Join me for a strange one...

[redfishsc]

I need some suggestions.

My plan was to silicone the joint gaps and with the gooey silicone oozing out of the cracks stick on my crack-camo pieces. Easy. Simple.

Not!

The silicone just isn't gooey enough to hold the weight of the pieces. And, there is no way to temporarily hold them.

What else can I use? Bondo? Since bondo hardens so fast it would be time consuming too since I'd have to mix more about every minute.

Hot melt glue?? I have a glue gun.

If you need to simply grout in between the places, look into using one of the following (or something similar)---

--- make a grout using pulverized lime and clear casting resin. I don't think the lime will affect the hardening of the resin. Keep in mind this is basically Bond-o you are making, but the curing time is drastically effected by how much of that MEKP you drip into it.

Sand would be too gritty to use as a medium and would still be "runny". With pulverized limestone, you can make it pretty thick, I'm sure.


--- Do the same using something like West System 105 epoxy with the same pulverized lime--- and buy some of that medium hardener for it. They also make a "fast" or "slow" hardener, depending on what you need. This stuff isn't cheap by any stretch but it's one of the most trusted epoxies out there and totally reef safe. I've even made fountain pens out of it (with some colorant and metalflake, of course )



If you are needing to adhere these things to the wall, still need the silicone behind them.

Just purchase any kind of spreading-expanding clamp to put pressure between the plates and the front aquarium wall. You don't need much.

Heck, even a modified shower curtain rod (the type you twist to make longer) would work wonderfully, just cut it short and cap the ends with a rubber pad or rubber chair leg cap.

 

[r3k2p]

not sure if mentioned already but what about the AquaStik Epoxy Putty? It comes in stone grey and red.

any updates? can't wait to this running...

 

[kcress]

Hi r3k2p.

Update.. Frustration..

I went to Ace and spent 45 minutes looking at the adhesives wall for tacky epoxy. Just as I was about to give up I saw some called "PC9". It comes in two cans and states, "Very tacky. Will not run or sag. Excellent for use with vertical walls and overhead jobs."

Hot dang! So I bought the two shrink wrapped cans.

Indeed the stuff is thick. It's like tar. You use it 1:1. One component is light gray the other is black. You mix them until they are uniform dark gray. If you stick a stick in the can it's actually hard to get the stuff out as it wants to string and stick to it's mates in the can.

Anyway I then blob a wad on the back of a crack-hiding piece of ceramic and stick it against the tiles. After holding it for a minute I let go... and watch as the ceramic bit slowly peals away. I catch it just in time. And shove it back on. Same thing happens again. I apply more epoxy over a larger area for more holding. That seems to do it. I quickly do seven more pieces. It all looks good. Cure time is 10 minutes. About 6 minutes later I'm called to dinner.

When I get back 4 of the pieces have fallen off. One has landed epoxy down on the tank floor... I doubt it will ever come off. Only the pieces that were sort of locked up on adjacent nooks and crannies remained in place.

That was everything I hoped for in an epoxy yet it couldn't hold up the light little pieces of ceramic long enough to cure.

Back to the drawing board. I absolutely must have something to hold them in place while adhesive X cures. This means something like redfish's curtain rods.

I need curtain rods that are about 24" long. Looking at those, they're about $5 apiece. I'm not blowing a hundred bucks on throw-away when I'm done rods.

I can not use pieces of wood. Because my bits range from 3/8" thick to 4" which a piece of wood can't accommodate.

I am going to try some super stiff high strength fence wire I have.
I'll bend it - in a vise - so that it's straight with a loop (think inch worm loop) in the middle. By squeezing the loop in one hand it should get shorter by up to a few inches. Releasing the loop will allow it to extend again. The key is some sort of rubber tips to protect the surfaces involved and to add the friction required to prevent slipping.

I wish I could come up with some rubber thingys that would do the job.

 

[r3k2p]

Hi r3k2p.

Update.. Frustration..

I went to Ace and spent 45 minutes looking at the adhesives wall for tacky epoxy. Just as I was about to give up I saw some called "PC9". It comes in two cans and states, "Very tacky. Will not run or sag. Excellent for use with vertical walls and overhead jobs."

Hot dang! So I bought the two shrink wrapped cans.

Indeed the stuff is thick. It's like tar. You use it 1:1. One component is light gray the other is black. You mix them until they are uniform dark gray. If you stick a stick in the can it's actually hard to get the stuff out as it wants to string and stick to it's mates in the can.

Anyway I then blob a wad on the back of a crack-hiding piece of ceramic and stick it against the tiles. After holding it for a minute I let go... and watch as the ceramic bit slowly peals away. I catch it just in time. And shove it back on. Same thing happens again. I apply more epoxy over a larger area for more holding. That seems to do it. I quickly do seven more pieces. It all looks good. Cure time is 10 minutes. About 6 minutes later I'm called to dinner.

When I get back 4 of the pieces have fallen off. One has landed epoxy down on the tank floor... I doubt it will ever come off. Only the pieces that were sort of locked up on adjacent nooks and crannies remained in place.

That was everything I hoped for in an epoxy yet it couldn't hold up the light little pieces of ceramic long enough to cure.

Back to the drawing board. I absolutely must have something to hold them in place while adhesive X cures. This means something like redfish's curtain rods.

I need curtain rods that are about 24" long. Looking at those, they're about $5 apiece. I'm not blowing a hundred bucks on throw-away when I'm done rods.

