- All right, you're about to aquascape your tank.
- Oh boy.
- You want to get it right the first time.
You need to stack it all up, make sure it's secure,
and you know, you may have thought
that you knew what you're going to use,
but there's actually the right tool for the right job.
This is the Aquascaping Adhesives
(Randy laughing) Buyer's Guide.
We're going to get that right tool for the right job,
the first time.
All right, spoiler alert.
(Randy chuckling)
You might have noticed there's no epoxy up here.
- Yeah.
I mean, that's surprising
'cause you would think that epoxy is the right tool
for this job.
But we don't use it.
Yeah, it doesn't stick very well.
It kind of falls apart in the tank after a while.
Takes forever to dry if you're doing it outside the tank,
and just not the right tool for the job that we,
the way that we aquascape and we don't recommend it.
- I'll be frank.
I think it's ugly.
(Randy laughing) You know, so,
- [Randy] Colors don't match.
- [Ryan] Most of those two part epoxies,
- Mm hmm. - don't match the color.
It sticks out forever,
and it doesn't secure well.
It's crumbly.
I just don't think there's any reason to use two part epoxy.
And this might sound like blasphemy,
- Hmmm. - because that's, like,
all the stuff I used in the beginning.
I just had way better luck using other stuff.
So, what is the right tool for the right job?
Normally we'd share, like spoiler alert here,
our favorite one.
(Randy chuckling)
But we don't have one.
- There's no right answer here,
but we do have some categories
of ways that you are Mm hmm,
and what we consider to be the right tools for that job,
based off of all the aquascapes that we've done.
So, we're going to get right into them.
- Yeah, that's why we don't have a favorite,
actually, for any one thing.
Because there's different needs
and we're going to solve them the best we can.
All right, number one,
probably because it's the most popular.
(Randy chuckling)
It's the most popular rock out there,
so it's probably the number one aquascape as well.
What would you use to stack,
and then secure Marco rock together?
- Mmmm, yeah,
so Marco rock stacks really well together on it's own.
It really holds together very well.
So really, all you need to do is
come by with some super glue,
and secure some of the points,
call it a day.
- Yeah so, especially if you're doing outside
or the tank is dry,
you can, you know, just gob this stuff on.
Kind of use, - Yeah.
- like a Popsicle stick or something like that,
to kind of smush it into the areas.
Really what you just want to do,
is kind of create a, you know,
like a mold around both areas, - Mmmm.
- and it will securely hold it together.
And so, you know, this 10 ounce bottle
of BRS super gel, extra thick,
is actually the cheapest,
(Randy laughing) easiest way to do that.
And so, this would be for Marco rocks,
the vast majority of people out there.
- Just psh, psh. - It's clear.
It's really easy to hide.
You probably won't see it at all.
And then, you know what?
If you want it really fast,
also some accelerator. (Randy sighs)
Spray this on, the glue is dried immediately.
- It's been a game changer
for a lot of our aquascapes recently.
But yeah, I can smush it all in,
set it,
and now I can pick it this thing up,
and carry it around.
- Yeah, you'd be really surprised
with a healthy amount of glue and some accelerator,
like how well it actually holds.
Like even some impossible looking aquascapes,
where it's supporting a lot of weight.
If you use enough glue and accelerator,
you can actually get it to hold that,
within, like, a minute.
You know? - Yeah.
- There's nothing else out there,
and then allows you to keep working on the aquascape,
and make it bigger,
without waiting for all those pieces to dry.
All right so,
if for some reason, you're stacking wet,
meaning underwater,
if you're using Marco rock, I would just say,
you probably should have done it
before you put water. (Randy laughing)
It should be a lot easier.
But if for whatever reason,
you're stacking underwater,
this is no longer - Mm mm.
- the best option.
- Yeah, so in that case, go to a tube.
So like this BRS extra thick glue tube.
Same glue as the big giant one,
but there's one good benefit here,
and I think I learned it from you,
is I didn't even know I could glue underwater,
but when I did find out I can glue underwater,
I don't want to use something
that's going to suck water back into itself,
which the bottle will do.
The glue, you just roll it out,
and it continually pushes out.
No water.
- Yeah, so it's impossible
to have even pressure on this underwater,
and not allow it to suck some water in,
and ruin the whole bottle.
In this case, you don't have that back pressure.
And using it underwater, often you can squirt it out,
and it creates, kind of like a film on it.
- Yes. - Nice little ball.
- You can work it. - You can, kind of actually,
just push it like putty,
right into the areas (Randy chuckling)
that you want.
