Advice on drilling lava rock

biomekanic · Mar 17, 2020

I'm going with black "glass" lava rock for my nano tank. Any advice on a drill bit for this? I want to put in some 1/4" acrylic rods to help keep it stable, and make an arch.

Thanks for any advice!

Spare time · Mar 17, 2020

I have heard not so great things with using lava rock in a reef tank as they can contain things like silica and metals that will leach out in the tank.

biomekanic · Mar 18, 2020

I'm aware of that; it's a 7g AGA bowfront that I'm planning on doing weekly water changes with. The corals themselves are going to be 'weed' ones; GSP, pulsing Xenia, and blue encrusting pipe coral.

I might run carbon thought a little, cheap HOB as well as polyfilter.

will25u · Mar 18, 2020

Definitely run carbon. I almost put lava rock in my tank 10-15 years ago until a friend told me I had lost my mind.

AZMSGT · Mar 18, 2020

Don’t do it. Lava rock is high in Silica. You will have diatoms forever.

Spare time · Mar 18, 2020

biomekanic said:
I'm aware of that; it's a 7g AGA bowfront that I'm planning on doing weekly water changes with. The corals themselves are going to be 'weed' ones; GSP, pulsing Xenia, and blue encrusting pipe coral.

I might run carbon thought a little, cheap HOB as well as polyfilter.

If the corals and algae are on the rocks, they would be dealing with the metals and silica before your carbon gets to it.

Mikeltee · Mar 25, 2020

Why lava rock? You do realize that any rock you put in a tank is going go encrusted in purple algae right? Your "clear black" glass will be clear for all of 2 weeks.

biomekanic · Mar 26, 2020

Testing it out to see if it works well w/"pest" corals.

xxkenny90xx · Mar 26, 2020

I've heard bad things about the silica but @Ratherbeflyen swears by lava rock and his tank looks awesome.

I'd use a masonry bit for drilling holes in tile.

biomekanic · Mar 26, 2020

I've ordered some diamond heads

biomekanic · Mar 26, 2020

But the tank cracked when I test filled it, so things are kind of on pause now.

Ratherbeflyen · Mar 26, 2020

biomekanic said:
I'm going with black "glass" lava rock for my nano tank. Any advice on a drill bit for this? I want to put in some 1/4" acrylic rods to help keep it stable, and make an arch.

Thanks for any advice!

I used a 1/4" standard carbide masonry bit to do exactly what you're asking about. I drilled 2 holes in each rock about 1" deep and then cut a 1/4" square piece of acrylic that fits tight in the holes. Then glued them together with some 2 part epoxy.