Quikcrete hydraulic cement

[Scratch08]

thanks for the info all @Katrina71 .. @Scratch08..take a read here

I had already read this thread . Its the reason I went this route. So far so good.

 

[ApoIsland]

I had already read this thread . Its the reason I went this route. So far so good.

someone told me a joke many years ago referencing the optimists point of view....
A man fell off the top of the empire state building. Halfway down someone asked him how its going. His reply was.....so far so good

Now i cant help but think of impending doom anytime someone says that.

Hoping you guys avoid my fate and did a better job mixing. The one structure that has held up after all these years does look great I also did not use the acrylic fortifier so hopefully that will make a different for you as well.

I was ignorant to the unnecessary cure time with this cement so i had mine in fresh water for more than a month curing. I then had them buildng up bacteria in a separate salteater tank for a few months before swapping into the display. Everything was fine for 3-6 months in the main tank. Rocks held strong. Then they started to develop hairline cracks. within a few months of those cracks it seems like the cement just started to blow up from the inside out. It also had nothing to do with the amount of load on the joints. I had made frag plugs from the excess and those exploded also. I just simply failed on 80% of my mixtures.

It definitely does work long term if you mix exactly right though. So here's holding out hope for the rest of you!!

 

[Kyl]

It definitely does work long term if you mix exactly right though. So here's holding out hope for the rest of you!!

Not to bump an old thread, but these consumer hydraulic cements can most definitely work when mixed and used properly. On my one structure in another tank, those rocks are bound so solidly I cannot break them at the joints and it's been over four years they have been under water. In my current DT, the "new" arch has fallen apart in under two years, crumbling off in flaked pieces. That arch was done with a 'no-name' hydraulic cement being sold by a guy dealing "reefsaver" rocks up north here, who's now long gone. Obviously I got the mixture ratio incorrect with that last use.

Since I have to try and re-build the remnants of my arch with encrusted acro colonies and a large tyree toadstool on part, I'm not sure what the best route is going to be since I can't cure out of the tank. It was most certainly not worth saving a few bucks for the headache and potentially tank issues I'm having (STN) maybe being result of that crud disintegrating.

 

[DaneGer21]

Great product. I use it quite often but never in a fish tank

Same!

 

[Reefer40b]

I have used this it lasted about 3 years before it started to break down, no other issues otherwise. I have some that is still holding but i assume it will also crumble given enough time.

 

[Losthawk69]

This stuff=

I used it and around 2 years later my escape started crumbling away don't use it better off drilling and using rods and zip ties old school

 

[roninmagik1]

I'm interested in making an arch out of some extra pieces of base rock. Any one else have any good info? this thread has been informative so far! = )

 

[Scratch08]

I'm interested in making an arch out of some extra pieces of base rock. Any one else have any good info? this thread has been informative so far! = )

I have moved away from the hydraulic cement, have found that over time it will crack and loose its holding abilities. I'm now using crushed/powdered rock and sand with cyanoacrylate(superglue) to build structures. Tidal Gardens has a video on YouTube that goes into great details on this process. I use this glue...and you want to make sure you get the thin glue, it wicks into the sand/powdered rock better.

This is the structure I built over the holidays for my (new) upcoming build...

AND...I made this one Sunday for my 25 lagoon

 

[ApoIsland]

I have moved away from the hydraulic cement, have found that over time it will crack and loose its holding abilities. I'm now using crushed/powdered rock and sand with cyanoacrylate(superglue) to build structures. Tidal Gardens has a video on YouTube that goes into great details on this process. I use this glue...and you want to make sure you get the thin glue, it wicks into the sand/powdered rock better.

This is the structure I built over the holidays for my (new) upcoming build...

AND...I made this one Sunday for my 25 lagoon

Great scape. I think the thin super glue and sand method is definitely the way to go.

Hyraulic cement works fine as long as you mix it just right. I have formations lasting almost 10 years now with Thorite Rapid Vertical and that is a hydraulic cement. It also has a wide margin for error with regard to how you mix it. The cure time though takes forever before it's PH drops to a reasonable range.

Unfortunately the home depot stuff hydraulic cement in the yellow buckets has a very small mixing margin of error. Only 1 or 2 out of like 10 or more rock formations made it long term for me. But it does work if you do it just right. Failure rate is too high to try again though.

 

[Losthawk69]

Hydraulic cement corrodes over time better to use PVC pipe fiberglass bendable rods and zip ties epoxy putty all this new stuff only last so long in sea water zipties works great drill small holes take your time plan it out will last for ever acrylic rods also can be melted with heat gun or wife's blow dryer to bend it use gloves drill hole use epoxy puddy for the extra strength. I tried these new ideas on some of my tanks they didn't hold up.

 

[Idoc]

2018 post -- now 2024! The Quickrete Hydraulic Cement from Home Depot is still holding strong in my tank with no adverse effects to fish or corals.

 

[sfin52]

2018 post -- now 2024! The Quickrete Hydraulic Cement from Home Depot is still holding strong in my tank with no adverse effects to fish or corals.

Very nice. Pics or it never happened