Breaking a live rock?

HUNTER1 · 10/31/2012, 08:09 AM

I have this huge pukani rock in my tank that I like to break a piece out of to make placement for coral. I dont want to take it out, is it safe to use a regular plier in the tank? thanks

bnumair · 10/31/2012, 08:32 AM

its metal and it may rust or may have rust already. one quick dip maynot cause an issue but why take a chance. take the rock out use a hammer and break it.

HUNTER1 · 10/31/2012, 08:50 AM

To take it out I need to take few rocks out too, don't want to do that. It's going to make a big mess. I suppose if the plier is brand new and no rust, it's okay?

jerpa · 10/31/2012, 09:17 AM

You can use the pliers briefly. Make sure you clean them well. Many come oiled and I wouldn't want to bet on that oil being reef-safe. I'm more curious how you plan on breaking the rock with pliers. You will be exerting a fair amount of force on your aquascape if you are successful and I would be more worried about rocks shifting and possibly falling. Cracking the bottom pane would be far more difficult than removing the rock. The fact that it is supporting other rocks increases my concerns. My $.02.

HUNTER1 · 10/31/2012, 10:30 AM

It's a large pukani rocks that I can get a grip on its thin branches and just bend and it will break, they're brittle. If I see danger on the first attemp, I'll just leave it be.

jerpa · 10/31/2012, 10:32 AM

Sounds like a plan. I thought you were attempting to pry with pliers. If you are cutting as if you were fragging SPS I don't see a danger. It should cut as easily as coral, since thats what it is.

coralsnaked · 10/31/2012, 11:53 AM

Large tile nippers work much better.

danil · 10/31/2012, 12:13 PM

Still... I had few moments in the past then pliers slipped off my hand and was diving towards my glass bottom nose down! After that if I need to chip/cut/drill my rock I take the rock out first.

HUNTER1 · 10/31/2012, 04:21 PM

I'll do it during water change and expose the top of the rock so there's not much water movement while doing it. I wasn't thinking when I aquascaped, didn't leave enough room for corals.

10/31/2012, 08:09 AM	#1
HUNTER1 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 1,044	Breaking a live rock? I have this huge pukani rock in my tank that I like to break a piece out of to make placement for coral. I dont want to take it out, is it safe to use a regular plier in the tank? thanks

10/31/2012, 08:32 AM	#2
bnumair Dr. Reef at ur service Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tulsa, Ok, USA Posts: 7,751 Blog Entries: 15	its metal and it may rust or may have rust already. one quick dip maynot cause an issue but why take a chance. take the rock out use a hammer and break it. __________________ Water Quality: NO3 0,Phos 0,Cal 440,Alk 7.5,Mag 1300 "Reef Fast, You Crash, Reef Slow, You Pass" Mike's Reef 3:16 Current Tank Info: 350g DT,95g sump, 50g Frag tank, 4800gph return 4x Sea swirls. 6x AI Vega Color. 200# Pukani rock, dual recirculating skimmer, Biopellet, GFO Carbon rx's, Cal rx. Closed loop. 1.5hp chiller, genesis renew. Apex & RKE

10/31/2012, 09:17 AM	#4
jerpa Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 2,174	You can use the pliers briefly. Make sure you clean them well. Many come oiled and I wouldn't want to bet on that oil being reef-safe. I'm more curious how you plan on breaking the rock with pliers. You will be exerting a fair amount of force on your aquascape if you are successful and I would be more worried about rocks shifting and possibly falling. Cracking the bottom pane would be far more difficult than removing the rock. The fact that it is supporting other rocks increases my concerns. My $.02. __________________ Jer Current Tank Info: 40b basement sump, 40b refugium, 30g frag

10/31/2012, 10:32 AM	#6
jerpa Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 2,174	Sounds like a plan. I thought you were attempting to pry with pliers. If you are cutting as if you were fragging SPS I don't see a danger. It should cut as easily as coral, since thats what it is. __________________ Jer Current Tank Info: 40b basement sump, 40b refugium, 30g frag

10/31/2012, 08:50 AM	#3
HUNTER1 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 1,044	To take it out I need to take few rocks out too, don't want to do that. It's going to make a big mess. I suppose if the plier is brand new and no rust, it's okay?

10/31/2012, 10:30 AM	#5
HUNTER1 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 1,044	It's a large pukani rocks that I can get a grip on its thin branches and just bend and it will break, they're brittle. If I see danger on the first attemp, I'll just leave it be.

10/31/2012, 11:53 AM	#7
coralsnaked Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Austin / Port Aransas, TX Posts: 1,479	Large tile nippers work much better.

10/31/2012, 12:13 PM	#8
danil Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Concord, CA Posts: 935	Still... I had few moments in the past then pliers slipped off my hand and was diving towards my glass bottom nose down! After that if I need to chip/cut/drill my rock I take the rock out first.

10/31/2012, 04:21 PM	#9
HUNTER1 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 1,044	I'll do it during water change and expose the top of the rock so there's not much water movement while doing it. I wasn't thinking when I aquascaped, didn't leave enough room for corals.