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Ideas for attaching rock to acrylic

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sfsuphysics

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Been floating around some ideas of how to aquascape what used to be my anemone tank... as I stare at the straight tap water with all the chloramines in it and the aiptasia on the glass not dissolving or anything I'm trying to get ideas on how to make the huge overflow in the back visually disappear.

My thought was simply cut old rock on a tile saw so I have a flat edge that goes against the acrylic, and simply attach it to the back wall. the idea stems from those who've used expanding foam + sand and try to get a "rock wall" look along the back (although I never really liked that idea.

Some ideas instantly that pop into my head, is super glue... but do I trust that. Epoxy... but do I trust that :D Perhaps drilling holes putting acrylic rods, the welding those rods to the back... but do I trust the rods :D I've seen others do a eggcrate frame and simply attach that, but I don't really trust the eggcrate as far as leeching stuff into the tank.

So any ideas out there? personal experinece? etc?
 
Epoxy definitely works, but only if you sand the acrylic well, with very rough sandpaper.
Better might be the two-part acrylic adhesive. Weldon #40. But that is just from reading. No direct experience.

Alternative:
1) Connect rock to big spare piece of 1/4 acrylic.
Epoxy it, or drill holes, and connect with plastic zip ties. Or both.
Cement might work as well, with enough holes.
2) Glue (Standard acrylic solvent) small standoffs onto that piece. Say 1/4" high, in corners and a few spots.
3) Test it, get it right, move rock around.
4) When happy, Glue (Standard acrylic solvent) the standoffs to the main tank acrylic.

The advantage : You can play around with it first, and if you hate it later, simply cut the standoffs, and release everything.
 
YOU don't have to sand the acrylic, at least in my experience. Some of the large installs I did were epoxy/rock reef backed and we never sanded the acrylic.

But I hate epoxy for this use, I prefer Thorite or a Thorite like product.

FWIW Marco Rock offers the Key Largo cut like you want. He recommends using Throite like products. I've played with his displays after shows and you can not get the cement to let loose, the rock breaks before it lets loose :lol:
 
Eggcrate is probably your best bet for DIY, and seeing how many reefers use it for this purpose or frag racks or to put under their rockwork - it's prettymuch deemed "reef safe" at this point.

If you've got the $$ to spare, this stuff is super cool as well: http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=146_237

You can accomplish something pretty similar with a saw and thorite though.
 
http://www.marcorocks.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=109&HS=1

Prime%20cuts%20craze%20display-500x.jpg


I broke the rock off that display after the event. The cement stayed in place with some rock still attached. It was NOT easy I must mention.
 
If you want to do a small shelf, you could use magnets. I am making a frag rack this way for the back of my tank that should look better than egg crate.
My plan is to cut a rock off square and dig out a large cavity in it. Inside will be a large magnet encased in underwater epoxy and a layer of velcro like a mag float. Holes will be drilled in the rock for frag plugs. A magnet on the other side of the glass and its done.

Need something to do with all my old rock. Maybe I can make a bunch. Who has a tile saw I can use!
 
The main display at Wet Pets in El Sobrante used a spray foam intended for pond aquascaping. Once the tank is sprayed the entire back wall looked like a cliff face with lots of nooks and crannies. It's also simple to shape and carve as needed to make places for overflows and powerheads..... Corals and softies redily attach to it as does coralline. It also reduces the weight of the tank. I'm told it's very easy to remove when you're done.

Does it look 100% natural? No. But no one but you will notice.

If you're interested give them a call to get the name of the product.

-Gregory
 
Curious : Does Thorite like cement attach to eggcrate as well?
Seems like the answer should be yes, but wondering if someone has direct experience.
Sure a lot cheaper than epoxy.
 
Rock, glass and plastic have been no issues of attaching for me using Thorite like products.
 
You got it. You just smudge/glob it on then press the rock on. The kicker is it needs to be held in place until the Thorite like product sets which usually is like 15 - 30 minutes. Not a problem if you can lean the tank on the back.
 
Actually you can pick it up there. It's in the cement area. Another thought is there is at least two of us that want the good BASF stuff that Marco Rocks sells. I bet we could find that at a specialty store, then split the 50 pound sack between us.

WaterPlug is one brand

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/building-materials/concrete-cement-masonry/waterplug/hydraulic-cement10-pound-can-64744.html

DryLok is another

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/building-materials/concrete-cement-masonry/4-lb-drylok-fast-plug-hydraulic-cement-70229.html

Leak Stopper is yet another, and one I have used (I haven't used the other two above this one)

http://www.homedepot.com/Building-Materials-Concrete-Cement-Masonry-Mortar-Cement-Concrete-Mix/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xgtZbogd/R-100350272/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

Marco @ Marco Rocks recommends using an Acrylic additive if you want to bond it to just about anything...

http://www.homedepot.com/Building-Materials-Concrete-Cement-Masonry-Additives-Sealants/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xgtZarzy/R-100320446/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
 
Just a note regarding Thorite like cement:
My research on mostly reef central posts, said to be a bit careful of cement with high lime content.
Even though hydraulic cement is basically waterproof, it can mess with PH a bit.
Looking at the various ingredients, the SakCrete at Home depot seemed to have the least.
They also sell the equivalent of Acryl60 additive.
Unfortunately, the Sakcrete tends to set up REALLY fast. I plan to get some slow-set additive next. Need to check
the ingredients on that though.
 
Well I don't plan on adding this to an existing tank, I plan on adding, filling with water (tap water)... draining... filling with salt water, double checking the aiptasia are in fact dead that were in every crack and crevasse of the tank, then add my live stock back to it :D
 
rygh said:
Just a note regarding Thorite like cement:
My research on mostly reef central posts, said to be a bit careful of cement with high lime content.
Even though hydraulic cement is basically waterproof, it can mess with PH a bit.
Looking at the various ingredients, the SakCrete at Home depot seemed to have the least.
They also sell the equivalent of Acryl60 additive.
Unfortunately, the Sakcrete tends to set up REALLY fast. I plan to get some slow-set additive next. Need to check
the ingredients on that though.
Click to expand...

Didn't notice ANY PH shift and I used 3 tubs of it in a 100g tank.... The set time isn't that bad, you just make smaller amounts. Nothing like first hand experience rather then RC reading :)

FWIW it IS waterproof, no "basically" about it.
 
Very glad to hear I have little to worry about. Since I have been starting reef construction using it.
Admittedly poorly so far, but practicing and learning.

Official set time on the tub is 1.5 minutes. Seemed like I had 30 seconds from when I was done mixing
it until it became thick enough that it did not flow into the rock pores.
Fine for 1 rock. But gets tedious when building something big out of small pieces.

Given this thread (albeit driven off topic a bit by err - someone), I am going to try using pieces of acrylic
for some of the internal structure as well.
 
Odd mine is more like 5 minutes for set time. The additive will help.

Sounds like we need to get some of the good BASF cement, it's got a good set time and with the additive it really bonds rather well.

I used acrylic rods in between my rocks. I constructed pillars using small rocks. But I mixed a bunch of small batches, basically for every two or three rocks in the pillar.
 
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