For more minor touch ups you also use tools like a Dremel to remove pieces, for instance
when you are looking to create that seamless look between two pieces of rock.
With a cutting bit like this one you can cut though Pukani pretty easily.
There are a few different ways to securely attach rock in the tank so your aquascape
doesn't topple over.
All of this and aquascaping in general is easier in a dry tank.
So keep that in mind one of the least expensive and most popular is two part epoxy.
It’s available from a bunch of different manufactures in a wide variety of colors.
Two part epoxy is pretty easy to use, just mash the two components together and place
it around the connections you would like to bond together.
I have to say I don't personally use this very often because the color doesn't really
match the rock and I just find it to be somewhat of an eyesore.
I personally prefer the use of super glue gel.
It’s clear, has a good bond and I typically can’t see it in the tank unless I go looking
for it.
If you use super glue gel you are going to want to use it pretty liberally and these
large applications can take a day or two to dry properly.
Since you need lot glue for most aquascaping applications cost is pretty important.
This Jurassic gel is probably the lowest cost option out there and comes in these two hundred
gram tubes.
Right behind that is the BRS 20 gram tubes of extra thick gel for those of you that find
smaller tubes to be more convenient to use.
I think they are a lot easier to get into smaller spaces and I don't have to be as concerned
about preserving half full giant tubes.
The BRS extra thick gel is also much thicker than the other options out there and holds
its shape which is ideal for aquascaping.
EcoTech also makes a giant sized bottle.
Many people like the large squeeze bottle applicator.
All of these options are a fraction of the cost of buying a ton of super glue from the
hardware store.
Another option is drilling the rock and pinning it together with rods.
This is a bit more difficult than epoxy or glue but it is also more structurally sound
and it’s possible to create structures that would be very hard to do with glue or epoxy,
it is also possible to disassemble in most causes if you ever want to.
All you really need is a quality drill and masonry bit.
Depending on the structure you might need a fairly long bit.
I think this a two person job in most cases; one to hold the rock in position and one to
drill the hole at the correct angle.
Once you have the hole drilled just slide in your rod and secure the rock together.
In some cases it might require two pins to get the structural support and stability you
are looking for.
Some common pins are this quarter inch acrylic tube we sell.
Acyclic tube is nice because it is clear but it isn't as strong as some other options so
it is more for just holding something in place rather than structural support.
Threaded nylon rod is popular and if you live in a winter state these fiberglass orange
marker rods are available at most big box hardware stores, can be cut to length pretty
easy with a hack saw or dremel and a really solid option.
Some people might even make a PVC frame and larger holes to mount the rock.
The Pukani is by far the easiest to drill; the Reef Rock 2.1 and Fiji are also easy but
takes a bit longer.
You can drill the reef saver but it is pretty dense so get ready to put a little effort
into it.
Before we get to our installation I would like to call out a great presentation on aquascaping
at last year’s MACNA by John Ciotti.
The MACNA team was kind enough to allow us to film the presentation so we can share it
with all of you so if you get a chance check out give Mr. Ciotti a big thumbs up.
So for our aquascape we used the reef rock two point one from Walt smith.
While I have had experience with this type of rock I have never used in a tank personally
before so I have to say I was surprised on a few fronts.
The pieces were really unique looking; full of cool holes and easy to stack.
In fact I’d say it was very close to reef saver in that regard.
It was pretty easy to not only get a stable stack going but it’s also easy to stack
them in a way that melds the pieces together where it is not obvious where one piece ends
and the next begins.
We wanted to create a bit of an overhang on one side so we used the fiberglass rod to
pin these pieces in.
Then used super glue on a few of the connection points to make it really stable.
On the right side we created a bit of a cave effect.
The nice thing about these cave type structures is some of the cooler fish in our hobby can
be kind of shy so providing them an area where they can hide but still be viable is really
ideal for everyone.
This pile only required a few touches of glue to be stable.
In the end I think the structure turned out pretty nice, considering depth, composition
and placement paid off.
We filled the tank with water and threw on some lighting so you can get a good idea of
how sharp the rock looks in a live tank.
Once we get a bunch of corals in here it’s going to look solid.
I am pretty happy with the rock selection itself.
We are going to avoid a ton of pests with the dry rock, I am pretty certain this smooth
purple surface is going to be very algae resistant and it’s attractive which makes it a win
all around.
You will notice that I had twice as much rock here as I really needed.
We had around two hundred and twenty pounds here and I think
we used just over half in this one hundred and sixty gallon tank so a bit less than a
pound a gallon is probably appropriate for an aquascape like this one.
If you can, I really suggest ordering more than you need so you have some flexibility
to create the structure you really want.
You can just save the leftover for a future project.
Next week we are going get sand into this tank, you seriously don't want to miss it
so hit that subscribe button.
If you are interested in learning more about any of the rocks we talked about in today’s
video hit this link and
don't forget to give the team here at BRS a quick thumbs up if you want to see more
videos like this one.
See you next week with episode seven of the BRS 160 Water!