Pre FragFest rock project coming together

[AdInfinitum]

With FragFest coming up quickly and me still hating my aqua-scape I decided to try a little construction project to give me some new high light and genuine shaded areas to put my new acquisitions.

I dug out my bucket of "too small to be useful" rock pieces and some quikcrete (recommended as reef safe elsewhere) and went to work.  I soaked and cleaned the rock which has been dry for years and as I assembled sections I kept them soaking to ensure the aluminium compounds that fast drying cements have in them had a chance to leach out even though they are not harmful in theory. 

I snapped a couple of pics when I had it out for a few finishing touches.

 

Final dimensions are 15" high, 16" at the widest point and 17.5" from front to back. 

All things considered I am very happy with the way it came out and I think that once it is covered with coralline etc. it will look like a fairly natural reef shelf.  A good use for a bunch of rock that was of little value.

 

[Marz]

I love the look. I was "wishing" to do this with mine, but just couldn't figure it out. The shadows it will case and areas to mount stuff looks great!

 

[sunnykita]

brilliant idea !

 

[AdInfinitum]

So I have put my creation into the tank just in time for Fragfest.  I took out a large pile of rock and my new scape looks better and has improved flow throughout the tank as well as giving me some genuine high light and shaded spots for new acquisitions.  The fish really seem to like having space where they can swim while still escaping the intense light from the halides.  The rest of my old school rock pile now looks so shabby that I am going to have to redo the rest of the tank...

I just stuck the corals on so don't mind the placement at this point, still a work in progress.

 

[pulpfiction1]

nice......

 

[TORX]

Very cool.

 

[benzzz]

Agreed that looks wicked.  I am looking at your piece and getting ideas for a spiral rock design that has to stay shallow for my DT. I would love to arrange SPS around it and see how it grows out.  Just trying to figure out how to cut the LR and bond together

 

[Marz]

Wow, that does look very nice!

 

[AdInfinitum]

Agreed that looks wicked.  I am looking at your piece and getting ideas for a spiral rock design that has to stay shallow for my DT. I would love to arrange SPS around it and see how it grows out.  Just trying to figure out how to cut the LR and bond together

Thanks, I didn't do much cutting as I was building this mostly out of small scraps of rock.  Honestly I didn't want to risk messing up any really good pieces of rock incase it didn't work out as this was my first attempt. I just ground a few spots out to make pieces mate together the way I wanted.

Getting the right mix with the cement was a little tricky at first. A few small batches and you get a feel for the right consistency.  I used quickcrete brand hydraulic cement since it was recommended as a safe brand. Hardens unbelievably quickly and bonds the rock well...do a piece or two let it harden for a while...repeat... Jerry has some real reef cement apparently if you don't feel comfortable using that.

I will definitely be doing more of this.  I love the possibilities that this opens up versus the old stack and hope method.

 

[AdInfinitum]

Bump for teebone

 

[teebone110]

thanks, where did you buy it?

 

[teebone110]

I have read that BASF Emaco 400 is essentially the same same stuff that retailers are selling as fijicrete and marco 400.

 

[jroovers]

I used quickcrete brand hydraulic cement since it was recommended as a safe brand. Hardens unbelievably quickly and bonds the rock well...do a piece or two let it harden for a while...repeat... Jerry has some real reef cement apparently if you don't feel comfortable using that.

Based on my past experience using the DAP quick plug hydraulic cement, I'll be steering clear of these products in the future. Initially my rockwork held up well with the cement, but after a year or so it slowly started to disintegrate and make a mess of my tank with small grey cement particles everywhere. Not saying you are going to have the same experience, but over the long run it wasn't something that I would consider a success.

 

[curiousphil]

What would you do in the future Jordan? Tons of epoxy, acrylic rods, or some other method?