I think you could do it a little faster by using a pastry bag to pipe the mortar in to the joints, just like tuck pointing brick and using wooden sculpting tools for clay, to push the mortar into the joint.
Found a good trick when using the cement, have the consistency a little on the wet side and use a chief piping/ pastries bag and you can fill the joints and gaps way more cleaner and less mess and waist of the cement
honestly why haven't I thought of this before.. this is literally the best kind of scape you can put in a fish tank, no rocks falling, no more walking past, going hmm I dont like that rock there, and move that one and 6 hours later all the corals are in a bucket and you are rescaping the whole tank! I will never go back to a pile of rocks again, there is SOOO much you can do with this type of scape! awsome stuff!!! dam good idea!
Perfect tool for putting the mortar in the joints is called a tuck pointer. Dad was a Mason for 20+ years and I was watching you put it in the joints going "damn a tuck pointer would be perfection for that!" Awesome stuff!
I'm currently replicating this aquascape build, I found that crushing some pieces of marcorock, with a motar and Pestle into a fine powder, works better than the sand as a adhesive once the glue is added. I also placed the marcorock powder in a squeeze bottle with a nozzle. This made it much easier to apply in small crevasses. Thanks for the content. I would have never attempted this if it wasn't for this video, considering this is my 1st reefbuild. Thanks.
Ryan, this is the most informative video on aquascaping ever! One thing I like is that there's really no "right or wrong". It also greatly expands aquarium keeping as a true hobby. Hobbies are supposed to take up time. LOTS of time. Too often we're caught up in the "instant gratification/I want it now" mentality. Great Job!
Just finished my first attempt with this technique. Thx BRS! Your tips on point. I can confirm gloves really help you with the mortar application. The coffee stir sticks also help you with hard to reach places and intricate work. Spraying the rock with water before applying the mortar is also important. I had a couple instances where the mortar started to crack before it dried. I think this was mainly due to too large of gaps between the rocks I was attempting to connect. Adding small rubble pieces and gl ue to bridge the gap before putting the mortar solved this issue. Lastly, my tips for success are to save all the dust and tiny rubble from chiseling the rock. If you Make your mortar the thick peanut butter consistency apply then immediately spray it with a quick mist of water, it will thin out a bit on the surface. you can then sprinkle on the dry rock dust and tiny pieces and hand press them all in. Do this and you can skip all of the pretty up steps Ryan showed. The sand and rubble will cover up the gray perfectly. Hope this helps
WOW Ryan!!! You did an an amazing job on that beautiful piece of art! I can hardly wait to sea it in your tank! Thanks so much for taking the time to share that with all your reefing friends. This was by far one of the best videos you’ve ever done! You totally reef rock! 🐬
Wow what a beautiful structure you created Ryan, you must be so proud. When I was watching the final go around I was thinking...what a great playground for all the sea life that will be in there, as well as being a natural looking work of art. ❤️
Can’t believe I’m light years behind the release of this video but I gotta say that is one quality masterpiece!! I’m actually getting ready to embark on creating my 1st NSA aquascape for my 1st saltwater tank (120 gal) so I hope it turns out at least half as good as yours my dude!! Seriously luving those aesthetics!!💯💯
Standard superglue and use the dust from breaking up the rock, it actually makes a harder surface than the rock, bad part was when I broke mine to reshape it because I didn’t like the shape I first made it broke elsewhere and the joint did not break, I had a really hard time with small chisels and a lot of time to remove the glued crumble away, the great part is that the colour of the joint is correct from the get go, it’s secure immediately. I use to use the same method when building aircraft models, we use to use micro beads and superglue to fill joints, it was so solid you could drill it. I enjoyed this video because your ideas are great in making branches everywhere, inspiration was sought and found so I thank you so much as I am soon going to embark on a new scape, but it will never be epoxy, cement etc, it will only ever be superglue and the dust from breaking the rocks as I never want it to fail
You guys are the only realistic and blunt in this hobby that doesn’t bullshit unlike other money hungry and fame hungry people out here in the hobby. The only UA-cam channel I subscribe to. 😂😁
This is a most excellent tutorial and video. Had to remove all the rock from my 1000 gallon tank, was going to restack the rocks, this video made me slam the brakes! Will do similar. Thank you.
Awesome piece!!! Ready to start my first saltwater tank and was just going to stack rock but this totally changed my mind making my own masterpiece just like you did. Great job!!!!! Can’t wait to see it in color...
I’ve got the reef bug bad but I’m selling my house and renting for a year.... this, plus tossing it in a brute container for 6 months and cycling it is my plan! It’ll be first tank but I’ve got all the time in the world! Super awesome video as usual.
Well that NSA just rocks. I would like to see the video of putting that in the tank though. Most have supports across the middle, especially acrylic tanks. This is so informative though it boosts my confidence to give it a try. Thanks a lot for sharing!
You are awesome bro, you have walked me thru my whole reefing adventure.. from noob to not so noob.. lol 😂 but listening has saved me lots of headaches.. thank you very much..
I’m planning my first reef tank, and I’m definitely going to try this. This is exactly the type of thing I want. Just a thought...In theory, it looks like you should be able to take a piece of spare coral and texturize the mortar by either stamping or rolling across it, while it’s wet.
UA-cam recommended the old aquascapes videos from 8 years ago after I watched this. Things sure have come some way since gluing big chunks of rock into a massive arch lol
I used these methods today to create my third nano aquarium, a Waterbox Peninsula 15 gallon after being out of the hobby for a few years. I'm quite please how it turned out for my first attempt at smashing and re-gluing rocks. THANK YOU FOR THE TIPS!
Looks awesome Ryan, I know that feeling of satisfaction when you got done with that aquascape, I have done a few for friends. I guess it’s time for BRS to start selling aquascapes 😉😎
Looks amazing. I really like what you have done. Adding some intentional design to our aquascapes is going to be really exciting. More endless possibilities. Thanks Ryan & team!
Couldn't you use the little pieces of the rock that were left from breaking it up to hide the mortar? Small chunks would give it texture and the color would be perfect.
Great video. Thanks for sharing. The biggest advantage of doing NSA that he forgot to mention here is your'e using less rocks and thereby increasing your water volume. So more room for fish, corals and more room to collect waste etc etc Who doesn't want more water volume ?
Very cool aquascape I'm setting up a new 125 this winter and the rock scape is always my favorite part can't wait to try this and you are awfully brave Ryan swinging hammers and busting rock right by the running aquarium lol
yeah, it's really hard to see how cool a three differential object is in a 2d format like video until you light it with hard shadows and move the camera
Tip when doing mortar. Get a pastry bag or cake decorating bag with large tip. Load bag up and squirt it into the joints And wear plastic gloves when doing mortar. The thicker mortar will not stick to gloves
This is really making me want to start into salt water tank. My freshwater aquascape is amazingly thriving. I have a spare halfmoon that I’m thinking to start with. 🙏
another technique that will work very well to hide joints is to mix sand into the skim coat mortar, and then coat with sand after that is applied. You can also make a more consistent color and texture by coating all the rock in the skim coat with a coating of sand.
42:50 “a better tool you can paste it with”… a piping bag or ziploc with corner cut off. Prep the bags with batches of mortar powder, add water and mix in bag as needed, cut corner and fill away!
Well I am about to start building my aqua scape And one thing I'm going to try is something I learned from a ceramics class is to make a slip which is a thin watery mix then put a thick clay consistency mortar to help bond pieces better. Note I'm going to try instead of using tons of super glue
That pic of the really big tree is the Angel Oak in Johns Island and it's right around the corner from my house =D Also, I will be creating one of these aquascapes when I get the tank back up in my new house. Thanks for the tutorial!
Don’t worry to much about dulling a wood chisel an angle grinder or other sharpening tool will get it sharp again in minutes. Angle grinders are also great for making your own foundation rock as well with a little patience.
Excellent tutorial! I am in the middle of building my aquascape for my 180 gallon build. This helped me tremendously. BTW: That is the most I have heard of the BRS theme song.
Looks amazing if I ever start a new reef I will mOsDeF be trying this, that is very interesting, and definitely looks like Artists work, and I enjoy trying to be a Artist lol. Thanks for the great advice video and explaining everything. Great Job. 👍
This video was awesome, I will be doing something kinda like this , but not quite the Negative Space aspect... going to build 2 aquascapes in the near future, but this will help me acieve the c shaped atoll for my 40B and have holes and caves through it like I wanted on the last tank setup but couldn't acomplish... the tanks are a ways from happening, just empty glass boxes right now... but I hope to order some base rock and marco rock soon and get started with the scape...planning more ahead this time so it will hopefully all work out better than last time...
Also might be an option to instead of using sand, use a crusher and make the rock into more of a dust, and then you can cover the cement in the same colour as the rock itself! epic!!
You can also use light diffuser panels and zip ties to create structures. Then use epoxy to fill in voids and cover with small gravel or sand. You can also build towers to hide water flow pipes.
Man, I cant wait to see this in the actually tank and up and running! One thing..the startk whiteness of new rock! I have some big pieces of caribe sea rock that had pink spores on it and within 4 months it was colored up nice, either that or sponge paint it! I think that is what I will do with my next tank! Do you plan to do that? I am sure that is what the life rock is, just paint!
the aquascape shown at @0:11 is different from the one that is built in this video... is there a video for that aquascape that is shown at the begining?
Are you ready to stop stacking rocks and finally make reef aquarium aquascape you can be proud of? Today we show you how!
I think you could do it a little faster by using a pastry bag to pipe the mortar in to the joints, just like tuck pointing brick and using wooden sculpting tools for clay, to push the mortar into the joint.
Ryan you’re a talented aquascape artist! I want to hire you to do my aquascape my brother! How much do you charge per hr?
jdamommio you’re a genius:)
i really think once coralline algae grows over the rock, it would hide any ugly that might look ugly now
What type of sand is that ?
Found a good trick when using the cement, have the consistency a little on the wet side and use a chief piping/ pastries bag and you can fill the joints and gaps way more cleaner and less mess and waist of the cement
There are bags for cement, grout bags, I’m a mason I use them every day. Might work better.
@@gunpowder97 nice
Oh awesome! That's genius. Thanks for sharing!
As a die hard live rock fan, I never expected to spend an hour of my Monday watching this aquascaping video, but glad I did. It looks great!
thanks for watching :)
honestly why haven't I thought of this before.. this is literally the best kind of scape you can put in a fish tank, no rocks falling, no more walking past, going hmm I dont like that rock there, and move that one and 6 hours later all the corals are in a bucket and you are rescaping the whole tank! I will never go back to a pile of rocks again, there is SOOO much you can do with this type of scape! awsome stuff!!! dam good idea!
Perfect tool for putting the mortar in the joints is called a tuck pointer. Dad was a Mason for 20+ years and I was watching you put it in the joints going "damn a tuck pointer would be perfection for that!"
Awesome stuff!
You know how you just see something and you can just tell immediately that it’s better? This is that. Beautiful!!
:)
I'm currently replicating this aquascape build, I found that crushing some pieces of marcorock, with a motar and Pestle into a fine powder, works better than the sand as a adhesive once the glue is added. I also placed the marcorock powder in a squeeze bottle with a nozzle. This made it much easier to apply in small crevasses. Thanks for the content. I would have never attempted this if it wasn't for this video, considering this is my 1st reefbuild. Thanks.
Man has some serious talent, looks incredible, looking forward to giving this a try.
Ryan, this is the most informative video on aquascaping ever! One thing I like is that there's really no "right or wrong". It also greatly expands aquarium keeping as a true hobby. Hobbies are supposed to take up time. LOTS of time. Too often we're caught up in the "instant gratification/I want it now" mentality. Great Job!
this was one of the most "hobby" things about this hobby I have ever done :)
Just finished my first attempt with this technique. Thx BRS! Your tips on point. I can confirm gloves really help you with the mortar application. The coffee stir sticks also help you with hard to reach places and intricate work. Spraying the rock with water before applying the mortar is also important.
I had a couple instances where the mortar started to crack before it dried. I think this was mainly due to too large of gaps between the rocks I was attempting to connect. Adding small rubble pieces and gl ue to bridge the gap before putting the mortar solved this issue.
Lastly, my tips for success are to save all the dust and tiny rubble from chiseling the rock. If you Make your mortar the thick peanut butter consistency apply then immediately spray it with a quick mist of water, it will thin out a bit on the surface. you can then sprinkle on the dry rock dust and tiny pieces and hand press them all in. Do this and you can skip all of the pretty up steps Ryan showed. The sand and rubble will cover up the gray perfectly.
