Using epoxy for aquascaping

[FishAddict87]

I have read/seen in a few build threads of people using epoxy and acrylic bars to connect live rock for their aquascaping. My question is, do you need to let the epoxy dry and culture it before putting it back in your DT? And I have the slightest idea where I can get arcrylic bars from. I'm just trying to toy with ideas of reaquascaping my tank maybe soon or in the future. I just want to know what I am doing and getting into before I make my move so thanks in advance. Everyone on here is so helpful

[Bolivian Reefer]

If you want to attach rocks together you shoudl consider ecotech glue. On my exp epoxy did not work for me. Ecotech glue can beused for coral fragging aswell

[Thatgrimguy]

I use epoxy on my frags and on my rockwork. The way I use it is to stack my rocks in the formations I want then secure the joints by pushing the epoxy into the cracks. Aquarium safe 2part epoxy can be used under water, it'll make your skimmer go nuts for a while, but that's all.

[Thatgrimguy]

Ecotech glue is great for some things, but not for securing rock work, it's too clumsy to use underwater with much success. 2part epoxy stays where you put it and hardens like concrete. I have tried both and have never been able to get my ecotech glue to work right underwater. It's great for gluing a frag down, just not rocks.

[TucanSam007]

Like the others have said two part epoxy works best. Try and find a some what stable configuration with the live rock then use something like water weld found at home depot to push between the cracks at main joints to secure. Just make sure your really happy with the aqua-scaping because it hardens like steel.

[jon99]

I would also consider hydrolic cement. Sets in minutes and creates a rock solid bond... literally. You can get a bucket of it at Lowes or HD.








Acrylic rod sources (nylon also works):

https://www.estreetplastics.com/Acrylic_Rod_s/46.htm

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant...=2&top_cat=181

[Sizzle]

Marco rocks sells rods and a mortar compond. Should check their site out, has info on how to do the rock work.

[FishAddict87]

do i have to culture the rocks after the epoxy is on them or can i just put them straight back into my tank? i do have a sick of 2 part epoxy and i am pretty bored so i might get started but if there is anything better i can use then ill wait.

[jporter]

I bought 1/2" acrylic rods from amazon. Use a 1/2" masonary bit to drill through the rock. The rod will be tight fitting so you may have to hog out the rock holes a little. You can use super glue where the rods go through the drilled rock. Use the epoxy where the rocks meet each other. I've seen where you can use a blow torch to bend the acrylic rods slightly if needed. I built my scape this way and it is very solid. Use the purple epoxy as it looks more like coralline algae.

[Saltwaternewb]

I used a mason drill bit and 1/2 inch pvc... I couldnt get the epoxy to hold for the arch, and I didnt want the rock to dry out while it was setting up. It is a fairly young tank.. and this is my first attempt at rock scaping. It took a few hours of mix matching rocks to get it to work.. but I was able to keep the rock wet will I was building it. Might think about using some sort of plastic rod or small pvc pipe. Just a thought. Good luck!

[FishAddict87]

that looks like some great scaping you got there saltwaternewb! I think im going to try to get my hands on acrylic rods because I can bend them with a blow torch or something. I have a few worries about making this move though... the rock I have been in my tank for about a year so they are just filled with bristle worms. how can i avoid touching them while i am doing this? and do i need to let the rock structures cure after im done? I dont have another tank to put them in for a few days.

[Saltwaternewb]

Wear gloves... as far as curing... if your using epoxy or something, then probably.. I just kept a 30 gallon bucket of salt water close by to keep the rock wet while I was working on it.. you can pick up 40 gal. Tubs at Walmart for about $10-15 and just throw a power head in there to keep it circulated. Should be able to keep rock in there till the epoxy hardens.

[crn005]

Where are you guys getting the epoxy? Is it the two part stuff that HD sells? Like this?

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Loctite-8...5#.UYFyHrd5mc0

[cloak]

Yes and no. HD does sell it, but it's the JB Waterweld, as opposed to the Loctite.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/J-B-Weld-...d=jb+waterweld

[crn005]

Thank you! I'll go check it out.

[knight2255]

If you want to glue rocks together outside of the tank, I used the 2 part marine epoxy at HD for all my dry rock aquascape. No need for acrylic rods, the 2 part is plenty strong. It takes a full 24 hours to cure. I even epoxied my pillars to old ceramic tiles at the base so that there is no chance of them tumbling over.

[crn005]

Which one should I use for dry rock aquascaping? The JB Weld says its drinking water safe but it only holds 900 PSI versus the Loctite at 3000 PSI.

[postshawn]

Why acrylic rods, would PVC not work? I'm planning on doing the same thing and was thinking of just using PVC pipe and drilling my rocks with a hole where I want the PVC pipe to go. I just figured since water runs through PVC in aquarium plumbing why wouldn't it work in the tank too?

[crn005]

Other than a rod being less flexible, I see no advantage to a rod over a PVC pipe. Still, which epoxy have you guys had success with?

[ganjero]

Originally Posted by crn005

Other than a rod being less flexible, I see no advantage to a rod over a PVC pipe. Still, which epoxy have you guys had success with?

Waterweld (right pic) or any other epoxy brand in that form (putty).

[HUNTER1]

I use plastic hanger and cut them in pieces instead of acrylic rods and drill, very stable. You Dont need to glue in case you want to take it apart for some reason.

[crn005]

I used the water weld. I got back yesterday from Korea. After two weeks of the putty being in the water, it had a similar consistency to sticky tack. I highly recommend others to not use this product.

[NTP66]

I used JB WaterWeld on my rock, and it worked perfectly. Not sure what was going on in your situation, but a lot of others on this board went the WaterWeld route, as well.

[Reefer54]

Originally Posted by crn005

I used the water weld. I got back yesterday from Korea. After two weeks of the putty being in the water, it had a similar consistency to sticky tack. I highly recommend others to not use this product.

I am not pointing fingers, but in my experience with all types of JBWeld, if the product never cures or continues to remain tacky, a couple circumstances may have occured.
1. usually, the mix was not 50/50. As there is some margin for error in this, if the parts are not mixed very close to equal, they will not cure.
2. (and I think this is more the case in an aquarists circumstance) As you use this underwater or on a very wet surface, water (and in sw, other elements) bind with the epoxy and disallow it to cure totally.

As I am sure you are aware, while tacky, the epoxy does not truly have integrity until it fully cures, which is proven when you go to mold it and it sticks to your fingers or bends away from the joint you are trying to bind. Or, if your fingers are clean, but sheer gravity causes the epoxy to bend away from its desired position.

I reccomend using small amounts at a time as smaller equal amounts are easier to measure for better curing as well should be easier to more thoroughly mix together. I also recommend allowing the epoxy to cure for a solid 5 to 8 minutes until it is starting to really stiffen prior to submerging it. IN the 5-8 miinutes you may even be able to try and pre-shape the epoxy to fit the joint a bit better.

I hope that helps without offending. and of course, I in no way mean to insinuate that you had done something wrong. just my opinion. I personally question whether or not jbweld is safe to put into a reef tank, but that is not the issue at hand.