Securing rocks with cotton wool, glue and epoxy putty

[Bars]

I'm planning my tank transfer for the next couple weeks/months. One thing that I really want to be perfect is the rockscape. I usually just place rocks on top of each other until they are somewhat steady. However, I usually don't really like such scapes long term. I want more open space in between.

Now I could of course use something like mortar to secure the rocks together, but as I understand it mortar takes quite a while to cure. I'll be using live rock that's currently in my DT and I want to move all rock, fish and corals in the new tank within a day. So unfortunately, I don't really have the time to wait for stuff to cure.

That's when I came across a guy on youtube that uses cotton wool, super glue and sand (to hide the wool) to secure rocks and wood together. It's as simple as putting some wool in between 2 rocks, a good dab of glue and some sand to hide the ugly stuff. I assume this might not hold unsupported rocks long term, so my idea is to initially use the cotton wool tactic and then use reef safe 2 part epoxy putty to get a stronger bond. The glue hardens extremely quickly and the putty continues to harden under water.

This is the video I'm talking about, around the 34 minute mark:


Could this work? Will it be a strong enough bond to hold an unsupported rock?

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

I have no idea about the wool but the emarco mortar can cure underwater. You would have to spray down the rock as you work and it will need about 2 hours to set. I made my rock structures with live rock.

 

[Bars]

I have no idea about the wool but the emarco mortar can cure underwater. You would have to spray down the rock as you work and it will need about 2 hours to set. I made my rock structures with live rock.

Thanks for the suggestion. I actually found a bunch of different mortars that can be used under water and become rock solid. E-marco isn't sold over here, but the alternatives seem just as good

 

[MamaLovesHerReefTank]

I just watched this video up to the part he used the wool pads (makeup remover pads). I would be very curious myself if this would work in a reef tank. Even if you mortared around it after initial gluing, then used sand etc. That initial bond is the hardest part of scaping, especially with negative space aquascaping. This guy is amazing. I've never been interested much in freshwater tanks until I saw this. I wish he did reef tanks. Going to finish watching this video. Thanks for posting it.

 

[chris_pull]

I just watched this video up to the part he used the wool pads (makeup remover pads). I would be very curious myself if this would work in a reef tank. Even if you mortared around it after initial gluing, then used sand etc. That initial bond is the hardest part of scaping, especially with negative space aquascaping. This guy is amazing. I've never been interested much in freshwater tanks until I saw this. I wish he did reef tanks. Going to finish watching this video. Thanks for posting it.

I really like him too. Incidentally, if you got back about a year he did do one and kinda went against a lot of conventional advice and mysteriously the tank has never featured again. Shame as it was quite a nice series!

I am actually trying this technique in my reef tank, though the scape is not wet yet. I come from the freshwater world and just assumed it'd be fine, but now I am bit concerned. However, I've seen tidal gardens doing the same but with sand. I think what you use doesn't matter as long as you get the reaction, where it gets very warm and smokes. It sets really fast!

 

[MamaLovesHerReefTank]

I really like him too. Incidentally, if you got back about a year he did do one and kinda went against a lot of conventional advice and mysteriously the tank has never featured again. Shame as it was quite a nice series!

I am actually trying this technique in my reef tank, though the scape is not wet yet. I come from the freshwater world and just assumed it'd be fine, but now I am bit concerned. However, I've seen tidal gardens doing the same but with sand. I think what you use doesn't matter as long as you get the reaction, where it gets very warm and smokes. It sets really fast!

I watched a bunch of his videos. He makes everything look so easy. I did watch the ones with the reef tank but couldn't find anymore and no explanation. It's a shame, it was a nice tank.
I have a bunch of dry rock that I play around with periodically. I used some of the cotton with the glue and it does set quite quickly. I just changed my aquascape around last month so I won't be putting this in my tank right now but I may use it when I change it up again (I rearrange my aquascape about once a year). I will be putting mortar around the seam but I really don't thing there will be an issue.

 

[Bnutz]

I used thin superglue and cotton balls for the initial bond then did a sand and thin super glue top layer for 2 aquascapes. The oldest is 6 months and shows zero signs of coming apart. I tested the bond with some extra rock and the rock breaks before the bond

 

[chris_pull]

I used thin superglue and cotton balls for the initial bond then did a sand and thin super glue top layer for 2 aquascapes. The oldest is 6 months and shows zero signs of coming apart. I tested the bond with some extra rock and the rock breaks before the bond

I decided to go this route. Using the cotton for the instant set and to make sure I like the scape, then making sand mortar with the glue for the final joints.

 

[Bnutz]

I decided to go this route. Using the cotton for the instant set and to make sure I like the scape, then making sand mortar with the glue for the final joints.

The gluemasters thin glue is the best for this

 

[chris_pull]

The gluemasters thin glue is the best for this

Can't seem to get that in the UK annoyingly!

I've done okay though with a standard medium viscosity one. However, I've ordered some Aquaforest reef cement to discretely reinforce the joints for long-term peace of mind (I think there's a risk the cotton will break down over time). I'll use this as a putty behind the rockwork to ensure it all holds together nicely and hopefully won't be too visible. For visible seams, I am using sand and glue.

The cotton/glue has been amazing though and enabled me to quickly build a really complicated scape, as it sets in literally 10 seconds or less. It also amazing how strong the bond is...I didn't like some bits and it really took a lot of force to break those parts off again, even those I'm using tiny wads of cotton.

Here's a pic of my scape so far. In places, I've done the sand and glue trick but it's mostly held together with cotton and glue and I can pick it up by the weakest joints and it holds!

 

[Bars]

Can't seem to get that in the UK annoyingly!

I've done okay though with a standard medium viscosity one. However, I've ordered some Aquaforest reef cement to discretely reinforce the joints for long-term peace of mind (I think there's a risk the cotton will break down over time). I'll use this as a putty behind the rockwork to ensure it all holds together nicely and hopefully won't be too visible. For visible seams, I am using sand and glue.

The cotton/glue has been amazing though and enabled me to quickly build a really complicated scape, as it sets in literally 10 seconds or less. It also amazing how strong the bond is...I didn't like some bits and it really took a lot of force to break those parts off again, even those I'm using tiny wads of cotton.

Here's a pic of my scape so far. In places, I've done the sand and glue trick but it's mostly held together with cotton and glue and I can pick it up by the weakest joints and it holds!

This is great to hear!
I've been testing a bit with the AF cement and although it sets quickly, I'd rather not sit and wait 10 - 15 minutes every time I cement 2 pieces together. Did you just place a piece of cotton in between 2 rocks and then put a dab of glue on it?

 

[chris_pull]

This is great to hear!
I've been testing a bit with the AF cement and although it sets quickly, I'd rather not sit and wait 10 - 15 minutes every time I cement 2 pieces together. Did you just place a piece of cotton in between 2 rocks and then put a dab of glue on it?

Yes! Actually I mostly used paper roll as I ran out of cotton. Just wedge a little bit between the two rocks, soak it in a bit of glue and it should get really hot and smoke after 10 seconds - that means it’s set. I’m not sure what reaction is taking place, but I did it outside as the fumes are quite strong.

 

[sivob]

Any chance anyone of you that used the cotton/glue method, can give us an update if these joints are still holding?

I'm a civil engineer......this method is very similar to concrete mixes with fiberglass reinforcing.

Does anyone know if fiberglass is considered reef safe? You can pickup the fiberglass on Amazon..........

 

[Bejj]

Can't seem to get that in the UK annoyingly!

I've done okay though with a standard medium viscosity one. However, I've ordered some Aquaforest reef cement to discretely reinforce the joints for long-term peace of mind (I think there's a risk the cotton will break down over time). I'll use this as a putty behind the rockwork to ensure it all holds together nicely and hopefully won't be too visible. For visible seams, I am using sand and glue.

The cotton/glue has been amazing though and enabled me to quickly build a really complicated scape, as it sets in literally 10 seconds or less. It also amazing how strong the bond is...I didn't like some bits and it really took a lot of force to break those parts off again, even those I'm using tiny wads of cotton.

Here's a pic of my scape so far. In places, I've done the sand and glue trick but it's mostly held together with cotton and glue and I can pick it up by the weakest joints and it holds!

Kind of old thread sorry lol. I just did my scape using the thin glue, cotton and sand method. It was really easy and all my cotton joints are reinforced by sand and glue as well. I'm wondering how yours has held up for the last couple years?