Anchoring live rock towers and structures?

[Ocelaris]

So I'm looking to do a bare bottom tank and looking to figure out how people anchor some of these gravity defying structures. I think a nice height and overhangs are crucial to getting plenty of spots for corals and hiding/quiet spots for fish.

There has to be some trick to making stable structure that has some height? I get the arch idea, multiple landing points of the rock, but thees towers seem to be anchored? I'm thinking of taking one of the largest rocks and grinding off the bottom to make a flat surface.

Just some pictures of what I'm talking about, apologies for borrowing other's pictures without attribution..

 

[Reefing Madness]

 

[ksfulk]

So I'm looking to do a bare bottom tank and looking to figure out how people anchor some of these gravity defying structures. I think a nice height and overhangs are crucial to getting plenty of spots for corals and hiding/quiet spots for fish.

There has to be some trick to making stable structure that has some height? I get the arch idea, multiple landing points of the rock, but thees towers seem to be anchored? I'm thinking of taking one of the largest rocks and grinding off the bottom to make a flat surface.

Just some pictures of what I'm talking about, apologies for borrowing other's pictures without attribution..

I know at least the top most picture was made by using a flat based rock (using a hacksaw on something like Pukani) and then drilling a hole through the bottom of the rock so a piece of PVC was run into the rock, and attached to an anchoring base. Then sand was spread around to hide the PVC frame. With bare bottom, you may have an issue with hiding the frame work, though you could cover it in rubble rock, but you would lose the look of a bare bottom tank.

The arches are generally mortared/cemented/fiberglass rod/ziptied together out side of the tank first, then moved in once the mortar/cement/plastic is dried and cured.

 

[Ocelaris]

I think that just put the pieces together for me, thanks. I was wondering if they left the cable ties in, but that makes sense with the drying of the cement.

Thanks!

 

[ksfulk]

I think that just put the pieces together for me, thanks. I was wondering if they left the cable ties in, but that makes sense with the drying of the cement.

Thanks!

I think it depends. I've used cable ties and left them in and tight. They cover with coralline eventually anyway and you dont see them at all, but it depends on where they are at and what type of plastic is used.

 

[Ocelaris]

Yeah, I don't think I'm going to be as adventurous as some of those overhangs, but . I have a deep tank and just want to create some islands. I think the tree root method, where there is a tower with nooks and crannies is attractive as well. With a shallow tank it's hard to "spread out" the rocks, so hopefully with a 36" deep tank I can make some caves etc... But I think that has to be balanced by stability. It's all nice and good to make a beautiful structure (bottom youtube video), but if it's fragile or unable to be scrubbed, pushed on to attach frags etc... there's no point.