Scaping LR

[The Kapenta Kid]

When I was doing my basic reading I noted a recommendation that you should place LR on its point of imbalance rather than on its base. If it was pyramid shaped you would place it upside down on the apex rather than the base. Seems counter-intuitive but when you think about it, it makes sense. The smallest section of rock is covered by sand, and the rock swells out and up from the bottom creating overhangs and plateaus for placing corals.
How to do it?
I secured each of my foundation pieces upside down to appropriately sized pieces of plexiglass/acrylic with Holdfast (Marineland) aquarium adhesive putty. Placed on the bottom glass the pieces are stable on their plexiglass bases and even more so when some sand cover is added.
I have read that some people couldn't get Holdfast to bond properly to rock. I had no such problem. The bond is rock solid and hard.

 

[Trogdor]

That's good to hear about the putty. I would be very cautious though with placing adjoining rocks onto these other 'imbalanced' pieces. One would hate to see a reefalanche. Maybe others didn't let the putty cure long enough...impatience is the devil in this hobby. :twisted:

 

[The Kapenta Kid]

I think that there are two things to pay attention to for success with the putty.
First knead and mix the putty thoroughly so that there are no traces of the green covering left (this must be the hardener I guess). It should be a homogenous grey-white mass with no green streaks visible.
Second, keep massaging and forming the putty with your (gloved) fingertips into the rock contact surface as long as it is workable. This forces the putty into all cracks and crevices and gives a strong mechanical bond.
It is not like a contact cement where you just press the two surfaces together and the bond takes instantly.

 

[arichardson]

I agree. I've always used that same methodology and had great success with putty.