Sticking Rocks Together, Epoxy, Acrylic Rods, Glue?

[Hugh Mann]

Looking for the most recommended method of sticking Rocks Together. With my planned stock, including eels and Triggers, my aquascape must be turbo secure lest some foolhardy fish causes a rockalanch.

I've read about a couple different techniques, the most common seems to be epoxy. There's dozens of different kinds, and they all seem to be more or less the same. How well does it hold up over time? Is it actually really secure? Does a dab of gel super glue help, like with coral frags?

Somebody mentioned to be about drilling holes in the rock and connecting them with acrylic rods, which I assume get glued in place or something. Seems like a very labour intensive process, and I'd rather not muck about with my live rock out of water organizing and drilling, but I will if it's a good option. And if I can find the rods to do it with.

In the past, I used a reef safe thermoplastic, but over time I've found it loosens up a bit. Not much, but my once rock solid rocks now are a bit wobbly. Not something I want in a tank I don't intend to take apart for a decade or so.

 

[Fishyfish22]

Emarco 400 cement. Stuff is INSANELY strong, after it cures you'll be able to pick the whole thing up from a single rock. I think the rock breaks before the cement does.

Plus it's reef safe, and you can get it gray or purple. I've messed with glue and epoxy both did eh and broke apart hours later. Even epoxy with glue on both sides. But this stuff did the trick for me

 

[Hugh Mann]

Cures underwater too, if touch ups or additions are needed. Sounds like just the stuff.

On a side note, I wish I had asked this earlier. Was at my lfs, and they had this, but wasn't sure at the time. Round trip there is $100 in gas. Next time.

 

[Gtinnel]

I drilled holes and pinned mine together with fiberglass rods. If had to do over I would use the same method. It makes for a secure stack of rocks and can be taken apart and stacked back together if you ever need to.

 

[Fishyfish22]

On a side note, I wish I had asked this earlier. Was at my lfs, and they had this, but wasn't sure at the time. Round trip there is $100 in gas. Next time.

You can always give them a call, maybe they'll ship it to you if you pay for the shipping.

 

[Hugh Mann]

You can always give them a call, maybe they'll ship it to you if you pay for the shipping.

They do shipping. $14, but with how backed up out postal service is, would take about 3 weeks to get here. I still need more rock, they didn't have any good pieces today, so will likely be going back in a few weeks. Probably pick up my first round of fish to start the QT process while I'm there.

 

[Bnutz]

I've had good luck using gluemasters thin and sand. Sets up fast and it's super strong.

 

[Alenya]

I used potable water approved product called Vandex Plug, it's a rapid setting mortar, goes off in like 30 seconds so it's great for building but messy - you just slop it on, bang it together and hold for 30 and then you leave it to set. Maybe 10 minutes and continue building with it having some decent structural strength.

 

[NY_Sea]

The Marco cement is a great option. I used the peg method with acrylic rods and reef safe epoxy. worked as expected and holds strong. There are a lot of new options on the market Also. I just picked up some aqua forest AF poly glue. Going to use this with some 3/4 acrylic rods to make some arches this time around

 

[Scuba Mike]

I used the drill and rod approach. I also drilled many holes for frag plugs and put empty frag plugs immall the holes. Now for the big mistake, brought home an urchin that picked up and dropped the plugs all over. I had over 20 holes,now with some algae and coraline I can't find the holes!

 

[polyppal]

+1 on Emarco400. Best product I have used for the purpose, and I have used a ridiculous amount in my scapework (they should sponsor me at this point)...



This tower is about 80-90lbs, I can pick it up by any section and it supports weight no problem. Top platform alone is about 22lbs solid as a rock. All was done with Emarco

 

[Hugh Mann]

I used the drill and rod approach. I also drilled many holes for frag plugs and put empty frag plugs immall the holes. Now for the big mistake, brought home an urchin that picked up and dropped the plugs all over. I had over 20 holes,now with some algae and coraline I can't find the holes!

Great idea in theory, but urchins are, well, yeah. Urchins.

I think I am going to e marco mortar it as much as possible. Drill/rod and mortar the more precarious overhangs.

It wasn't mentioned in the BRS video, but I assume you can use it when the rock is wet too? Be using mostly live rock/ore cycled on this build.

 

[lelandmarine]

Super glue then emarco.

 

[srcleary]

I've had good luck using gluemasters thin and sand. Sets up fast and it's super strong.

+1 I'm using GlueMasters and sand. I use the thin, medium and thick superglue and fine and course sand depending on the area I am gluing. I basically make a mortar layering the glue and sand and it bonds stronger than the rock itself. I realize this is not a good option for wet live rock but it works great for dry rock! I glued this entire structure together using this method. Its going in my new 820g display. (Build is on my other thread)

 

[Michael Gray]

I used macro. What's the trick. I have pieces that broke when taking rock out to catch fish. I must have it put enough. But I'd love to know for future if I wanna do a huge branch overhang on a upcoming tank. Right now I wouldn't trust a long branch/overhang until I learn to do it right

 

[zalick]

I drilled holes and pinned mine together with fiberglass rods. If had to do over I would use the same method. It makes for a secure stack of rocks and can be taken apart and stacked back together if you ever need to.

This.

I did this as well. Absolutely secure. And being able to take apart and redo later is very valuable IMO.

 

[zalick]

I used macro. What's the trick. I have pieces that broke when taking rock out to catch fish. I must have it put enough. But I'd love to know for future if I wanna do a huge branch overhang on a upcoming tank. Right now I wouldn't trust a long branch/overhang until I learn to do it right

I've done tons of cement work over the years. So I've got experience mixing cement. I tried to use small amounts of e400 to fix smaller rocks together. I tried every consistency from thick to thin. Nothing worked well with this small amounts. They literally all broke apart handling them. Some simply crumbled.