What to use?

[Awibrandy]

I have a bunch of small pieces of lr (rubble to be exact). I would like to make something of them other then just a pile of rocks. I did purchase the J&B Water Weld, and used a tube of it already. Problem is that I do not want to take the rocks out of the tank so as not to kill what ever life is on them. The J&B Water Weld does not work well for such a project.

Is there anything that I can use underwater that will actually hold together while it cures?

Yes, I tried :google:, and ended up with the same stuff I already know. I'm hoping someone here on MR knows something that can actually work.
With so many amazing reefers here, I'm sure someone can help.

 

[Turbovr3six]

How big are the rubble pieces? Are the rocks porus enough to use zip ties? Or maybe the rubble is small enough to use super glue? I've bonded small rubble together with the BSI Super Glue Gel and it never fell apart.

 

[Awibrandy]

How big are the rubble pieces? Are the rocks porus enough to use zip ties? Or maybe the rubble is small enough to use super glue? I've bonded small rubble together with the BSI Super Glue Gel and it never fell apart.

Thank you for the response Turbo!

The rocks are small. Some are baseball size, while others are smaller, and yet others a little bigger but not by much.
Unfortunately they are not porous enough to use zip ties.
I will have to look at the BSI Super Glue Gel. Can I find it locally? I just google it for where buy, and the only local store that popped up is Sears.

 

[Turbovr3six]

Drill the larger ones just large enough to fit some zip ties through it. I would take a 5g bucket and put SW into it to "dip" the rocks in to avoid getting all the mess off before you put it back into the tank.

As far as the BSI, I just so happen to have it in stock. Since we are not very close to each other, I would suggest Tito at Gotham Aquatics, or Russ at Saltwater Critters.

 

[Awibrandy]

OK, thanks! Tito is actually the closest as he is my mom's neighbor,

 

[basiab]

I just used water weld to put some hammer branches together. I mixed to putty and then when ready put it in the water and stuck everything together. Whatever you can do out of the water you should be able to do the same in the water. And if for some reason you can't then I think you can do it out of the water with no concerns. It takes only one hour to harden (24 to fully cure) and your rock should be ok out of water for an hour. And you could bathe it every 5 or 10 minutes if that makes you feel more secure.

 

[Awibrandy]

I just used water weld to put some hammer branches together. I mixed to putty and then when ready put it in the water and stuck everything together. Whatever you can do out of the water you should be able to do the same in the water. And if for some reason you can't then I think you can do it out of the water with no concerns. It takes only one hour to harden (24 to fully cure) and your rock should be ok out of water for an hour. And you could bathe it every 5 or 10 minutes if that makes you feel more secure.

Thank you basiab! I think the issue is that I am trying to stick together more then 2 at a time. It will take for ever to do them 2 at a time.:sigh:

 

[evoIX_Reefer]

Look at concept3 from njreefers.org. He used a cement type to hold his awesome rockwork together. I don't know if he frequents the boards anymore there though since he found himself busy.

I will research it and try to get you examples. This is the cleanest method I have seen and his work was very well thought out/artistic.

 

[evoIX_Reefer]

Found it! took awhile ~40 mins

"It's called thorite, a very quick setting cement (10 minutes). I am bringing some to Andy's meeting, what's left of it anyways. We're making these same structures since he was undecided on his aquascape some time ago too." -concept3

http://www.njreefers.org/showthread.php?62328-Rock-Scape-Submission-Page&highlight=concept3

post#8 and check his aquascape in that thread. That wasn't his work that inspired me though. It was a scape he created for another member on njreefers which was beautiful but he used thorite to create it.

 

[Awibrandy]

Thanks a million evo!!!!!:hug: WOW, you took 40 mins of your time to help me out, that's awesome.... Again, thanks. I'm a bit tired now, but will definitely check it out tomorrow morning.

 

[evoIX_Reefer]

No problem, I would like to see beautiful work out of it!! i'kidd but I hope it looks awesome in the end!

 

[Awibrandy]

No problem, I would like to see beautiful work out of it!! i'kidd but I hope it looks awesome in the end!

I read the thread in the link, unfortunately I cannot find the thorite cement anywhere other then the net.
I might just get some dry rock instead of trying to work with the rubble.:wink1: