You can glue aquarium rocks together using super glue, silicone adhesive, or epoxy resin. The glued rocks will remain intact even if the fish bump into them. Standalone rocks and structures built with rocks provide shelter to the fish and allow beneficial bacteria to colonize in the aquarium.
Rocks not only add beauty and provide a place to hide for fish, but they also create small territories for each fish species to live in. So, let’s now understand how to glue aquarium rocks together.
How To Glue Rocks Together For An Aquarium?
Given below is the step-by-step process to glue rocks together for an aquarium:
- To begin with, think about the type of rocks you want to add to the aquarium. You can use flat slate, dry reef rock, porous lava rock, life rock, mountain stone, smooth river rocks, or other types of rocks.
- Rinse and scrub the rocks to remove dirt, organic matter, soil, and other debris from them. Also, boil the rocks to remove unwanted pathogens from entering the aquarium water.
- After the rocks are cleaned, you can use bleach to remove the remaining unwanted organic matter from them. However, remember to rinse them thoroughly with running water afterward to get rid of the bleach.
- Dry the rocks before you apply some silicone, super glue, or epoxy resin adhesive. These adhesives help bond two rocks together. Apply enough amount of adhesive so that both rocks stick correctly to each other.
- Similarly, glue the other rocks to create a sloping structure of rocks inclining toward the surface. For example, you can also create a cave structure for the fish to move underneath and around. You can also use rocks to create an underwater garden or forest through aquascaping.
- Now, prepare a base using sand or gravel before placing the rock structure inside the aquarium. It’s not advisable to place the rocks directly on the glass. Moreover, the gravel will provide the necessary support.
- Place the rock structure in the middle of the tank, away from all sides of the glass.
- Leaving a space between the rock pile and the glass ensures that the water flows around the rock structure, thereby providing oxygen and nutrition to the fish. It also helps wash out the waste and clear it to maintain proper water parameters.
Alright! Now that you know how to glue aquarium rocks, let’s understand what rocks are suitable for aquariums.
What Rocks Are Good For Aquariums?
Aquarium rocks are used as decorations or serve other purposes, such as supporting coral and algae in the aquarium.
Given below are the rocks that are good for aquariums.
Rocks For Freshwater Aquariums
Here are some types of rocks that are suitable for freshwater aquariums:
- Black Mountain Seiryu Stones: These stones are unique and come in various shapes and sizes. They have a fantastic look and are safe for aquariums as they don’t interfere with the water parameters.
- Black Lava Rocks: These rocks enhance the aquarium look and benefit the water. They are perfect for housing beneficial bacteria and come in various sizes.
- Ohko Dragon Stones: These are one of the most preferred rocks to use in aquariums. These rocks are safe as they don’t alter the properties of the water. They also look natural and enhance the look of an aquarium.
Other than these, given below are a few more rocks that you can use in freshwater aquariums:
- Traditional Seiryu Stones,
- Redwood Petrified Stones,
- Small World Slate and Stone Rocks, and
- Texan Haley Rocks.
Rocks For Saltwater Aquariums
The types of rocks suitable for saltwater aquariums are:
- Fiji Rocks: These are the most common types of live rocks used in saltwater aquariums. They are incredibly lightweight and can be handled easily.
- Dry Rocks: As the name suggests, these rocks are completely dry. However, they need to be checked for any accumulated organic matter on them. They need to be cleaned and cured before adding them to an aquarium.
- Pukani Rocks: These rocks originate from Fiji and are suitable for saltwater aquariums. They are porous and can be used to attach coral frags. In addition, they can be easily stacked together to create a structure that allows corals to grow.
Apart from these, a few more stones that can be used in saltwater aquariums are:
- Aquacultured Live Rocks,
- Life Rocks, and
- Tonga Branch Rocks.
Both freshwater and saltwater rocks will enhance an aquarium’s look and benefit the aquatic inhabitants.
Rocks For Aquarium Aquascaping
The following rocks are primarily used for aquascaping and turning an aquarium into an underwater forest:
- Glass Rocks,
- Lava Rocks,
- Mountain Stones,
- Plastic Rocks,
- Quartize,
- Rainbow Rocks,
- Slate and Shale, and
- Texas Holey Rocks.
Let’s now talk about rocks that are bad for aquariums.
What Rocks Are Bad For Aquariums?
It’s essential to understand whether a rock has any properties that can harm the ecological balance of an aquarium.
Given below are some rocks that are considered bad for aquariums:
- Dolomites: The dolomites are known to cause problems with the calcium levels of the fish tanks. This is because dolomite contains high amounts of magnesium which causes water hardness. Therefore, they can make the water conditions stressful for the tank inhabitants.
- Coral Chips: Coral Chips can be bad for freshwater aquariums. They make the water hard and alkaline. Moreover, every water change will drastically change the pH and hardness, creating unnecessary stress that is fatal for your aquatic pets.
- Geodes: Geodes are spherical rocks that have hollow cavities filled with crystals. Geodes are not recommended for aquariums, as they have sharp edges that harm the fish.
- Limestones: Limestones contain large quantities of calcium and magnesium ions. These cause rapid changes in pH. These changes are stressful and fatal to the fish.
- Marble: Marble is unsuitable for an aquarium unless you want to raise the pH level significantly. Marble is made up of calcites or dolomites, or both. Therefore, using marble inside an aquarium is harmful.
It’s best to avoid using the rocks mentioned above in an aquarium as they drastically alter the water parameters and create stressful conditions for the aquarium inhabitants.
Should You Boil Rocks Before Adding Them To An Aquarium?
Rocks help in the biological filtration of the aquarium water.
The most vital function of rocks or stones is to provide shelter to the biological bacteria inside the aquarium.
These bacteria help remove waste like ammonia, plant debris, and leftover food.
This process prevents the fish from getting sick due to leftover food and fish waste. However…
It’s dangerous to add rocks and stones directly into an aquarium. It’s essential to rinse the rocks to clear the dirt. Also, you should boil rocks to get rid of any bacteria, fungus, and parasites.
Once you have boiled the rocks for about ten to twenty minutes, allow them to cool down before placing them inside the aquarium.
You must spread them on a clean surface so that they cool down and dry.
Finally, you can add rocks to the aquarium after all these steps are completed.
It will take some time for the new rocks to settle in the aquarium.
However, adding rocks will provide you with a stable base and help install other marine life into the aquarium.
References
- https://www.aquasabi.com/aquascaping-wiki_aquascaping_types-of-hardscape
- https://www.thesprucepets.com/using-outdoor-gravel-or-rocks-in-an-aquarium-1381305
- https://www.plantedtank.net/threads/aquarium-sealant-to-glue-rocks-together.860322/
- https://www.thereeftank.com/threads/what-can-you-use-to-glue-rocks-together-for-aquascaping.117596/