Hope this helps
Ryan, ur an entrepreneur, reefer, influenceer, and artist. Im now impressed :)
WOW Ryan!!! You did an an amazing job on that beautiful piece of art! I can hardly wait to sea it in your tank! Thanks so much for taking the time to share that with all your reefing friends. This was by far one of the best videos you’ve ever done! You totally reef rock! 🐬
Wow what a beautiful structure you created Ryan, you must be so proud. When I was watching the final go around I was thinking...what a great playground for all the sea life that will be in there, as well as being a natural looking work of art. ❤️
Can’t believe I’m light years behind the release of this video but I gotta say that is one quality masterpiece!! I’m actually getting ready to embark on creating my 1st NSA aquascape for my 1st saltwater tank (120 gal) so I hope it turns out at least half as good as yours my dude!! Seriously luving those aesthetics!!💯💯
Well worth the time and effort for my 75g. Gives something awesome to look at from the start of cycling. No need to rush into adding livestock.
Standard superglue and use the dust from breaking up the rock, it actually makes a harder surface than the rock, bad part was when I broke mine to reshape it because I didn’t like the shape I first made it broke elsewhere and the joint did not break, I had a really hard time with small chisels and a lot of time to remove the glued crumble away, the great part is that the colour of the joint is correct from the get go, it’s secure immediately. I use to use the same method when building aircraft models, we use to use micro beads and superglue to fill joints, it was so solid you could drill it. I enjoyed this video because your ideas are great in making branches everywhere, inspiration was sought and found so I thank you so much as I am soon going to embark on a new scape, but it will never be epoxy, cement etc, it will only ever be superglue and the dust from breaking the rocks as I never want it to fail
The best reef structure tutorial I have seen so far - excellent 👌 👏. A big thank you from the Rock of Gibraltar 🇬🇮 on the other side of the pond.
You guys are the only realistic and blunt in this hobby that doesn’t bullshit unlike other money hungry and fame hungry people out here in the hobby. The only UA-cam channel I subscribe to. 😂😁
This is a most excellent tutorial and video. Had to remove all the rock from my 1000 gallon tank, was going to restack the rocks, this video made me slam the brakes!
Will do similar. Thank you.
Perfect timing! I'm moving in a few days and want to reconstruct my rockscape. I'm gonna try this but introduce it into the tank piece by piece.
Awesome piece!!! Ready to start my first saltwater tank and was just going to stack rock but this totally changed my mind making my own masterpiece just like you did. Great job!!!!! Can’t wait to see it in color...
I’ve got the reef bug bad but I’m selling my house and renting for a year.... this, plus tossing it in a brute container for 6 months and cycling it is my plan! It’ll be first tank but I’ve got all the time in the world! Super awesome video as usual.
this is a perfect project to perfect while waiting for the right opperunity :)
Well that NSA just rocks. I would like to see the video of putting that in the tank though. Most have supports across the middle, especially acrylic tanks. This is so informative though it boosts my confidence to give it a try. Thanks a lot for sharing!
Thanks BRS, have always wanted to do a Negative Space Aquascape, and this video is by far the most detailed and informative.
thanks, it's been fun.
This scape is amazing for ppl that wanna keep rays in reef tanks
You are awesome bro, you have walked me thru my whole reefing adventure.. from noob to not so noob.. lol 😂 but listening has saved me lots of headaches.. thank you very much..
This is a fantastic video on aqua scaping. Thanks BRS, you guys are great reefing educators. I'm going to become a dedicated customer.
:)
Dude, looks great and patience of Jobe to make this excellent video 👍👍👍
I'm gonna implement my knowledge of bonsai making when I make my first tank! Can't wait.
"Four Dimensions" .. WHOA!!!! Just having fun. Great video.
😁
I’m planning my first reef tank, and I’m definitely going to try this. This is exactly the type of thing I want.
Just a thought...In theory, it looks like you should be able to take a piece of spare coral and texturize the mortar by either stamping or rolling across it, while it’s wet.
Love this. Will get Marco rocks and do NSA like Ryan!!!
Best video you’ve ever done by far!
