| General Reef Discussion In this forum we discuss issues related to keeping marine and reef aquariums in a friendly flame-free environment. |
Registered Members don't see these ads. Register now it's free!
03-21-2007, 12:45 PM
|
#1
|
|
spaceman spiff
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: south of Dimples
Posts: 7,064
|
Whats a good material to "thread" rock for aquascaping
I want to make some rock towers, and I was wondering what's a good material to stick through all the rocks to hold them in place. I have some acrylic rods, but they bend too much. I would use some 1/2" PVC (the stacks will only be about 18" high), but I don't have a masonry bit large enough for that size diameter (about 7/8" OD on the 1/2" PVC). The bit I saw at Home Depot was a 1/2" shank, but my drill only has a 3/8" chuck.
Are there any better solutions? I think I'm going to be stuck using PVC, but I'm open to other ideas... (some sort of rigid, plastic material that's ~5/8" diameter).
|
|
|
|
Registered Members don't see these ads. Register now it's free!
|
|
|
|
|
03-21-2007, 12:47 PM
|
#2
|
|
.
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: bend, oregon
Posts: 10,940
|
Acrylic rods work great. Get thicker rods......1/2" and they wont flex, and are hard to see
I used them in just a few places in my reefs. It doesnt take much as each impossible rock stackes sets up many more opportunities usually
edit...i just saw you dont have a masonry bit that big........theyre cheap 
__________________
I like to glue animals to rocks and put disturbing amounts of electricity and saltwater next to each other
Zoa and paly pics HERE
SPS pics HERE
|
|
|
|
|
03-21-2007, 01:34 PM
|
#3
|
|
Little Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 122
|
I think that wiskey uses or has recommended plastic coat hangers... You cut em up and drill holes.
Reefmo.
|
|
|
|
|
03-21-2007, 01:45 PM
|
#4
|
|
.
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: bend, oregon
Posts: 10,940
|
Using a bunhc of plastic coat hangers at a straight angle under your reef is different than balancing one big rock out in thin water on one rod.
Plastic coat hangers flex too much and using one fo them to support a large rock, connected to another will flex and potentially shift it everything above it.
Flexing is not an option in this circumstance
__________________
I like to glue animals to rocks and put disturbing amounts of electricity and saltwater next to each other
Zoa and paly pics HERE
SPS pics HERE
|
|
|
|
|
03-21-2007, 02:41 PM
|
#5
|
|
spaceman spiff
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: south of Dimples
Posts: 7,064
|
I have a 5/8" masonry bit, so I could try some acrylic rods that thick I suppose. The 3/8" rods flex way too much, but maybe the thicker rods will help. Any other ideas?
|
|
|
|
|
03-21-2007, 02:57 PM
|
#6
|
|
moddin aint easy
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: newnan, ga
Posts: 5,697
|
are you trying to go completly through the rocks? the rods might not flex as much as you think once you have it all installed, the rock on the inside will help it stay more stable too. have you tried it already?
__________________
ANDY
You don't stop laughing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop laughing. Which is ironic, because old people are hilarious.
|
|
|
|
|
03-21-2007, 05:37 PM
|
#7
|
|
Shark
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Shawnee, KS
Posts: 1,629
|
go get some of the those reflector poles (the fiberglass ones) from home depot, and cut them, they work great
__________________
29 gallon, 150 watt DE PFO mini pedant, 2 x 24 watt HO t-5, 2 x tunze 6025's, mag 7 run thru SCWD 40lbs rock
|
|
|
|
|
03-21-2007, 06:14 PM
|
#8
|
|
spaceman spiff
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: south of Dimples
Posts: 7,064
|
Leveldrummer - I did try it with the 3/8" rods, but the holes were a little big. Maybe the 5/8" rod would work better?
Jasontkd - intriguing. Can you explain more about the reflector poles? I am not clear on what you are speaking...
|
|
|
|
|
03-21-2007, 06:59 PM
|
#9
|
|
Tankless Poser
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: El Caribe'
Posts: 4,232
|
zip ties if it is not too heavy
__________________
Conserve... Respect... Enjoy... Just Frag it already!!!
|
|
|
|
|
03-21-2007, 07:15 PM
|
#10
|
|
Big Fishy
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 620
|
I've been reading sanjay joshi's 500gallon tank thread over on reefcentral. He used 1/2" fibreglass rods and acrylic - both seemed to do well...
__________________
Don't Panic!!
|
|
|
|
|
03-21-2007, 09:54 PM
|
#11
|
|
spaceman spiff
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: south of Dimples
Posts: 7,064
|
Where would one pick up these fiberglass rods?
|
|
|
|
|
03-21-2007, 10:29 PM
|
#12
|
|
Shark
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Shawnee, KS
Posts: 1,629
|
they are about 1/4 - 3/8" diameter fiberglass poles. they are usually a neon orange og yellow and they are buy the mailbox stuff at homedepot. they work great. they are just poles that you stick in the ground to get people to not hit your mailbox.
__________________
29 gallon, 150 watt DE PFO mini pedant, 2 x 24 watt HO t-5, 2 x tunze 6025's, mag 7 run thru SCWD 40lbs rock
|
|
|
|
|
03-23-2007, 02:51 PM
|
#13
|
|
spaceman spiff
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: south of Dimples
Posts: 7,064
|
Great suggestion, Jasontkd. I picked up two 4' poles that have square reflectors at the end, they were about 5 bucks each and white (obviously I cut the refelector off), probably about 3/8 - 1/2" in diameter. They are considerably stronger than the acrylic, I'd say they bend about 5-10 times less.
|
|
|
|
|
меня зовут Chris 
