Anybody aquascaped a tall tank with structural help (dowels/rods/drilling)?

[alizarin]

I've got a year old 15 gallon tall aga aquarium with some Xenia and a 15 gallon sump/fuge. I was all set to order 10 coral frags from Sea Crop before I realized I really ought to sort out my aquascaping first. The trouble with this tall tank is stacking rock to any height. I can get it halfway up the tank without resorting to stacking it against the glass. What I'm thinking of doing is making an irregular wall out of the pieces I have with the flat side a couple inches from the back wall and the irregular side facing forwards with some sandbed exposed. I've searched and found people mentioning glue and acrylic dowels but the only thing indepth I've seen is this link at reef-central which isn't really what I had in mind.

So, what I was thinking I'd do what I've seen breifly mentioned here - drill holes in my rocks (most about the size of 2 fists), and connect them with acrylic dowels (aka plastic coat hangers) - get some height and some good coral placing ledges. I'd really love to hear from anyone who has done anything like this, pictures would be awesome.

 

Also, do I need to buy a hammer drill to drill rock? Is there an attachment you can get for a regular drill or is just a plain drill with a masonry bit that much worse for doing this?

[proraptor]

Ive always stacked my rock against the rear glass with no problems at all...

 

But if you want to make it a strong structure Id drill holes in the back of the rock and zip tie them together

[alizarin]

Ive always stacked my rock against the rear glass with no problems at all...

 

But if you want to make it a strong structure Id drill holes in the back of the rock and zip tie them together

 

My tank is 360 degree viewable on my desk and I want to be able to clean off the coraline on the glass. I'm so picky Is it hard to drill the rock? Did you use a hammer drill?

[icenine]

Ann did some interesting stuff with some dowels aquascping her pico in the contest forum. Exactly what you are talking about.. I think.

Link:

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...ic=70657&st=100

 

I dremmeled some of my rock...