How stable are your rocks?!

[dmitry]

I was doing some rearranging today (primarily shifting around my corals and anemone) and I keep realizing that one good kick and my entire rock structure (well, perhaps I'm being too pessimistic) will collapse! The rock the anemone is on especially seems unsteady. I tapped it and it's fine and I can't imagine anyone in my tank havinng the strength to knock it over...but I could if I make the wrong move during maintenance! So I'm wondering just how stable everyone else's rock structure is and how you reinforce it (if you do.) Or do you all live on the edge as well!

 

[kaotik]

ive heard of gluing rocks with the gel super glue. ive never used it but others in this forum will say it works.

 

[tthemadd1]

I just make sure the structure is secure. I had an anenome a few years ago. Big carpet, and I came home from work to find it squashed. I think it moved and pulled the rock onto itself. Bummer, it was a lesson learned the hard way. Now my rocks are very secure, I only have ten pound+ LR's in the tank and they stay in place pretty well. Even with my Yellow tailed damsels churning the sand daily..

 

[prncalbrt]

I try to make sure mine are set up sturdy, i had a yellow head jaw and it undermined one end of my LR and well uuuummmmm i dont have him anymore not only that but my starfish have been known to move farely good sized pieces when they wedge themselves under them.

 

[monalisa]

I guess from reading on here, and being as anal as I am :needhelp:, I made very sure that my rock was going nowhere when I set it up. I feel really confident about that.
Lisa :happyfish

 

[bigb]

If you feel your rocks are unstable enoughto collapse (one wrong move) you need to rearrange. Any sand sifter, burrower can easily make that minute adjustment and send everything tumbling. Even if you don't think they can squeeze under a rock they still might. You'd be surprised what a snail is capable of knocking over.Some sites suggest placing rock on tank bottom first and then filling around them with sand. Too late for most of us huh.

 

[snipe]

I have heard the glue method or the zip tie method. I didnt use either to test my rock I turn it until it fits and then push down on it and lean my hand from side to side if my hand cant move it then a critter cant either.

 

[dmitry]

I got lucky about having read to place the rocks on the glass floor and then pour sand (in my case coral sand) around it, so that part is good! It won't collapse from the bottom. It's more the top layer. I tap it with my hands and it doesn't fall, but wobbles... At this point I think if the anemone moved (he's the recent addition to the tank) he might do damage. I can't imagine anyone else in there having that much weight! So, I'm monitoring the anemone...
One thing I didn't want to do was glue rocks together in case I did want to rearrange them at some point. The only time I used crazy glue was to attach a rock with a Colt Coral. Recently while cleaning the glass I actually knocked the rock off - so it seems that pressure can break the bond. Which is a good thing for anyone who wants to move things around later...

 

[shiby1510]

https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=167198 ... maybe that will help a bit.

 

[speg]

I have like 25 lbs of Florida rock which is very rounded in shape and 40 lbs of Fiji rock which is much better shaped for stacking.. still I have a heck of a time trying to find little 'slots' in the rocks where I can stack them without them falling all the time... also I have a pistol shrimp whom keeps digging his little caverns of ultimate annoyance under the rocks which makes a cave in whenever I brush up against the rock structure too hard...
Pistol shrimp = Annoying!
Try some of that underwater epoxy stuff!