drilling rock

[KafudaFish]

I got some dry base rock I want to drill to make 2 towers with a span between them to hide some equipment etc. What would be the best method of drilling? Half inch masion bit and acrylic rods with epoxy or even plastic coat hangers? Where and cost for the rods? Thanks.

 

[Steverino]

I did a search and I saw where someone used a 1" diameter mason drill. And they used 3/4" PVC pipe on the stands and supports. I think I did a search using the words "PVC rock rack" to come up with it.

Anyone have any photos of how to create a tall rock support structure other than a couple upright tubes? Any frame systems or shelf systems?

 

[Carman34L]

fiberglass rods from HD or lowes ( for marking driveways, holding signs, etc ) and a 3/8 masonry bit.

See here:

http://www.tcmas.org/Aquascaping1.htm

 

[BrianOKC]

Also here

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=665314&perpage=25&pagenumber=29

 

[Steverino]

Yep, BrianOKC is the one I found during my search. The link on Carman34L's post says "refer to figure #4" but there are no links to those diagrams or photos. What is up with that?

 

[Carman34L]

aargh, the local club is in the middle of re-vamping the website so it appears that the images were dropped.

just imagine a 3/8 hole with a fiberglass rod throught it ::

 

[Steverino]

How do they keep the things standing upright? I'm just wondering about the best way to arrange rocks in a tank that is 36 wide, 18 front to back, and 30-31" tall. It seems a PVC stand/structure is better so that it is stable. I guess 2-3 stands that go up pretty high, maybe total rock height about 25". Not sure if I should connect the stands to each other or not. The bottoms of these PCV pipe stands would be under the sand so they would not have caps on them, and I would guess it is a good idea to drill many holes in them for circulation?

 

[flyyyguy]

cast acrylic rods work at least as well and are much less visible and could accomplish everything you talk about...eliminate all pvc and fiberglass from the equation....


just get some 1/2" or 1" pvc scrap and drill out holes the rods go into.....SUPER strong, stable and you dont have to look at a bunch of ugly pvc in your tank....you could make the rods as tall as you like

i like to use masonry bits to connect rock to rock using the same rods

rods here http://www.mcmaster.com/

part # 8531K21 other sizes available

Rods arent even glued nor do they need to be...they just sit in place so you can mix and match different heights desired for specific rocks

Under water and under your reef it is nearly invisible

 

[KafudaFish]

Thanks everyone. I tried drilling rock but did not see much. I like the rods for strength. It is only 5 or 6 rocks and they will be pretty much stand alone. The only rock I am really worried about would be the span rock.

 

[SDguy]

I just did this. Used 3/8" acrylic rod, glued into 5" diameter, 1/2" thick acrylic discs. Weldon 16 to glue. Then just drilled with a 1/2" masonary bit (made sure to get the kind for a rotary drill, not a hammer drill).

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=746318&perpage=&pagenumber=3