rare earth magnets

[TheJay]

so has any one tried epoxying rare earth magnets to the bottom of rocks to aquascape them. and if you have have the intence magnetic fields generated by the rare earth mangets caused the fishies and other critters to do weird things

[tydtran]

Just doesn't seem to be worth the trouble. Also, are these magnets expensive?

[IslandCrow]

This idea has been suggested a few times before. Unfortunately, magnets aren't particularly strong against sheering forces. In other words, if you try to pull them directly apart, it's very difficult, but if you slide them apart, it's pretty easy. This second motion is generally what you get with rocks sliding off each other. Something like acrylic rods are going to be a much better solution.

[ReefEnabler]

if sheer forces are the biggest issue, couldn't this be overcome - within reason - by using multiple magnets on different facing angles of the rock?

[ReefEnabler]

and by "within reason", I mean that you wouldn't go around trying to form a bridge connecting rocks end-to-end spanning a 72" tank or anything rediculous.

maybe just use it to help stack a vertical pillar with minor offsets or shelves here and there, not altogether different than what people accomplish with pvc pillars and drilling the rocks.

[Tang Salad]

Interesting idea. I wouldn't worry about the lack of shearing strength on them either. Neo. magnets the size of a quarter could easily hold a ten pound rock in place.

I think you'd just need to epoxy coat them, and then epoxy them to the rocks. It would probably be tough to place them exactly where you wanted them though. And, aside from the cool factor, I can't see why else to do it.

Were you thinking that the LR in your tank could be snapped apart for cleaning, and then snapped back into place?

[ReefEnabler]

Yes, I think the 'snap apart' modularity would be nice.

only real reason to do it would be if you wanted to 'push the limits' in terms of overhangs and arches just a bit, or create some cool bridges but dont want to risk a rockslide.

I think using PVC supports is easier, but to make them removable would require drilling the rocks and stacking them. otherwise people usually use plastic ties and just drill smaller holes in the pvc and possibly the rock.


I am in the midst of a PVC rock-pillar project and I am finding that drilling large holes in the rocks takes much more time than I thought maybe my marsonry bit and ryobi hammer drill are crappy....

I have tons of extra epoxy resin from the foam-epoxy-sand project so would be cool to use it for something.