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Offline Amstar

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drilling live rock
« on: March 01, 2009, 17:05:51 »
I just ordered some acrylic rods (1/2" by 6'  (x2) and 1/4" x 6' (1).

I want to drill my live rock.  how long can it stay out of water while I drill it and make my aquascaping?  any ideas or suggestions on how to go about drilling it when you take it straight from the tank


Offline METZCOOL

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Re: drilling live rock
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2009, 17:37:49 »
Use a regular titanium drill bit, you can epoxy the rock to the rod for a more stable stack also, attaching the rod to a acrylic base is also and option if it is a new tank setup. I tried several masonary bits with no luck, but with the titanium bit it goes into the rock like it is cheese.
I talked to Richard at Tampa Bay Saltwater the first time I did it and he said if you have any sponges that they will more than likely die after 5 minutes and anything over 15 minutes, and die of will increase on other livestock.
Tape off an area the size of the base of your aquarium on a plastic drop cloth and pull the rock that you think that you want to stack and drill away, if you drill in the wrong place, just drill again untill you get the stack you want. If it starts taking to much time put the rock back in the aquarium or a container with some of your water change water.
Hope that helps! 

Offline Amstar

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Re: drilling live rock
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2009, 17:56:44 »
how would you do an acrylic base?  I planned on drilling almost all the way through the bottom rock but not all the way through in hopes that it would hold the structure upright.

what type of expoxy is good to use (i like the idea of having the rod more stable inside the live rock)

do you have any pics of when you were drilling your rock? 

I like the idea of having a "map" so to speak of the tank so you can have idea of how its going to look. 

Offline METZCOOL

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Re: drilling live rock
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2009, 18:05:53 »
I used Deltec, but any aquarium safe epoxy will work.
The only pics I have are ones of the finished result on my last tank.
http://www.ohioreef.com/index.php?topic=3916.msg38283#msg38283

bigfalcon36

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Re: drilling live rock
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2009, 19:53:06 »
Where did you order the Acrylic rods from?

Offline Amstar

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Re: drilling live rock
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2009, 20:32:58 »
found them on ebay.  i got (2) 1/2" by 6' and (1) 1/4" x 6'  for 21 dollars shipped.   they are in route to me as we speak. 

bigfalcon36

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Re: drilling live rock
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2009, 21:42:12 »
could please post a link or PM me a link.  Thanks!

Offline jeblin

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Re: drilling live rock
« Reply #7 on: March 02, 2009, 08:21:53 »
An ebay search --> http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37.l1313&satitle=acrylic+rod&category0= shows quite a few "acrylic rod" items listed in all kinds of different sizes and thickness. Shipping is cheap too considering they're 6 feet long rods.

Look down in the stores section and you can find colored acrylic in smaller sections as well.




Offline METZCOOL

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Re: drilling live rock
« Reply #9 on: March 02, 2009, 15:10:54 »
US Plastics has the fiberglass rods also, and these are quite a bit stiffer than the acrylic rods.
May only make a big difference if stacking with overhangs in your aquascape.

Offline Amstar

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Re: drilling live rock
« Reply #10 on: March 03, 2009, 20:35:30 »
when drilling the live rock should I use a masonary bit or a titanium drill bit? 

Offline Riderc82

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Re: drilling live rock
« Reply #11 on: March 03, 2009, 20:45:43 »
Use a regular titanium drill bit,

I used a regular masonary bit but if I tried it again I would use a titanium bit since Metzcool said it cuts through the rock like cheese.

Offline UD Flyer

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Re: drilling live rock
« Reply #12 on: March 03, 2009, 21:05:19 »
I’ve never drilled rock for a tank before, but drilling is a primary component of my job and I learned long ago that the quality of the bit and drill make all the difference.

I would use a masonry bit, with the drill on a lower speed. All too often people put the drill on hammer setting and on the highest speed. When using a masonry bit, put the drill on a lower setting and keep a steady hand. When you drill with a masonry bit on high, it will overheat the bit and that carbide tip melts and renders the bit unless. If you use a titanium bit I would still recommend drilling on a lower setting to help preserve the bit.

Offline METZCOOL

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Re: drilling live rock
« Reply #13 on: March 03, 2009, 22:07:20 »
Use a regular titanium drill bit,I tried several masonary bits with no luck.
The name sometimes leads to misunderstandings, as "live rock" itself is not actually rock, but is made simply from the calcium carbonate skeletons of long dead corals, or other calcareous organisms.
What you are drilling is not rock as we know it.

Offline Amstar

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Re: drilling live rock
« Reply #14 on: March 03, 2009, 22:10:17 »
makes sense... im going with titanium. 

thanks... my acrylic rods came in today.  so this weekend i am going to map out the tank on the floor using carboard and plastic trashbags... then start to stack how I want and drill the rock to how I want it stacked.  the tank should be up to temp and salinity by this weekend.  I got it a third full today.




Offline Logzor

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Re: drilling live rock
« Reply #15 on: March 04, 2009, 22:06:14 »
If you refer to "logzors 90g" thread in the members tank section it shows how I stacked and drilled my rock.

I spent hours stacking it just right and used number pieces of tape so I would know how to put it back together. I did not use acrylic rods - althought they will most likely work better than the vinyl driveway marker rods I used. I found that the combination of GE silicone I and the vinyl rods made for an extremely stable rock structure.

FWIW I had no trouble with a normal masonry drill bit, although, it all depends on the density and hardness of what you are drilling into.

I have seen people drill the bottom of the rock and place in acrylic rods so that their structures were slightly off the bottom of the tank. This was in a BB system though.

Make sure to wear some kind of mask. I have heard horror stories of people getting sick from drilling live rock.

Offline Riderc82

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Re: drilling live rock
« Reply #16 on: March 04, 2009, 23:13:16 »
I used PVC, jjoos99 has a nice write up of how he done his (his aquascape look great)
http://www.ohioreef.com/index.php?topic=3119.msg25670#msg25670

 

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