas, putting them in AI, and claiming it to be your own “developments”.

Seem to be upset so casting aspersions. goto the AI thread, this was purposefully posted with people knowing that the scape is old, this process I created stems from then, i literally did this to prove NOT AI.

So what do you do? Attempt to 'other' as discussed in said thread.

 

[xiaoxiy]

I set up my aquascape with this method of using glue with dust/sand to set shapes then strengthening with mortar. The super glue took a while to set enough to move to the next rock and it was a relatively brittle and weak bond until the mortar was added and could set.

The method being shared here would offer two key improvements;
1) Set time is way faster, near instant. So less time sitting there holding a rock waiting on the glue to set.
2) Stronger bond. Sounds like mortar isn't required, only if you cosmetically want it.

Thanks for sharing!

When I did this technique 3 years ago for my current aquascape with gluemasters 005c glue and Marco dust, the bond was within 20 seconds and was stronger than the rock work itself. The filter and mortar isn’t needed if you use right glue with right consistency.

 

[KrisReef]

Seem to be upset so casting aspersions. goto the AI thread, this was purposefully posted with people knowing that the scape is old, this process I created stems from then, i literally did this to prove NOT AI.

So what do you do? Attempt to 'other' as discussed in said thread.

I’m going to call in @tbrown for moderation, fellahs.

Let’s celebrate the rock forest and skip over debate regarding the trees being aragonite

Peace etc

 

[Griev]

When I did this technique 3 years ago for my current aquascape with gluemasters 005c glue and Marco dust, the bond was within 20 seconds and was stronger than the rock work itself. The filter and mortar isn’t needed if you use right glue with right consistency.

Many ways to skin a cat. Our friend here shared one that doesn't require any more specialized materials.

I certainly believe you on the set time, but that's largely due to the same capillary effect happening with the dust and thinned glue. I disagree on the strength. In my tests glue and dust was not strong enough for me to be comfortable doing large overhangs. Only once the mortar was set was it strong enough for my liking, but I also went pretty extreme with my shapes. I probably wouldn't trust this method by itself either, to be honest.

 

[SoWhatNow]

I set up my aquascape with this method of using glue with dust/sand to set shapes then strengthening with mortar. The super glue took a while to set enough to move to the next rock and it was a relatively brittle and weak bond until the mortar was added and could set.

The method being shared here would offer two key improvements;
1) Set time is way faster, near instant. So less time sitting there holding a rock waiting on the glue to set.
2) Stronger bond. Sounds like mortar isn't required, only if you cosmetically want it.

Thanks for sharing!

I did the same and realised the bond was not good, and due to having a penchant for carbon fibre EMTBs i started looking for fibrous options, which became this method.

i do things a bit different, this is one of my diy ebikes.

 

[Dread Pirate Dave]

This is something i developed when creating my HNSA.

What You Need:

• Clean cigarette filters (unused, unflavoured)
• Cyanoacrylate (CA) glue (thin type works best — it wicks fast!)
• Marco rock or similar porous reef-safe rock
• Rock dust or crushed aragonite
• Shaping tool (e.g., blunt probe, forceps, or skewer)
• Gloves (you'll thank me)

Step-by-Step:

1. Dry Fit Your Rocks:
   Line up the rocks the way you want them. Think LEGO but cooler.
2. Insert the Filter (Core):
   Tuck the filter into a crevice or gap between the rocks. Push it in so it makes contact with both sides. This acts as a structural core.
3. Shape and Splay (Optional):
   Use a blunt tool to force filter bits deeper into cracks, or to splay the filter ends into rock texture. This improves contact and surface area.
4. Add the Thin CA Glue:
   Soak the filter with thin glue. Let it wick through — don’t smear it. The glue flows deep into the filter and surrounding rock pores, fusing them like rebar.

4.5. Note on Vapor and Heat:
When the glue soaks into the filter and rock, it may release a small puff of white vapor and generate mild heat. This is normal — it's the glue curing rapidly through a chemical reaction (polymerisation).
Don't breathe it in directly and always work in a ventilated area. The vapor is harmless in small amounts but irritating to mucous membranes.
If it smokes visibly, you're doing it right — just let it flash off and proceed.

1. Hold or Brace:
   Hold the rocks in place for 30–60 seconds, or use gravity/bracing. Once set, it's rock-solid.
2. Gap Infill (Mortar Mode):
   Use trimmed filter bits to fill any seams or voids. Soak again with thin CA to lock everything in — this acts as structural mortar.
3. Dust Covering:
   Immediately after applying glue, sprinkle dry rock dust or crushed aragonite over the bond. This masks the join visually and improves textural blending with surrounding rock.
4. Cure & Check:
   After a few minutes it’ll set like stone. Let it cure fully (15–30 minutes) before stacking more.

Why It's Stronger Than Cement:

• The glue penetrates the filter and the rock
• The filter acts as both core and mortar
• Break tests show rock fractures before the bond fails

Tips:

• Only use dry rock
• Excellent for vertical joins, cantilevers, floating shelves
• Filters can be trimmed or layered for custom fits
• Dust makes your joins nearly invisible — pro-level finish
• Shaping tools give you control and precision for cleaner fits

I never heard about this until now. Thanks!

But you're not the first to think of this either. :)

 

[xiaoxiy]

I did the same and realised the bond was not good, and due to having a penchant for carbon fibre EMTBs i started looking for fibrous options, which became this method.

i do things a bit different, this is one of my diy ebikes.

Off topic, but that diy carbon bike frame is pretty sweet.

 

[SoWhatNow]

Many ways to skin a cat. Our friend here shared one that doesn't require any more specialized materials.

I certainly believe you on the set time, but that's largely due to the same capillary effect happening with the dust and thinned glue. I disagree on the strength. In my tests glue and dust was not strong enough for me to be comfortable doing large overhangs. Only once the mortar was set was it strong enough for my liking, but I also went pretty extreme with my shapes. I probably wouldn't trust this method by itself either, to be honest.

You will when you test it, i nearly did a proper mischief during those tests, randys are lame in comparison. If someone has a spare couple of chunks of marco rock knocking around FAITHFULLY do this method, fill the joining holes and THROW IT at a wall, the joint will survive, surrounded by the rock that broke.

 

[Griev]

You will when you test it, i nearly did a proper mischief during those tests, randys are lame in comparison. If someone has a spare couple of chunks of marco rock knocking around FAITHFULLY do this method, fill the joining holes and THROW IT at a wall, the joint will survive, surrounded by the rock that broke.

Well where's the video? I want to watch this!