Aquascaping Supplies: Acrylic or Nylon Rods

revhtree · Jul 25, 2016

Getting ready to get that aquascape thing going and was wondering if you suggest acrylic or nylon rods to help with the aquascaping?

Also any other tools or supplies you suggest for making rocks look cool?

BoneXriffic · Jul 25, 2016

What style are you going after?

Sand bed or bare?

revhtree · Jul 25, 2016

BoneXriffic said:
What style are you going after?

Sand bed or bare?

I think I am going to buckle and stay with sand! I just like the look too much!

redfishbluefish · Jul 25, 2016

I've always used plastic clothes hangers....seems like we've always had too many, so the price was right. Just cut them to the lengths you need.

jkopfishman · Jul 26, 2016

I always used the fiberglass poles from home depot used to mark driveways. Butjust recently used hydraulic waterstop cement also from home depot. Wow does that stuff work great. And its very strong so u can build great aquascapes.

revhtree · Jul 26, 2016

redfishbluefish said:
I've always used plastic clothes hangers....seems like we've always had too many, so the price was right. Just cut them to the lengths you need.

That's a great idea and cheap! Do they do well with big structures?

revhtree · Jul 26, 2016

jkopfishman said:
I always used the fiberglass poles from home depot used to mark driveways. Butjust recently used hydraulic waterstop cement also from home depot. Wow does that stuff work great. And its very strong so u can build great aquascapes.

Trying to figure out what you're talking about! Hmm here I come google!

revhtree · Jul 26, 2016

Can you link me to exactly what you used?

redfishbluefish · Jul 26, 2016

Rev, an example of what he's taking about are THESE fiberglass rods....they come in various lengths and colors.

As far as clothes hangers holding larger rocks, you might need to put in two or three rods, but I've never had a problem. The sheer strenght of these hangers is pretty high.

jsker · Jul 26, 2016

Masonary bit
Stone fix
Drill

Salty1962 · Jul 26, 2016

I use the nylon rods ,3/16", so I have some wiggle room when anchoring together. Allot easier to get in the drilled holes as well. I got mine from U.S. Plastics.

revhtree · Jul 27, 2016

What size drill bits you guys using?

revhtree · Jul 30, 2016

redfishbluefish said:
I've always used plastic clothes hangers....seems like we've always had too many, so the price was right. Just cut them to the lengths you need.

What sizes do you use for the close hangers? Will I need multiple sizes?

revhtree · Aug 1, 2016

Bump for bit size!

VelasCorals · Aug 1, 2016

Before you start drilling rock please read this.

I have setup lots of tanks for customers, personally and in my store. I will never drill another rock and this is why. The odds are low however, out of two tanks I setup by drilling rocks I unleashed some nasty stuff hidden in the rock. By nasty I mean phosphates leaching at an uncontrollable rate and Alk. The part that stinks is you don't know what rock it is until you tear it all apart and test in fresh saltwater, rock by rock. I had to tear apart the tanks and they were two rocks that I drilled in two separate batches of live rock.

Don't want to get you paranoid but it was horrible dealing with and fixing.

I only use real reef rock now. They stack so nicely you don't need any rods or glue to still come away with a stunning aqua scape.

revhtree · Aug 2, 2016

Incredible Corals said:
Before you start drilling rock please read this.

I have setup lots of tanks for customers, personally and in my store. I will never drill another rock and this is why. The odds are low however, out of two tanks I setup by drilling rocks I unleashed some nasty stuff hidden in the rock. By nasty I mean phosphates leaching at an uncontrollable rate and Alk. The part that stinks is you don't know what rock it is until you tear it all apart and test in fresh saltwater, rock by rock. I had to tear apart the tanks and they were two rocks that I drilled in two separate batches of live rock.

Don't want to get you paranoid but it was horrible dealing with and fixing.

I only use real reef rock now. They stack so nicely you don't need any rods or glue to still come away with a stunning aqua scape.

Thanks for the warning.

Anyone else have thoughts on drilling rock?