So, this is a lot easier to get into areas
than this is underwater as well.
- [Randy] Yeah.
- So yeah, these 20 gram tubes,
probably the best option for gluing stacked rock underwater.
All right,
so what if I'm going to do the impossible looking,
(Randy laughing) you know, stacking that way.
I'm going to have a big jut that comes out.
- Yeah.
- And cantilevered off of one little area,
it's only held here but it grows out.
What am I going to use then?
'Cause it needs to support weight,
not just today,
but for years to come.
- Yeah, in this case,
(hands thumping)
mortar.
So the heavy-duty mortar stuff.
And then you're basically cementing these rocks
permanently together.
Mixing up some mortar.
I've actually used the purple stuff before too,
and I was using it with real reef,
and the color matches - Hmmm.
- really close,
and works really well.
I mean, I was supporting branches on other rocks
and doing that, kind of that way.
But mortar is the way to go to support some weight.
- That's interesting.
I've never used the purple one here.
So that's interesting to note,
that it actually matches the real reef stuff.
- Pretty close.
- So, for me, I use a lot on Marco rock,
especially when I'm doing the NSA stuff.
- Mm hmm. - And I'm trying to create
those impossible looks.
And, for me, this was the biggest oversight
of all of my Mm hmm.
Like, I know a lot of people have never considered
- Mortar. - using mortar,
- Yeah. - to do this.
And once you do, you'll never go back.
- Yeah, it's amazing. - Yeah, yeah.
So what happens is you create that, you know,
area where the two pieces interlock,
and then create up a little,
mix up a little bit of mortar,
and then just push it in. - Hmmm.
- And not only will it bond,
but it really creates this really strong structural bond
that fits in all the nooks and crannies,
and will hold really, really well.
What also it does, is creates like a transition
between the two pieces. - Yeah.
- You can't tell that one piece is really another one.
And then, if you want to hide it,
in this case,
the best way to do it, is actually,
just take some liquidy glue, - Yup.
- like really, really thin super glue,
put it on there and then just throw some sand on it.
(Randy laughing)
- Season it. - And the sand,
will actually make it the same color
as the rock. - Yup, works great.
- Hot tip here, also,
you may not even need to buy sand.
'Cause if you're doing an NSA or really anything,
(Randy chuckling)
- It's gonna be everywhere. - just use your hammer
to break up the rock.
It will create sand for you. (Randy laughing)
And you can use that as well.
So yeah, I don't know.
If you're going to support weight,
you could do it with super glue,
but the mortar's such a better option.
Hide the transition.
You'll be way happier to do it.
If you haven't tried it before,
you should absolutely try it,
'cause you'll be happy.
All right, so if you're doing an NSA,
you're going to use a lot of bonding.
(Randy laughing) And, all of them actually.
- Yeah, use everything here on the table,
but bulk is what matters here
because you're breaking up all these giant boulders,
which means I have a lot more small pieces
to glue and put together,
and then I want to make it go off this way,
and then up this way.
You're just going to go through a lot of glue,
a lot of accelerant,
and then, structurally,
not only to make it structurally more sound with the mortar
but seamless as well.
- Yeah, okay, so this is actually a good example
of you're using an enormous amount of glue,
and how well you can hide super glue,
better than epoxy,
is the NSA.
'Cause you could actually, in many cases,
probably not even use the mortar,
with just the glue here. - Oh yeah.
- The more weight, the more important it becomes.
But you can see how much glue you're using,
like "Man, I really can't see it."
(Randy laughing)
It's pretty cool.
Especially if you just kind of put,
like little bits of rubble
over the parts that you can see,
- Yup. - and glue those in,
just to hide it.
But here is the piece, that you just said.
It's buy more than you think you need.
In most cases,
you're going to need two of these things, at least.
And however many accelerators you buy,
it's like one of those rules of every plumbing job.
Takes three trips to the store - Buy (laughs), yup.
- This is one of them.
You're going to buy four,
you're going to find out you needed six.
You're just spraying a lot of this stuff on there.
- Yeah.
- Trying to make sure that it goes fast,
and there's, really securely held.
Hot tip here,
it might be a little bit more expensive,
but on the side here,
it's like bsi-inc.com,
Insta-Set.
You'll see this at a hobby store.
Might cost a couple bucks more
but if you're in the middle of the project,
don't wait for us to ship it to you.
Just go down to your radio control store or hobby store
and you probably can pick some of this stuff up.
- Mm hmm. - And get it done that weekend
as well.
