Aqua scape

[MikeyAl]

So I took a bunch of rock out as I felt my tank was overcrowded. Took 3 BIG pieces out. Now I am left wondering if there is too much empty space and not enough height. I want to add some more free swimming fish and more corals. Does anyone have suggestions? Maybe break up some of the bigger pieces and add them back in? What does everyone use to stack rock and make sure they don't fall over?

 

[Chris kindley]

I've seen people use zip ties. I'm sure there is some sort of reef safe putty that you could add to stabilize the uneven parts.

 

[seastar]

I used reef putty, zip ties and plexiglas rods because I like the overhang look and cant happen by just stacking. I drilled holes in both I side for the zip ties and got them as tight as I could and then filled the gaps with reef putty. For the rods I drilled through both rocks and jammed some reef putty into holes I was pushing the rods through.

 

[seastar]

it all held together pretty nicely.

 

[MikeyAl]

Okay. Just spent some time redoing and used reef putty. Thoughts on how it looks

A little blurry since I stirred up the water a bit.

 

[Chrisfish]

Looks really nice, I like open spaces , more room for fish and corals.

 

[MikeyAl]

Looks really nice, I like open spaces , more room for fish and corals.

Thanks Chrisfish. That was my hope/ goal. Now I can add some acans at the bottom

 

[MikeyAl]

And I think my bubble coral is happier further away from the flow, but in a good place where I can see her in all her beauty

 

[sawdonkey]

Okay. Just spent some time redoing and used reef putty. Thoughts on how it looks

A little blurry since I stirred up the water a bit.

This looks ok, but I'd like to see something more dimensional than just a row of rocks. Make it two piles rather than a wall. Make one slant from that back corner to the front glass for more front-to-back interest. The other can be long ways. Both should slope up towards the back of the tank so you can place corals and see all of them. Obviously just my preference in rockscape, so take my ideas as you will.

 

[Jonathan blackwood]

I used hydraulic cement. Which is reef safe to build mine. Works really well and string as Thor himself!

 

[MikeyAl]

I used hydraulic cement. Which is reef safe to build mine. Works really well and string as Thor himself!

Problem is that I don't want to take anything out of the tank. So I would need something I can work in the water with.

 

[Jonathan blackwood]

Then just use a putty that comes in a small tube. It's a reef brand or aquarium 2 part putty that you mix together and apply. It would work underwater but.... won't have a strong hold until it's cured up... so idk . Just zip ties and rods I guess.

 

[MikeyAl]

Thanks everyone.

 

[ndz98]

I agree with what sawdonkey said. Try to make sections with the rock instead of one long wall. It might take you moving the rocks around several times but you'll get it eventually. What I did was position mine in my tank so that they were somewhat stable and balanced to begin with. Then I just put some jb water weld under where one rock rests on the other. It has worked for me this far.

 

[Jlobes]

negative space is your friend. you want areas of open space and clusters of rock formations. you want a "movement/flow" to the shapes as well. If you havent checked it out yet, there is a lengthy thread about aquascaping ideas, tips and tricks, its worth a look.

putty/epoxy works well, be sure to support your arches and overhangs while it cures/dries. thorite/hydro cement/marco cement works great and I have heard that it can be used underwater, but have no first hand experience. built mine with emarco, out of water..but I love the stuff and wouldnt use anything else at this point. heres a pic:

 

[MikeyAl]

negative space is your friend. you want areas of open space and clusters of rock formations. you want a "movement/flow" to the shapes as well. If you havent checked it out yet, there is a lengthy thread about aquascaping ideas, tips and tricks, its worth a look.

putty/epoxy works well, be sure to support your arches and overhangs while it cures/dries. thorite/hydro cement/marco cement works great and I have heard that it can be used underwater, but have no first hand experience. built mine with emarco, out of water..but I love the stuff and wouldnt use anything else at this point. heres a pic:

Thanks. So do you think I have too much rock. Or maybe I should break up some of the bigger pieces?

 

[MikeyAl]

I used hydraulic cement. Which is reef safe to build mine. Works really well and string as Thor himself!

What brand of cement? How quickly will it dry?

 

[Jonathan blackwood]

I used quickcrete. It comes in 10 lb tub of powder. For like $10 . Get small amount and mix water slowly. You have about 3 minutes before it turns to cement. Then rock hard dry in like 30 min if you use a fan.

 

[Jonathan blackwood]

Sets in very very fast

 

[sawdonkey]

What brand of cement? How quickly will it dry?

I use Home Depot brand plumbers epoxy. It's cheap and can be used for potable water, which means it's reef safe too. The problem is that it isn't very sticky on wet objects. Solution, cover any contact points with super glue gel. The epoxy is moldable, so it forms to cracks and crevices and the super glue gel provides the stick. Neither works well without the other.