rock connections

ok, I want to hear how each of you have tried to put your rocks together, what you have had success with, and what has just plain sucked and not worked.

I have tried the tube of putty that has the green around it you work for 5 minutes and it sets up.  Works ok, but doing some research, it is the same putty they sell at Walmart for 3.99 a tube, made by the same company  in a different package and charge 15 bucks for it.

I have a can of Water Putty that I got from Lowes I am gong to try next.  Have been told by a lot of people that it works well.

Questions I am debating:

1.  If I have heavy/large rocks I want up above, is it worth it to take a cement drill bit and put a post between them?  maybe a wood dowel pin, or a plastic garden stake so there is something to prevent any slippage as it dries, or even later down the road? Or is just water puttying them just as good?

2.  Everyone mentions using zip ties.  Do you drill holes to use them?  Or just hunt for holes that are lined up?

3.  do you put your rock all the way down to the glass on the bottom to prevent the wrasses, et al from digging and causing rocks to shift?

So post away your personal opinions and experiences with various methods.  I am a couple of weeks away from being able to really even start my rock work in the 300, so I am looking at my pile of rocks and trying to picture in my mind what to do and how to make it work.  I have the basic design in my head, and a couple of new ideas of raising the big pieces UP off the sand, a la Bob's rock work I looked at the other day.  Just want to make SURE the rock doesn't shift and fall over on the glass on the 300. 

Oh, I should've mentioned this. I tried using acrylic rods to help stabilize things, but it turned into more of a disaster...

The trick to success doing it this way is to buy some very pourus rock and a quality drill and right bit I used all dry rock from reef cleaners.org. I think you could have the same success with marco rock or bulkreefsupply stuff. It honestly drilled through it like a hot knife through butter once I got the right bit.

Edited by wickedsnowman - October 28 2012 at 1:18pm