Tip of the Day – 4/2/2013

Need to bond rocks together but hate seeing those unsightly zip ties and don’t feel like using that unreliable putty that takes forever to harden? Then try using live rock mortar. Many different companies sell the rock bounding compound, and it’s really easy to use. Simply mix it up like you would concrete or some other powder based building material, and apply it to the rocks you need to be stuck together. The mortar will dry, and you’ll have a much stronger bond than epoxy or glue could ever give you. To top it off, the mortar will look far more natural as well. It will blend in with the rocks a lot easier than epoxy, to the point where it would be hard to distinguish where one rock ends and the other begins. The downside, when compared to the epoxy putty, is that the mortar cannot be applied to the rock while it is in the tank, making it less than ideal for bonding new rocks to the existing live rock structure or securing coral frags.