UA-cam recommended the old aquascapes videos from 8 years ago after I watched this. Things sure have come some way since gluing big chunks of rock into a massive arch lol
hahaha
I used these methods today to create my third nano aquarium, a Waterbox Peninsula 15 gallon after being out of the hobby for a few years. I'm quite please how it turned out for my first attempt at smashing and re-gluing rocks. THANK YOU FOR THE TIPS!
fabulous work! by teaching us you created a master piece... we would really loved to see how it looks like now a days...
Looks awesome Ryan, I know that feeling of satisfaction when you got done with that aquascape, I have done a few for friends. I guess it’s time for BRS to start selling aquascapes 😉😎
Very Cool!! Had to send this to my wife as she the more Artsy one.... Seems like something she'd love to do.
Looks amazing. I really like what you have done. Adding some intentional design to our aquascapes is going to be really exciting. More endless possibilities. Thanks Ryan & team!
excited to see where this goes.
Couldn't you use the little pieces of the rock that were left from breaking it up to hide the mortar? Small chunks would give it texture and the color would be perfect.
Yes and they work great as frag plugs too for a most natural scape! Also great for “islands” for more invasive corals (looking at you Xenia and GSP’s)
Great video. Thanks for sharing. The biggest advantage of doing NSA that he forgot to mention here is your'e using less rocks and thereby increasing your water volume. So more room for fish, corals and more room to collect waste etc etc Who doesn't want more water volume ?
Your dedication to the art dumbfounds me. - Tell your CFO there isn't another place I buy reef gear from.
Reef every day brother!
the mad zoa's are now wanting me to re-scape my tanks... In 6 to 8 months its going to look amazing, hope we get to see an update!! Great job Ryan!!
Very cool aquascape I'm setting up a new 125 this winter and the rock scape is always my favorite part can't wait to try this and you are awfully brave Ryan swinging hammers and busting rock right by the running aquarium lol
Have to admit, I hated it sitting on the build table. Once you showed the 3d video I take it back. I LOVE it!!!!!!!!! Great tips, thanks for sharing!
yeah, it's really hard to see how cool a three differential object is in a 2d format like video until you light it with hard shadows and move the camera
Awesome scape, certainly makes good sense for good water flow throughout the tank.
Tip when doing mortar. Get a pastry bag or cake decorating bag with large tip. Load bag up and squirt it into the joints And wear plastic gloves when doing mortar. The thicker mortar will not stick to gloves
That’s what I did with mine! The piping bags where a godsend and you can clip the tip to whatever size works best for you
I was thinking about doing the same thing, thanks for reassuring me that this will work.
Don't even need a pastry bag a regular plastic bag would probably work just as well
@@wadehowarth4355 The plastic bags rip and the whole gets really wide. But you could just gonna go through a couple more baggies
How long does the mortar stay good in the bag?
I've been wanting this look for years !
This is really making me want to start into salt water tank. My freshwater aquascape is amazingly thriving. I have a spare halfmoon that I’m thinking to start with. 🙏
That is awesome!!! I love this video! I’m doing tons of research and going to start a saltwater tank. I’m gonna do this!
I really wanted to see how you put it in the aquarium. Maybe share some ideas on that and put what you just created in a tank.
Yea how did they pick that up lol?
Probably broke n they cut that part
Could you do this with pukani?
Certainly. It would probably be even easier with Pukani as Pukani is more porous than Reef Saver rock. It's just hard to find Pukani rock these days.
Safety glasses and flip flops... awesome!!!
This looks amazing, unlike my structures. Job well done
wow a new name for something we did in the early 90's...
Yes!!!! Been waiting for this video! Thanks guys!
Beautiful rock work!!
Hitting the rock next to the tank is not a good idea Ryan...but thank you ....been waiting for this video for a long time 👍👍👍👍
Loved the video great step by step instructions I will be trying this technique for my next tank which I'll be getting very soon
Awesome video, love work reminds me of fresh water. Beautiful work
So interesting man, its my first saltwater tank and you inspired me a lot ! Gonna buy my rocks this week 😎
This is impressive! Good stuff Ryan
Loved it!
But all that safety gear and then wearing sandals... 😉😏
That's you and it makes it real. 👍
So how do you then get it inside your tank? Is it strong enough to just pick it up?
