Fastening LR together

Tennismurph · 03/21/2006, 08:14 PM

My LR and corals are just stacked up. The turbo snails can move some of the pieces and the corals causing topples and some harmful stings or crushings. What's the best way to fasten things down?

artful-dodger · 03/21/2006, 08:58 PM

It is a lot easier before the corals are in place, but with any luck you can move everything to one side while you work on the other.

I know of four common ways of handling this problem. (I'm sure there are others that I've never heard of.) First is the "dry stack" method--what you probably have now based on your question. Actually this does work well if you are working with big rocks and take your time in fitting them together. Second is underwater epoxy--I have tried this and didn't find the bonds to be particularly strong, but others have reported success. Third is to use plastic cable ties--the challenge is how to hide them. The fourth way that I've found to work well (but takes a lot of time) is the "tinker toy" method using lucite (acrylic) rods--prefit the rocks, then drill matching holes in them and use a short piece of rod to keep them from sliding.

Cox · 03/21/2006, 09:36 PM

I have had excellent results with the HoldFast and AquaStick underwater epoxy. It has held extremely well and nothing has knocked anything loose yet. You do, however, have to use much more of the stuff than you would think.

Blown 346 · 03/21/2006, 09:42 PM

Before you attach your rock together, make sure you arent going to change the rock work again.

Cox · 03/21/2006, 10:23 PM

Excellent point, Blown 346. I was very hesitant to use the epoxy on my LR for just that reason. I ended up attaching only 3 pieces that were consistently problematic with falling.

Tennismurph · 03/22/2006, 06:41 PM

Thanks everyone! I'm leaning towards the tinker toy method for the LR and some Epoxy under the problematic hard corals. Would a little daylight between the LR be an advantage? Maybe provide additional surface and circulation opportunities? I thought I read a "tank of the month" setup where someone claimed they could use less LR by doing this.

03/21/2006, 08:14 PM	#1
Tennismurph Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Granville,OH Posts: 41	Fastening LR together My LR and corals are just stacked up. The turbo snails can move some of the pieces and the corals causing topples and some harmful stings or crushings. What's the best way to fasten things down?

03/21/2006, 08:58 PM	#2
artful-dodger Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Highlands Ranch, Colorado Posts: 3,011	It is a lot easier before the corals are in place, but with any luck you can move everything to one side while you work on the other. I know of four common ways of handling this problem. (I'm sure there are others that I've never heard of.) First is the "dry stack" method--what you probably have now based on your question. Actually this does work well if you are working with big rocks and take your time in fitting them together. Second is underwater epoxy--I have tried this and didn't find the bonds to be particularly strong, but others have reported success. Third is to use plastic cable ties--the challenge is how to hide them. The fourth way that I've found to work well (but takes a lot of time) is the "tinker toy" method using lucite (acrylic) rods--prefit the rocks, then drill matching holes in them and use a short piece of rod to keep them from sliding. __________________ "In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." -- Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: 140g RR Oceanic "Ultimate" mixed reef, 37g softies, 40g RBTA tank, 65g FOWLR, 40g breeder frag, and (of course) a 29g QT! ...next up is a 240g! (Gotta go to K-Mart and buy a life...)

03/21/2006, 09:36 PM	#3
Cox Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 128	I have had excellent results with the HoldFast and AquaStick underwater epoxy. It has held extremely well and nothing has knocked anything loose yet. You do, however, have to use much more of the stuff than you would think.

03/21/2006, 09:42 PM	#4
Blown 346 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rockford, Illinois Posts: 6,596	Before you attach your rock together, make sure you arent going to change the rock work again.

03/21/2006, 10:23 PM	#5
Cox Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 128	Excellent point, Blown 346. I was very hesitant to use the epoxy on my LR for just that reason. I ended up attaching only 3 pieces that were consistently problematic with falling.

03/22/2006, 06:41 PM	#6
Tennismurph Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Granville,OH Posts: 41	Thanks everyone! I'm leaning towards the tinker toy method for the LR and some Epoxy under the problematic hard corals. Would a little daylight between the LR be an advantage? Maybe provide additional surface and circulation opportunities? I thought I read a "tank of the month" setup where someone claimed they could use less LR by doing this.