Your Best Liked Rock Cement, And Why ?

[427HISS]

I have 80 lbs. of Tonga Branch rock to use in my latest build, a 125g. Some branches are broken, so they'll be cemented back together and will cement my aquascape so we won't have a rock fall when finished. I have old original reef rock that I may also cement some together.

If I had a brand list I would like to create a poll, but to busy now. If any of you can, be my guest to list them for a poll !

Out of the brands today, what do you like best and why ?

 

[ReeferReefer]

Following along.

 

[Neoalchemist]

I used Nyos reef cement last time and liked it a lot. Very good for sculpting, relatively strong and the fast set time is an advantage but you have to be ready. The set time is like 90 seconds. And it can take a bit of practice to mix to the right consistency.

 

[s.katyarmal]

Used Hydraulic cement from Home Depot with great results. Nyos cement in my opinion is same with nice wrapper and nice price....

 

[427HISS]

Used Hydraulic cement from Home Depot with great results. Nyos cement in my opinion is same with nice wrapper and nice price....

Any brand that you've tried ?
What about acids etc ?

https://www.homedepot.com/s/Hydraulic%20cement?NCNI-5

 

[chefjpaul]

.

 

[s.katyarmal]

Any brand that you've tried ?
What about acids etc ?

https://www.homedepot.com/s/Hydraulic%20cement?NCNI-5

QUIKRETE. There are many forums about reef safety using this brand with no conclusions. I personally did not experienced any issues and had coralline algae within 3 months of settling tank using Pukani dry rocks. And all my sps are doing great....

 

[Neoalchemist]

Used Hydraulic cement from Home Depot with great results. Nyos cement in my opinion is same with nice wrapper and nice price....

This is good to know. I think there's a ton of products just like this where we pay extra for the niche marketing. Same thing with underwater epoxy, we pay an extra 5 to 10 bucks for purple dye.

 

[427HISS]

I agree, people/business's charge us extra high rates for needs, Like my father, he had polio and when he wore his hip/leg braces (like Forest Gump) they were an outstanding,....$8,000,..wheel chair was $$5,000. My medications are $4,000 per month, if it weren't for insurance, but I still pay $1,250. Anyway, even in our hobby, there's no reason to pay $800 per light that covers only 2' x 2', even though they have some cool features, but not needed.

OK, back to my thread.
So these cements from big box store's,... are safe ?

 

[TheLost]

Nyos Reef Cement and a big bottle of CA Gel.

 

[427HISS]

Love your cool dog.

 

[AZRipp]

I like and have used White Portland Cement. In fact, back in 2011 I did an entire reef using DIY rock with this, worked great.

 

[427HISS]

Really....it would be low in cost, for sure.
It's hard to believe that the chemicals aren't toxic, like at least acids ?
Most or all of cements, have warnings to ware gloves, so how can they not harm fish, corals etc ?

But like you, I've heard of people creating their own rocks with cements. Boggles my mind that's it's safe.

 

[AZRipp]

Really....it would be low in cost, for sure.
It's hard to believe that the chemicals aren't toxic, like at least acids ?
Most or all of cements, have warnings to ware gloves, so how can they not harm fish, corals etc ?

Just let it cure well. When I did the DIY rock in '11, I used the White Portland Cement, Aragonite Sand, and large water softening salt. After the cement hardens, you put it in tubs of water to cure up and allow the large salt crystals to melt out. It then becomes very porous. Pretty cool actually.

I just found a pic of that tank. Everything did well regardless if it was "fake" rock or not.

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

I like the 16 oz bottles of super glue from Amazon and a little crushed coral and rubble for aggregate.

 

[427HISS]

AZRIPP, I think that sounds fun to actually make my own rock like you, but I'd rather take my time to create them, I just don't have the time.
I may try it for a smaller tank. Yours looks great !
How long did yours take and about how many lbs ?

GoldeneyeRet, did you use the accelerator ? I assume you used the gel type ?

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

I used accelerator just to tack it together. Once stuck I just stuffed rubble in The gaps and doused it with gel. I even did it with some wet rock and it held great.

Way cheaper and easier than the cement product I tried on my last build.

 

[AZRipp]

AZRIPP, I think that sounds fun to actually make my own rock like you, but I'd rather take my time to create them, I just don't have the time.
I may try it for a smaller tank. Yours looks great !
How long did yours take and about how many lbs ?

It was quite a bit of work actually. My wife said we would never do it again, and we haven't. I couldn't tell you how much we made, but it was very cool to be able to make the shapes we wanted... i.e. shelves, arches, etc. That photo is of a 180G 48" tall tank. Many of the big pieces moved to our next build and became the base for building the wall and that remained in place until Nov '17.

 

[427HISS]

Az, that's really nice, great job you two !

Any idea on the cost and lbs, ? That'd be great numbers to hear vs the white dead and real ocean rock. But,...BE HONEST ! lol

 

[AZRipp]

Az, that's really nice, great job you two !

Any idea on the cost and lbs, ? That'd be great numbers to hear vs the white dead and real ocean rock. But,...BE HONEST ! lol

I would love to tell you, but this was back in 2011 and I honestly don't remember and have no way to recall now. It was quite a bit less money than buying rock though. Oh, my wife just told me we also had crushed oyster shell in it from the feed store as well, which is super cheap.