Newbie looking for a mentor and ID

[TheReefGeek]

There is definately merit to jisawing your rockwork together, but there are also some sweet looking formations you cannot create without a little help to defy gravity.

[albert_dao]

Originally Posted by danny zubot

Wow, PVC frames, Zip ties, drill bits!

Seems a bit unatural Albert, Whatever happend to spending hours if not days trying to jigsaw puzzle your rockwork together? And then selling off all of the frags you've created in the process! Oh ya, that'll be me this weekend.

Hahah, I've gotten pretty good with rockscaping either way. I just find the end result, when using PVC frames, to be a lot more dramatic when done properly.

[Glennrf38]

Originally Posted by albert_dao

Hahah, I've gotten pretty good with rockscaping either way. I just find the end result, when using PVC frames, to be a lot more dramatic when done properly.

I have been looking online for something about setting up and using these frames and I can't find anything

Glenn

[TheReefGeek]

Its pretty basic.

Buy a length of 1/2" PVC, they are usually 8 feet long. Also buy some 90's and 45's, and if they have some 3-ways that will be helpfull too.

Now you have to decide what you want your final aquascaping to look like, then you build the framd out of the above mentioned pieces. You probably dont even have to glue the PVC if you dont want to.

As you are building the frame, you need to attache your rockwork one of two ways.

1. Drill through the rock so that the PVC can pass through the rock
2. Zip-tie the rock to the PVC.

You will probably use both methods.

As I mentioned earlier you can also get pieces of rock to "stick" together by drilling a few inches into each piece, and using a single pieces of PVC to connect them.

[TheReefGeek]

There is some info here

http://wetwebmedia.com/lrplacingfaqs.htm

and here

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/lrplacingfaq2.htm

THis is a good one, he mentions hammering stuff together instead of glueing

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_..._2.asp?CartId=

[andrewsk]

Originally Posted by TheReefGeek

There is some info here

http://wetwebmedia.com/lrplacingfaqs.htm

and here

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/lrplacingfaq2.htm

THis is a good one, he mentions hammering stuff together instead of glueing

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_..._2.asp?CartId=

The last article is pretty cool but WTF is up with no pictures? Seriously, it would be so much easier to explain with some images.

More articles on this would be great!

[Glennrf38]

You guys rock...... Thanks for all your help. This is getting to be fun now

[Pescador]

Here's a pic not the greatest but you can get the idea. Also the New Marine Aquarium by Mike Paletta has some info. The Reef Aquarium books by Sprung has more ideas. I'm in MacKenzie Towne if you want to have a look or check out some books send me a PM

[TheReefGeek]

Brian thanks for the pic.

What I am referring to (not sure about Albert) is a bit different though. In your pic, you basically have a PVC support structure so that you can get a larger reef wall without needing as much rock.

What I am referring to is drilling out the rock, and putting PVC inside the rocks, and connecting the PVC so that you can get rock to connect and be supported in ways you couldn't otherwise.

There was a great example of some rockwork done on RC but I can't find it right now.

WIth a PVC sub-structure as pictured above you want to be carefully to have good water flow through the substructure or you will get detrius build-up.

[TheReefGeek]

Brian, what is this in your pic?