It is time to redo the Aquascaping.

Fieryfrog · Apr 20, 2015

Now that I have a 150 gallon Stock tank / sump. And it is full of Live Rock. I don't have to have a display tank full of live rock. So next weekend I will getting all the live rock together and making something that allows more flow and has a much better look to it.

A couple of quick questions.

First; How long can I keep the live rock out of water while I arrange it and glue it? How long before it causes ill effects to the rock?

Second: What is te best way to bond them? Just use the putty?

I have a 125 gallon tall. So it is only 4ft long. Any good ideas or designs? Although that may be tough without seeing my rock I guess. I know you have a nice looking Aquascape Randy, any hints would help.

hawkinsrgk · Apr 20, 2015

Hi Aaron

Thank you for the compliment, but I don't consider myself to be that good at rock scraping. Will answer what I know

I don't know how long it takes rock to start to die off. I've seen rock shipped in wet paper towels and supposedly it was ok after a couple of days. Don't know if this is true or not. So if I had to guess you would be good for three days

I use the drinking water safe water epoxy from Home Depot or Lowes. It is really strong once it is cured, but can't hold anything before it cures. Set time is 20 min and it is used to reinforce the rock structure

On the rockscape

I try to do things in thirds and off center
So for example if you have a nice coral ... You wouldn't want that to be in the middle of the tank. Another example would be if you do the two island approach you wouldn't want them to be the same size. The reason for this from what I have read is that you don't want focal points center

For the fish part of it. I have read that you don't want your reef too tall. The reason for this is that it pushes the fish toward the top and they don't really like that. Also it won't look as natural

Another thing that I have read is that a reef will look more natural if you try to keep the same species types together. That seems to make since to me so I have a stylo section and plan to have a millepora section

Last thing that I can think of is to have as many open areas (caves) as you can. If I think of anything else I will add it

Thanks
Randy

Fieryfrog · Apr 20, 2015

I was thinking about just a couple hours. I will be pre staging the pieces I want on my stock tank, then just taking them out long enough to get them together and dried.

hawkinsrgk · Apr 21, 2015

I wouldn't think that would cause any problems

PedroYoung · Apr 22, 2015

I've seen some cool YouTube vids where they drill holes in the rock and use short acrylic rods to hold pieces together like pegs. I was thinking I might try that when I do my 180 in the new house. Makes sense for islands if you are stacking several pieces together, you can have one rod going through the whole thing and it's hidden

Fieryfrog · Apr 22, 2015

I actually watched a video on that lst night. I may do the same. Because my 125 if only a 4 fotter. so it is extra tall. But I have also heard that you don't want to make the rock work to tall, or the fish will be forced up and it stresses them out.

hawkinsrgk · Apr 22, 2015

Hi Aaron

There is a good article on here called tips and tricks on creating amazing aquascapes. May want to check that out if you haven't already

Thanks
Randy

nwkermit · Apr 22, 2015

I just set up a new tank- ask your LFS to see if they sell reef safe cement kits. I set up my rock and it bonded within an hour or two. Keep the rock a little moist when you are working with it, as long as it don't dry up you are okay for awhile. Things might start to die off and it can trigger another cycle when you put it back in tank. But my rocks are looking great.