I can not use pieces of wood. Because my bits range from 3/8" thick to 4" which a piece of wood can't accommodate.

I am going to try some super stiff high strength fence wire I have.
I'll bend it - in a vise - so that it's straight with a loop (think inch worm loop) in the middle. By squeezing the loop in one hand it should get shorter by up to a few inches. Releasing the loop will allow it to extend again. The key is some sort of rubber tips to protect the surfaces involved and to add the friction required to prevent slipping.

I wish I could come up with some rubber thingys that would do the job.

the epoxy putty stuff i mentioned has a clay like consistency. doesn't run and comes in the shape of a stick. you have to knead pieces as it's pretty tough to begin with, like clay. you probably know what i'm talking about but if not, this epoxy has a strong hold... can be used and cures underwater also to hold frag plugs, corals, live rock etc.

as far as rubby thingys... last week while in radio shack i found and purchased some rubber cable clips. made by bluelounge and the package calls them CableDrop. they have an adhesive on the back while on the front, they are rubber in the shape of a dome with 2 sides that open up hold the wire... might be able to use them to stick to your wire and hold your little pieces in place. 6 in a package.

 

[r3k2p]

just thought of another method... what about if you used a piece of wood that was wedged in the front, bottom corner of the tank that was cut to fit the distance at angle to the seam/seams. attach the pieces/pieces in place the width of the wood or smaller... lower the other end of wood onto the pieces... maybe the weight of the wood along with gravity would be enough to hold the pieces in place while the adhesive you use can cure enough to hold it in place. think 2x4, 2x6 or 2x8 or even wider if you want to do more in one shot. your pieces would be wedged between the wood and tiles if that makes any sense... kinda having a hard time explaining what i'm thinking.

edit: if the weight of the wood isn't enough to wedge the pieces in place, you can probably add some weight onto the wood to weigh it down. cheaper than buying those curtain rods and if you start with the longest length to work on the highest seems, you can cut them down to fit the lower ones as you move down.

 

[kcress]

Thanks for the info r3k2p.

Wood to the bottom corner.. Doing a little math, the wood would have to change length from (24x24 + 36x36)^0.5 = 43 inches down to 24" at the bottom... These ceramic things aren't heavy so I bet no real weight would be needed. I could buy one of those bundles of survey sticks. You can cut them with a sharp knife.

Thanks.

 

[Hookup]

You have probably already discounted this, but can you take the tank out, lay it on it's back and then gravity is your friend?

 

[kcress]

Yeah that's been gone over about 3 times.. It's completely out of the question for a bucketful of reasons.

Thanks though.

I believe I have it now and I'm about to try it. Stay tuned.

 

[r3k2p]

Thanks for the info r3k2p.

Wood to the bottom corner.. Doing a little math, the wood would have to change length from (24x24 + 36x36)^0.5 = 43 inches down to 24" at the bottom... These ceramic things aren't heavy so I bet no real weight would be needed. I could buy one of those bundles of survey sticks. You can cut them with a sharp knife.

Thanks.

wow!!! so that's how you use those algebra formulas in real life situations...

I was thinking the same thing that those pieces wouldn't weigh much. hope it works out.

 

[kcress]

Fy nah lee!

I'm getting somewhere. It's through the magic of welding rod and corks.:artist:

I have a case of getting-old welding rod. I jack a small cork on one end to prevent biting of my front acrylic and I don't put a cork on the other end so I do get a little bite on the ceramic I'm trying to hold in place.

At a certain point I can't do more without possibly knocking down something that's trying to set. So, I work along the length of the tank as I obstruct the space with rods.

It seems to be working. A couple of days of this should move things along. :celeb1:

 

[cartouche]

Kcress,

I've just caught up with this thread, i'm not sure whether you need a medal or sectioning !!!

Fantastic read and inspiring to say the least, you get a cyber medal from me!

 

[noahm]

Kcress,

I've just caught up with this thread, i'm not sure whether you need a medal or sectioning !!!

Fantastic read and inspiring to say the least, you get a cyber medal from me!

Hah. If I wasn't a Mitchell and Webb fan, I wouldn't have a clue what sectioning is, but that made me laugh.

FYI, in the states we call it being committed. And yeah, he might need that

 

[kcress]

Bloke rah kim hexovalent statistical slag donkey.

 

[Paulca916]

tagging along

 

[widmer]

Lol since you've got the camera out, let's see the peice that's epoxied to the bottom.

 

[kcress]

Thanks Exploding-Pig-Train Paul.

Widdy: I was able to pry it off.

I've been working steadily on the crack camouflage. In about a week I should have it done. I'll post a picture then and see what you guys think.

 

[Hookup]

Neato!

 

[kcress]

I never thought I'd finish the back!

Remember the gaps between the tiles?
And the obvious overflow box corner?

Do you see them now?
The darker shots are just to help show the complex three dimensional aspects of the background. This is because with a single camera you lose all the perspective.

Or now?

Here's a closeup of the center.

Here's one of the nasty corner of the overflow. I'm really pleased with how it came out.

This is with the hides in place. These are to hide the two vertical pipes.

Now I have to write a CNC program to drill a thousand holes in the suction standpipe. And I've got to make the eductors.

Anyone know where to get Lockline?

 

[srusso]

Bulk reef supply sells lockline...

Nice work Kcress... I have been following this one for a long time... And man do you have patients!

When is the ETA on adding sand and cycling that tank?

 

[Chasmodes]

I just started reading this last week and I must say that this is one impressive project! Nice work!