Thanks for this Ryan absolutely brilliant 👍👍👍
I'm following these tips thank u. Setting up my first salt reef
Don’t break it!!! I loved it!
another technique that will work very well to hide joints is to mix sand into the skim coat mortar, and then coat with sand after that is applied. You can also make a more consistent color and texture by coating all the rock in the skim coat with a coating of sand.
You can also use the fine powder and small chunks from breaking the rock in the mortar mix.. then it exactly matches the rock
This rocks ,😁 im planning one out now!
I don't think he mentioned how much rock he actually ended up using ? Im Trying to figure out how much to order for my 90g standard
42:50 “a better tool you can paste it with”… a piping bag or ziploc with corner cut off. Prep the bags with batches of mortar powder, add water and mix in bag as needed, cut corner and fill away!
Great job! I wish I could do that in my tank.
This is an incredible tutorial.
looks goooood! I will build it like this rocks.
Stunning!
Thank you for the very informative video!
Well I am about to start building my aqua scape And one thing I'm going to try is something I learned from a ceramics class is to make a slip which is a thin watery mix then put a thick clay consistency mortar to help bond pieces better. Note I'm going to try instead of using tons of super glue
Talking about wearing safety glasses while hammering a chisel by your sandal-wearing feet was perfect, lol.
😅
Nice job 👍🏻
That pic of the really big tree is the Angel Oak in Johns Island and it's right around the corner from my house =D Also, I will be creating one of these aquascapes when I get the tank back up in my new house. Thanks for the tutorial!
very cool :)
Don’t worry to much about dulling a wood chisel an angle grinder or other sharpening tool will get it sharp again in minutes. Angle grinders are also great for making your own foundation rock as well with a little patience.
Not sure I would be smashing the boulders in front of that tank like that. 😂🤞🏻🙈
Great video and ideas! 💡💡💡
Sun light works like insta set. Also insta set is sold at some RC hobby car stores for the super glue they use on tires .
Nice finished look!
thanks
Excellent tutorial! I am in the middle of building my aquascape for my 180 gallon build. This helped me tremendously. BTW: That is the most I have heard of the BRS theme song.
Looks amazing if I ever start a new reef I will mOsDeF be trying this, that is very interesting, and definitely looks like Artists work, and I enjoy trying to be a Artist lol. Thanks for the great advice video and explaining everything.
Great Job. 👍
Anybody else feel their butt clench up watching him swing that hammer so close to the 160? Braver man than I
😆 *no tanks were harmed in the making of this video
This video was awesome, I will be doing something kinda like this , but not quite the Negative Space aspect... going to build 2 aquascapes in the near future, but this will help me acieve the c shaped atoll for my 40B and have holes and caves through it like I wanted on the last tank setup but couldn't acomplish... the tanks are a ways from happening, just empty glass boxes right now... but I hope to order some base rock and marco rock soon and get started with the scape...planning more ahead this time so it will hopefully all work out better than last time...
Such a great informative video. Thank you!
Also might be an option to instead of using sand, use a crusher and make the rock into more of a dust, and then you can cover the cement in the same colour as the rock itself! epic!!
I definitely will be doing this if I go to a larger tank because it will take a lot less rock to do a really flowing aquascape.
is there a video showing the creation of that first rockscape?
What a great video man. Really makes me want a salt tank.
You could maybe use a grout bag for putting the mortar in
This is so awesome 👏
You can also use light diffuser panels and zip ties to create structures. Then use epoxy to fill in voids and cover with small gravel or sand. You can also build towers to hide water flow pipes.
You've got balls of steel, breaking rock with that tank 3 feet behind you lol...I flinched every time you swung the hammer
*no aquariums were harmed in the making of this video 😅
All 4 dimensions?
Man, I cant wait to see this in the actually tank and up and running! One thing..the startk whiteness of new rock! I have some big pieces of caribe sea rock that had pink spores on it and within 4 months it was colored up nice, either that or sponge paint it! I think that is what I will do with my next tank! Do you plan to do that? I am sure that is what the life rock is, just paint!
This structure is going into our 120gal testing tank so we have a real-world aquascape to test flow patterns with. :)
Incredible work!
the aquascape shown at @0:11 is different from the one that is built in this video... is there a video for that aquascape that is shown at the begining?
I could NEVER be that close to that gorgeous tank you are in front of; I am too clumsy. Now if I owned BRS...no biggie. Great video tho...👌!