Gluing Aquarium Rocks Together: Materials and Assembly

ByMark Z

Having nice-looking rock structures in your aquarium provides an appeal for how your aquarium presentation. Not only does it look nice, it also provides your pet fish a place to hide and feel at home. The method to create your rock structure is referred to as Aquascaping and is often used in saltwater tanks for live coral colonies as well in freshwater tanks.

How to glue aquarium rocks together? It is possible to glue your rock’s design for your aquarium. You should use the correct type of glue and make sure you allow the proper length of dry time. Before gluing and final cementing make sure the rocks fit together properly and you have enough room in your tank.

Once the decision is made to create a rock design, the next step is to begin the assembly process. We will cover below how you can get this done.

Required Materials

The following items are some options for tools and rock resources. Most rocks will come in large pieces and the tool is used to break up the large rocks into smaller pieces. There are additional resources that have been included at the end of the document.

  • Rocks
  • Plexiglass
  • Hammer
  • Flathead screwdriver
  • Chisel
  • Course sandpaper
  • Fine sandpaper

Display Ideas and Layout Planning

The first step is to carefully plan the layout and the dimensions of your rock structure. It is recommended to sketch out your design on paper and take into account all current filters, rocks, and plants.

Measure to make sure that the rock structure will fit in your aquarium.

Important Tip:

You want to make sure that you glue all the pieces properly and the finished product is very sturdy. If the structure is not anchored properly it could topple over and hit and break your glass and you will have a disaster on your hands.

Assembly

Option 1:

  1. Break larger rock into smaller pieces – You should use your hammer, screwdriver, and chisel to break up your larger rock. These smaller pieces should match up to your sketch as closely as possible. You may need to do some sanding to create an area where the piece will properly fit together.
  2. Save dust and particles – The extra rock material will be used to cover the glue on the rocks.
  3. Clean rocks – After you complete the steps above the rocks should be cleaned with tap water and should be left to fully dry.
  4. Place down Plexiglass – This should be placed on a flat work surface. This will be used as the base for the rock structure.
  5. Glue rocks together – Once you have a plan you should start the gluing process using either Gorilla glue or Instant Ocean Holdfast Epoxy. After a few minutes when the glue setups up you should apply a generous amount to the seems that are hold the rocks in place. This allows for extra support.
  6. Let dry – The recommendation is to let dry for several hours
  7. Apply dust particles – Place the dust and particles on the seems between the rocks that contain the dried glue. Once all the dust particles are in place, apply the thin glue over the dust particles. This will give a more natural look and hide the glue seams.
  8. Final Dry – Let the rock structure fully dry for 24 hours.
  9. Placement in the aquarium – Carefully place the new rock structure in the tank.

Option 2:

The following videos provide steps to follow for creating a significant rock structure for coral reefs.

Product Resources

Bulk Reef Supply

CORALLINE PURPLE – OCEANS WONDERS REEF EPOXY

INSTA-SET SUPER GLUE ACCELERATOR

E-MARCO-400 AQUASCAPING MORTAR COMPLETE KIT – GREY

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