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Live Rock Support Structure?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Bud, Feb 22, 2013.

  1. Bud Loves Bacon Website Team Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member Vendor

    West Des Moines, IA
    Ratings:
    +1,818 / 14 / -0
    I have to find a way to secure a bunch of LR into a structure. This has to be done without affecting the biological capability of the rock, or 'poisoning' the water.


    Basically, I have a temp tank full of good live rock that I need to transport and secure in the destination tank as quickly as possible, then put the substrate and fish in right afterwards.


    Most of the pieces are good enough to figure out a stable stacking technique, but I have one that I want to be the 'showcase' piece, and it will probably need something to make sure it doesn't move. It's this one, on the right


    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]


    I want this piece to be the highest position in the tank, with the top of the plate at about 18" off the bottom (30" tall tank), offset to one side.


    I was thinking I could drill a hole in the base of the thing and then build a stand out of PVC pipe that would sit on the bottom of the tank, and the other rocks would be stacked on that. Something along those lines. But what kind of bit would I use, a standard masonry bit?


    Is there another (reef safe) way that is fast and effective?


    What about the rest of the rock, beside using the same method of drilling holes for PVC pipes, what is a good method to secure them together, aside from a diligent stacking method?
     
  2. PotRoast

    PotRoast Well-Known ReefKeeper

    999
    Ratings:
    +24 / 0 / -0
    Most any drill bit will work but I typically use a masonry bit myself.

    Otherwise you can use zipties, nylon nuts and bolts, or if you have a little creativity you may be able to pull off using Marco Rocks cement, although I think you need dry rock for that.
     
  3. Quam

    93
    Mount Vernon
    Ratings:
    +11 / 2 / -0
    Hey Bud
    I recently used some 1/2 inch acrylic rod and a 1/2 inch masonry bit. Quick and easy. Just remember not to used a hammer drill, only rotory. I got the rod on ebay , like 30 bucks shipped for 6 18" pieces.
     
  4. Bud Loves Bacon Website Team Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member Vendor

    West Des Moines, IA
    Ratings:
    +1,818 / 14 / -0
    I thought about acrylic rod, but 1/2" PVC is more durable, less chance of it shattering, plus it's way cheaper. $30 would get me 300 feet of 1/2" PVC.

    I don't have a hammer drill so I guess that's good /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default//emoticons/smile.gif
     
  5. Fultsreef

    Fultsreef Inactive User

    151
    Ratings:
    +1 / 0 / -0
    I used a masonry 3/4" masonry drill bit to drill through my rock. I then used 3/4" pvc pipe to stack the rock into pillars. I made three separate pillars for my 120 gallon. I used heavy duty zip ties to tighten up any loose rocks by connecting the loose rock to a sturdy rock with the zip tie. Once sturdy i then placed the three seperate pillars into the tank. I designed my rockwork so that once the three pillars were in the tank they looked naturally bridged together as one large piece of rockwork with two large caves integrated into it. All the zip ties were placed toward the back of the rock structure and no pvc or zip ties are currently visible.
     
  6. Fultsreef

    Fultsreef Inactive User

    151
    Ratings:
    +1 / 0 / -0
    Added note...i also used the three largest rocks i had as the bottom piece of each pillar and tapered the rockwork upward from larger to smaller.
     
  7. Fultsreef

    Fultsreef Inactive User

    151
    Ratings:
    +1 / 0 / -0
    Here is my rockwork...i carriedthe three pillars from my basement inside of rubbermaid containers into our dining room where my tank is located with no problems...you should be able to transport them in a vehicle if you do something similar and maybe pad them with something inside the containers for extra insurance. Pardon the dirt glass...we just got home tonight from being gone for four days.
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 22, 2018
  8. Sponge Expert Reefkeeper Vendor

    Marshalltown, IA
    Ratings:
    +233 / 1 / -0

    Nice work! Looks very natural/DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default/emoticons/smile.gif
     
  9. Bud Loves Bacon Website Team Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member Vendor

    West Des Moines, IA
    Ratings:
    +1,818 / 14 / -0
    I'm thinking that I will get a hold of one of these large masonry bits and drill the pieces in various places as I remove them from the temp tank before transporting to the destination tank. I will create a PVC pipe base structure that I can drop in the tank and use to position the rocks by sliding them over the pipes. Then when each piece is in the general position, I will use the reef-safe epoxy (the clay-like stuff) and push that into the hole around the PVC pipe, so that will more or less hold it in place.

