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View Full Version : Anyone want to learn advanced rockwork techniques?


albert_dao
05-15-2014, 11:07 PM
I am going to be hosting a free workshop on building elaborate rock structures tomorrow (Friday) at Oceanic. Starts at 5:30 and runs for an hour or so.

Here's some examples of what I'll be teaching:

http://i.imgur.com/GiKrPUn.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/1BO9JEx.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/iwPb5Xt.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/iOFWMIl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/MqUemlL.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/JArDPK5.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/HWszb6X.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/5VRx1VA.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/SyckqfS.jpg


Comment here or shoot me a PM if you have any questions!

WarDog
05-16-2014, 12:06 AM
Wow, I'd love to attend but that is way too early for me to get to Aldergrove after work.
Any future plans for a weekend date?

chi
05-16-2014, 12:06 AM
Is it 5:30am?

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albert_dao
05-16-2014, 01:05 AM
Wow, I'd love to attend but that is way too early for me to get to Aldergrove after work.
Any future plans for a weekend date?

I'll do mixed workshops periodically as ideas spring into my head and/or with community feedback. I'll probably have a ton of pics from this regardless.

Is it 5:30am?

Haha, as much as I'd like to think I am, I'm probably not that ambitious. 5:30 PM. I can push it to 6 if there's enough need.

lastlight
05-16-2014, 04:00 AM
maybe record it for the rest of us?

you can model your hands (and more) big guy =)

SiliconGuy
05-16-2014, 04:19 AM
Yes, GREAT idea - sure wish I could attend...

By all means, if a few key pictures could be posted with accompanying text, that would be a great start.

Cheers,
-Benoit

spit.fire
05-16-2014, 04:22 AM
Yes, GREAT idea - sure wish I could attend...

By all means, if a few key pictures could be posted with accompanying text, that would be a great start.

Cheers,
-Benoit


I'll try to remember to bring my camera

straightrazorguy
05-16-2014, 04:57 AM
I'll try to make it; not sure if I can make it at 5:30 though...

gregzz4
05-16-2014, 05:22 AM
I wish I could make it but it's too short of notice

+1 to taking a video and posting it Albert .... :biggrin:

albert_dao
05-16-2014, 06:46 AM
Yah... Sorry about the short notice. For some reason I thought I posted it here. Turns out I didn't press the "submit" button. I'm bad like that :(

reefmandan
05-16-2014, 11:08 AM
I wish I could join in on this, as I am looking for cool ways to aquascape for the new 75g. Sadly I am on the opposite side of the country. I would love if someone made a video and posted it!

christyf5
05-16-2014, 03:10 PM
I agree about the video, I'd love to see this but can't make it over :neutral:

SiliconGuy
05-16-2014, 03:41 PM
Further to my interest, here are some questions that come to mind
and could be addressed either with post-event pictures or forum posts.

-Do you use PVC shed 40 and paint it? If so, what paint & cure time?

-How practical is it to work on rocks being pulled from the tank
(and that have some life on them)?

-It looks like you use some sort of cement/mortar to mask fasteners.
If so, what is it and how long a cure time?

-Would be interested to clearly see a frame before rocks are attached.

Perhaps others can submit questions ahead of time?

Video or pictures are fine. I think that the latter is easier to produce
and therefore more likely to be volunteered for...

albert_dao
05-16-2014, 06:10 PM
-Do you use PVC shed 40 and paint it? If so, what paint & cure time?

In these pictures, I've used both 40 and 80. I don't paint, but that's not to say you couldn't use Krylon Fusion beforehand (cures reefsafe IME). Cure time is as per manufacturer's recommendations.

-How practical is it to work on rocks being pulled from the tank
(and that have some life on them)?

Pretty easy. You lose your coralline often, but it's a minor nuisance at worst.

-It looks like you use some sort of cement/mortar to mask fasteners.
If so, what is it and how long a cure time?

Just regular concrete. I cure in tank once it sets up if there's less than ~1 cup/100 gallons of tank volume. If there's substantially more, I cure for two weeks remotely. Ideally hydrated for max strength.

-Would be interested to clearly see a frame before rocks are attached.

Here' are a couple I have:

http://i.imgur.com/n9y68vD.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/w6qjIvx.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/cgmLZ1M.jpg

SiliconGuy
05-16-2014, 06:24 PM
Albert,

Thanks a lot - these are quite helpful.

I'm a bit hesitant to work on existing rocks (as this is all I have) and
cure concrete in my tank so I'll have to think this through some more.

Good luck with your presentation :)

Cheers from the Okanagan,
-Benoit

hillegom
05-16-2014, 06:53 PM
I'm going to try to make it tonight
:biggrin:

reefermike
05-16-2014, 07:13 PM
Are you able to make a YouTube video of a start to finish?

albert_dao
05-16-2014, 07:19 PM
If Tyler records it, then yes. If he forgets his camera... Well, I only have two hands, haha.

ReEf BoSs
05-16-2014, 07:37 PM
i would be in, for a future date!

albert_dao
05-16-2014, 11:49 PM
Starts in 45 minutes!

Please call if you are going to be a couple minutes late. Otherwise, see y'all shortly! :D

hillegom
05-17-2014, 03:49 AM
Thank you Albert for hosting this. And thank you Tyler for helping. It was also good to meet some fellow enthusiasts.
I learned quite a bit and this will help me when I do the rock work in the 120.
Hopefully soon! lol
That cement that was plasticized is for sure the compound I will use. Only in Aldergrove!
A very good selection of corals and fish if I must say so!
Hopefully pics will come.

spit.fire
05-17-2014, 04:25 PM
Sorry guys.... Forgot my camera, when it comes time to do the rock work for my tank we could possibly do another seminar

straightrazorguy
05-17-2014, 09:49 PM
This was a great workshop; thanks for putting it together Albert. It was an opportunity for me to visit Oceanic too, which was a treat.

Good show Albert!

SiliconGuy
05-18-2014, 02:49 AM
And for those wishing they could have attended, could we have specific details about the "cement that was plasticized"?
TIA,
-Benoit

chi
05-18-2014, 06:06 AM
Ya I couldn't go. It takes two hours to transit from Burnaby. :(

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albert_dao
05-18-2014, 09:35 PM
Thanks to everyone who came. Unfortunately, we finished rather late and I was rushed to leave and didn't take any pictures of note in my haste.

hillegom
05-19-2014, 12:39 AM
Thanks to everyone who came. Unfortunately, we finished rather late and I was rushed to leave and didn't take any pictures of note in my haste.

Too bad
Looked good, but then its the technique , not the actual finished piece. We were taught technique, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.