But right after you get all that on there,
it's mortar time.
So, - My favorite part.
- It's holding, generally,
but if you bumped it or hit it really hard,
who knows what happened,
we're gonna take all those joints,
and put that mortar in there,
and smush it around. - Yup.
- Make it so that it hides well, inside the cracks,
make some nice smooth transition.
Then, cover it in that sand and thin super glue.
Boom.
One cohesive looking aquascape (Randy laughing)
They used almost everything on the table here
and probably a lot of it.
So one of these methods certainly so spoke to you,
but there are some other tips
that matter as well. - Oh yeah.
First one, for me,
is as somebody who used a rod and drilling rock before,
I just won't do it anymore, or very often.
I've done it before,
and it was easy because I had the Pukani rock,
which was easier to drill,
but you start getting into some of that harder rock,
like Marco rock,
and you're trying to drill a hole through it,
and then find a rod to get in there,
put it just right so it's supporting.
That means you have to make sure
that they're drilled in just the right place.
It's mortar.
- Yeah, yeah.
The only time I've ever done the rod method
was actually on the BRS 160,
and it's only in one place. - Mmmm.
- And if I had done the mortar before,
I would've actually done that.
(Randy laughing)
Because it's actually really hard
because you're going to have to get all those pieces
in the exact order - Mm hmm.
- that you want them,
have somebody hold,
and then take a drill bit,
and make sure it goes down that exact path,
through all pieces.
And it never happens that way. (Randy laughing)
And so now, that perfect piece you had
ends up being really wonky, - Mmmm.
- and it's totally unnecessary.
- Yeah. - There's no reason
to have to use a rod in a world of mortar and super glue,
to be honest.
- Mm hmm.
- So, I don't know.
I mean when I say "No",
there's always an oddball reason out there.
- Sure. - So if you have one,
go ahead and use it.
But, you know, people talk about the pin method,
and I don't think very many people use it.
I actually asked customer service
in our training session - Yeah.
- the other day,
if anybody there uses it.
And only one person and he said he doesn't use it anymore.
- Yeah.
- So, we're kind of off of it.
So, I don't know.
Despite what people say,
the rod method, kind of ancient.
This is another question we get a lot is
"Can I just use other cement
or do I have to use this like, E-Marco mortar?"
And the answer is I don't really know,
other than the fact that I tried to use cement
for frag plugs, at my own house.
- Yeah. - And I cured them for months
in water that was changed out every day.
And then, when I tore that system down,
every pipe was filled with cement.
- Oh, yeah. - So I don't know,
I may have selected the wrong one.
I don't know.
I don't want to find out (Randy laughing)
ever again.
So I'm not going to do it that way.
The mortar, this mortar is actually interesting
because the mortar that Marco's using
is a, like, aquatic mortar.
It's designed to cure underwater.
- Mmmm. - They also put some kind of
liquid resin in there, - Yup.
- rather than water.
That gives it just, like, a little bit of bend.
- Mm hmm. - So it's not as brittle.
I don't know.
I don't see any major savings.
This is going to last,
like for a whole aquascape.
Who wants a big old bag of cement
sitting around their house anyway?
So for a few bucks more,
peace of mind,
and knowing I'm using the right tool for the right job,
is worth it.
I would hit this a little bit earlier,
but we're going to really bring it home.
- Yeah, so 20 gram tubes.
Now, if you're dry stacking rock,
we had already mentioned it for wet stacking,
but hard to reach places.
You know, I might have,
I might be able to get this tube in somewhere
and make it more structurally sound
than the big giant bottle here.
And a little bit more expensive, but you know,
pick up a couple of these with your big giant tube.
- Yeah, in fact,
I often do pick up a bunch of these,
instead of these.
Just because when I'm done with it,
the rest of them will have leftover,
will actually stay for a long time.
We'll use them for eggs or something else.
This kind of has a limited timeline.
(Randy laughing) After you opened it up,
how many times you can keep using it.
It has, like, another top that you can put on.
But you know,
this is really designed for big projects.
This is for more periodic,
and you can get it into other areas.
- Mm hmm.
- So, if you want to find out more about this stuff,
you can find it out on the BRS website.
But the moral of the story here is
we don't use two part epoxy here,
- Nope, nope. - at all.
We use the super glue,
'cause it's really good at creating aquascapes fast,
making them secure and well hidden.
And this mortar here,
- Winner. - will make it secure.
Yes.
And then, all of it together,
with tons and tons and tons (Randy laughing)
of accelerator for an NSA.
So, check it all out.