    I think some of the PVC will probably be visible for a while until it encrusts over. But I'm OK with that. Going to safety and final appearance. Maybe I'll use Schedule 80. I was thinking of using the Electrical (gray) S-40 but even that would show up. The really dark gray S-80 will be less noticeable.

    So the only question then is - how much of that putty epoxy can I use in one shot and not affect the water? I'm going to be running carbon so I think that will take care of it - but just to be safe I figured I would ask
     
  10. mfisher

    mfisher

    255
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    I used marcos masonry stuff... Forget the name... Kept lr wet w towels until it hardened... Only about 20 minutes and back in the tank! Its a 180 so the dilutuion helps.
     
  11. ninjazx777 Experienced Reefkeeper

    Des Moines, IA
    Ratings:
    +7 / 1 / -0
    Bud I have a concrete bit that works for 1/2" PVC you can barrow
     
  12. Bud Loves Bacon Website Team Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member Vendor

    West Des Moines, IA
    Ratings:
    +1,818 / 14 / -0
    Ok so back to this Marcos Masonry stuff. Here is what I need to actually get done. Per this thread

    http://www.greateriowareefsociety.org/Forums/tabid/78/aft/29916/Default.aspx

    I am going to remove all rock and sand from this tank and drain it. I have a temp tank set up with rock, sand and fish. The plan is to then place all this rock from this temp tank in the destination tank and structure it and secure it.

    Then what I will have left is a tank full of fish and sand that needs to go in. Problem is that I can't take the sand out while leaving the fish in the temp tank. So I would have to either wrangle all the fish, then drain (water will be transferred with them as much as possible) then remove sand, and place sand in destination tank.

    Hmmm.

    I think what I will have to do is structure the rock in the destination tank, let it cure for 20 minutes, then fill it to submerge the rocks, leaving it bare bottom and only partially full. Then I would wrangle the fish, remove the sand, transport, drain the tank, add the sand, then put the water back in, filling the tank, and then the fish.

    So, can you point me to somewhere I can read up on the Marco's Masonry, and does anyone in Des Moines have a bunch?
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2015
  13. Bud Loves Bacon Website Team Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member Vendor

    West Des Moines, IA
    Ratings:
    +1,818 / 14 / -0
    is it this

    http://www.marcorocks.com/bondingmortar.aspx
     
  14. mfisher

    mfisher

    255
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    Yes. I thought about this more... It sets up quickly, but isn't hard enough to have much strength for 24 hrs... Rocks on the bottom may not be able to support others. If you want to use it, try playing with it first... I used fiberglass rods (driveway markers) where i could. They dont work as well as they seem. Call if you wanna discuss, bud.

    Matt
     
  15. moneypit

    moneypit Inactive User

    167
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    This stuff works great http://pcepoxy.com/our-products/paste-epoxies/pc-11.php or the PC-7.
     
  16. Bud Loves Bacon Website Team Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member Vendor

    West Des Moines, IA
    Ratings:
    +1,818 / 14 / -0
    Alrighty, after talking to mfisher and Marc from Marco rocks, I'm going with using the Marco mortar stuff in conjunction with putty epoxy and/or rubble rock. Going to place the putty in blocks and/or rubble rock on points so that each rock will sit in the proper position, then lather in between with mortar and do this in stages. Will continue the progress on the main thread, thanks for all the help!!

    Main thread:

    http://www.greateriowareefsociety.org/Forums/tabid/78/aft/29916/Default.aspx
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2015

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