sticking rock together

[JOSH]

ive herd of two differnt ways, the gel super glue and ucerwater epoxy. i just want to design my rocks nicer, and where do i get this stuff? and when im glueing them together do they need to be out of the water and dry, or can i just gob it on when they are wet?

[kwirky]

i would use the underwater epoxy. super glue is meant for fine work, and you'd go through a gazillion of those tiny tubes gluing your rockwork with it.

you get aquarium epoxy from a good LFS, and except for glass (and some plastics), you can do the glueing underwater.

here's how it works:
epoxy has 2 parts. either it's a single tube, with one part on the outside, and the second part running down the middle, or there's two tubes. You mix the two together, then apply it where it needs gluing. It sets in about 8 minutes, and it can set underwater. epoxy doesn't rely on air, it relies on the reaction between the two parts. When it's done, you have something hard as plastic pretty much, but with the texture of ceramic.

Don't go overboard on the stuff. I did, when I first got it. It's tough, and you pretty much have to chip or snap it off, if you used too much.

if you're wondering how much to buy, i'd say one package of the stuff would work well if you went slow with it. Not everything has to be glued down, just the precarious work, or work that'll hold heavy corals in the future.

if it's rockwork you're setting up though for a new tank, i'd give it time before glueing everything down, so you can take it out and swish it in a bucket a week into the curing process, at least.

[andrewsk]

Josh,

For sure use epoxy and not glue (The purple stuff is the best IMHO)

Depending on how much weight needs to be held, I used from 1 to 3 layers. You really have to take your time with it. Are you able to keep the rock out of the tank while you do this? It's MUCH easier.

Depending on where the epoxy is (Visibility wise) after it is complete, you can either cover it up with some crushed coral and super glue, or wait for Coraline or some coral to cover it. I did a bit of both.

You should swing by sometime and see my rock to get an idea what it will look like. Perhaps ill post a few shots tonight. I am no expert by any means but at least you can see the completed product.

For all of my rock, I went through about 10 boxes of putty, but I wanted the pieces I sculpted together SOLID like it was a single rock.

Keith

[JOSH]

okay sounds good, its for my nano so theres only a couple rocks i will be glueing, im just trying to make the rock taller without it being unstable

[GMGQ]

Alternatively, you can create a supporting frame out of PVC piping, and zip tie the rocks to the PVC.

[andrewsk]

Originally Posted by GMGQ

Alternatively, you can create a supporting frame out of PVC piping, and zip tie the rocks to the PVC.

I like this way as well. I think it is what FUDGE did with his beautiful tank. My only issue is that when I tried it, it felt LOOSE to me.

I ended up drilling PVC into some rock, Zip Tying others and Epoxying the rest. I am most happy with the epoxy rocks since they are much more solid and look and feel like one large rock.

[JOSH]

who in calgary sels this stuff?

[kwirky]

gold's

[b_james]

If your going to use the epoxy, the putty stuff, just keep an eye on your skimmer for a few days after. After using about half a tube, my skimmer (bullet 2) just about had a melt down, even with the air valve closed the foam was overflowing like crazy. I had to really dial it back and at time turn it off. So just a heads up...

[JOSH]

im not running a skimmer just a canister filter