Connecting Rocks?

[The Shrimp X]

I am trying to connect a few branch like peices of LR in order to make a bigge, nicer, structure for in my tank.
I have made DIY rock useing Portland cement, sand, and crushed coral before. But my question is, What would be a good mixture to use to just connect the rocks together? Also has anyone else tried doing this?


Thanks For Any Help


~David~

 

[Ciarán]

Do you have any 20 minute Epoxy cement? I read in the book by Julian Sprung and John Charles Delbeek that it can be applied underwater and solidifies in 20 minutes or so (hence the name). It does produce effluent as far as im aware but it is benign to all organisms. You could always do it in a bucket of saltwater outside the aquarium and use a powerhead for circulation to prevent the effluent from settling, then introduce it when its set. Another idea is perhaps to use cable ties between each piece of rock and use a small drill bit on an electrical drill to make the holes between the rocks.

Another very useful product (though i have no personal experience with it is this http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=RW2111 aquarium epoxy cement from Marine Depot. Its probably exactly what you need

 

[The Shrimp X]

I had thought of that, but seeing as how expensive the epoxy is, I thought it'd be easier to just kinda DIY rock/cement the peices together.
I have tried drilling through LR beofer to the tie idea, but everytime (even when using the sallest bit I have) its just cracks the rock...

 

[Ciarán]

Its very outlandish but its in a book on reef aquaria by Julian Sprung, he says that chewing gum can be used as an adhesive to connect rock and or stony corals to a substratum. Be sure to chew the gum sufficiently to remove all the flavour first. I have never tried it before but ive read that it is a safe method in a number of places including the "Reef Aquarium Vol.1" by Delbeek and Sprung, so such an endorsement can't be a bad thing! Just a suggestion.

 

[The Shrimp X]

Thank you for the suggestion, but I am really just trying to find a good mixture of cement and such that can be used to attach peices of rock with.

 

[MinibowMatt]

why not drill holes and dowel the rocks together with some plastic rods. I have acrylic rods I use, but I think you could use drywall anchors or some other plastic fastner..

 

[Pat_13]

I would go with a mixture of 2pt sand and 1pt cement. You want something that will flow into the holes you already have in the rock to hold them together.