Plastic cable ties for aquascaping

[Reef_Ready]

I've been looking at the best ways to aquascape live rock and most sites (people) seem to recommend using a pvc pipe frame and securing the LR with plastic cable ties. My question is do these things hold up over time given the UV in the lighting and the saltwater environment? Anyone seen these things fail after a period of time? images/smiles/icon_confused.gif

[Jack]

Hey, I read that in one of my saltwater books I bought from JL. They reccomended aquascaping with those ties. I Wonder if it works? I would think if they reccomended it in a book, it should be fine. But not everythings true. I think they might look funny, even with coraline on it.

[reefburnaby]

Big Al's in Coquitlam uses this PVC piping with cable ties. They have been doing that for a very long time.

- Victor.

[Dolf]

Are these ties the same ones that I am using for my automotive work? If so you may wish to look at the large end as the ties that I use have a metal "tongue" that keeps the tie from slipping out. I would assume that you may not want to put one of those in the tank. Perhaps they offer some with a plastic "tongue," I have just never looked that hard for an aquarium safe strap.

If you can find an aquarium safe tie I would say that it probably would hold up to the U.V as they are VERY durable.

-Danny

[ 31 January 2002: Message edited by: dan150 ]</p>

[George]

The common cable ties sold in HD, canadian tire don't have any metal part in it.
Yes it does look funny when you first look at it. But after you corals grow over it and cover most part of the cable ties, you won't notice them any more.
I have used them in my tank over a year without any ill effect that I know of.
Here is a picture showing some of cable ties. I hope the motipora grows quickly and cover the cables.
http://personal.smartt.com/~georgex/reef/pictures/01192002/montipora.jpg

[StirCrazy]

you can also get black all plastic ties which are uv resistant.

Steve

[Canadian]

My only concern about using plastic cable ties in a reef tank is that they're ASS-UGLY.
But sure, the black ones are UV resistant and a little less ASS-UGLY than the white ones.

[Jack]

thats what i think. i was going to say they are ass ugly too, but i didnt want to be rude. lol.

[Troy F]

Big Al's old reef display used them inconspicuosly with great results. In the coral holding tanks aesthetics weren't of primary concern.

[pocilipora]

Cable ties will soon be covered with coraline algae. Im not sure why after 1 year Georges cable ties are still showing! I know that plastic attracts the coraline, more so than glass. But saying that, I dont use them myself. But I say go for it.

[George]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by pocilipora:
Cable ties will soon be covered with coraline algae. Im not sure why after 1 year Georges cable ties are still showing!<hr></blockquote>

Two reasons:
1. after I switched my lights to 250w iwaski, the coraline algae growing on light exposed area is a lighter color than before. Almost looks like "breaching".
2. I have a tuxedo urchin actively running around and munching on every bit of coraline algea it can find. You can see from the picture that my rocks are also bare of coraline algae.

Regards,
George

[ 01 February 2002: Message edited by: George ]</p>

[chwkreefer]

I have used those plastic cable ties for probably going on 3 years. They have worked fine. As mentioned earlier, the fact that coralline has an affinity for plastic helps to cover those things up fairly quick.

What I did in some cases was put some epoxy putty on/around the cable tie to help blend it in with the rockwork. After awhile it all gets covered up and you can't even find the tie anymore. I did that a few times to make a bigger rock out of a couple of smaller ones.