The Ultimate DIY Rocks! - Page 6

blakeoe · #**126** 11/16/2006, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rhodophyta
http://www.thoroproducts.com/pdf_appl/appl_thorite.pdf

http://www.damtitewaterproofing.com/...p?colName=4071

http://www.minerals.net/mineral/sili...on/thorite.htm

I'm sure there is no connection between Thorite the brand name and thorite the mineral. But I have both in the URLS and a similar concrete product to Thorite.

Have you ever used it? Do you know if it raises the PH like regular cement?

gbtower · #**127** 11/16/2006, 05:41 PM

I haven't used thorite, but did use hydraulic cement (I think it was the quikrete water stop at HD), which I believe thorite is just a type of. After waiting 2 days, and no kuring period, it didn't seem to raise pH, although I only used a single rock (maybe ~5 lbs) in a 150 gal vol system. After a week, I ended up taking out the rock since I didn't need it for it's originally intended purpose.

I would probably use it again for future projects, but would really like to confirm whether the elevated levels of aluminates (and of any other additives) would be safe in a reef tank setting.

blakeoe · #**128** 11/16/2006, 09:54 PM

maybe the cement guy from a few pages back can chime in on this

EQCM2B · #**129** 11/18/2006, 09:02 AM

So does the vineger thing help with the PH of the new rock?

lildraken · #**130** 11/18/2006, 11:38 PM

EQCM2B, the only reason why I added vinegar to the water is because the pH of my tap water is already off the charts (past 8.8). I couldn't tell if the rocks raised the pH unless i lowered it with vinegar first. As for expediting the curing process, I don't know if vinegar does or not.

JOSEPHLB · #**131** 11/23/2006, 06:56 PM

Ok.. here are the results of my DIY rock... currently been kuring for almost 3 weeks now.

Rhodan · #**132** 11/24/2006, 08:19 AM

Did you use dye to make get the different colors or was it different cement? (or maybe my monitor is just screwed)

JOSEPHLB · #**133** 11/24/2006, 05:46 PM

Yeah.. iron oxide based dye .. two different colors: Charcoal and Sierra

Abalone joe · #**134** 11/25/2006, 08:03 AM

I've been away. Since I've been gone, Checking back periodically, I've seen picture after picture of dry homemade rock with additive after additive. This is nice but I think it's report card day. Everyone who has been posting should take pictures of the tanks currently setup using homemade rock. Along with your pics, Please describe your rock's formulation & cure method/type. What percentage of homemade rock is being used in the pictured tanks. Algea history of the tanks and anything else of note. We can talk about making rock all day but the proof is in the using.

Holmez221b · #**135** 11/25/2006, 09:14 AM

JOSEPHLB your rocks look awesome!!! Do you know if there is any potential risk with using the dye??? If not I'd do all of mine that way....

JOSEPHLB · #**136** 11/25/2006, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Holmez221b
JOSEPHLB your rocks look awesome!!! Do you know if there is any potential risk with using the dye??? If not I'd do all of mine that way....

From what I've gathered on this site and various other web sources, iron oxide based dyes should poise no risk. Iron Oxide is nothing more than good ole fashion "Rust".

Thats the only knowledge and experience I have in the matter, since I've never used DIY rock until now. My rocks have currently been kuring for almost three weeks now. The photo I posted above is all I have left after I selected through the bunch that I made. I had more, but I tossed out some that didn't come out right.
I have two 18g Rubbermaid totes with a powerhead in each tote circulaiting the water. The first two weeks, I did a water change ever other day. The water constantly had a white film on the top. Since I'm only doing a water change every week. I've noticed the white film building up on top doesn't happen so often, and takes a few days. I'm going to assume that is a good sign.
I'm guessing another 3 weeks (minimum) and these should be good to go.

ShawnKM · #**137** 11/26/2006, 05:13 PM

Here is a place that you can find medicine capsules, different sizes, different quantities, different materials. Apparently capsules are sized like wire, with the larger capsules being the smaller number. This particular site has from size 4 to size 000. This gives you an idea of the sizes.

israelnajar posted

Quote:

Hey guys I just finished reading 40 pages and decided to give it a try. While I was mixing my first batch I thought how about empty pill capsules if you can get a source without purchasing tylonal and emptying the contents. And during the kuring process how about putting some CLR in the water to help with the lime dissolution. Anyway great thread.

Dyceskynes · #**138** 11/29/2006, 10:15 AM

I am going to start working on a 20L crab tank and was thinking on having a rock back wall. Has anyone tried to form the cement on to egg crate diffuser for support? I want the panels to be fairly thin yet lighter in weight.

Tiggsy · #**139** 11/29/2006, 10:17 AM

make them flat then silicone to the back wall - easy

ODOG · #**140** 11/29/2006, 11:13 AM

dyc, on one of the first pages of this half of the thread there is a link to another thread that shows how to make a cement wall. Basically you start with regular foam from a craft store and silicone that to the back. Then start with a runny consistency of cement and paint the foam, allow to dry. Keep doing this until your foam is hard and then you can use a thicker consistency to form the wall and make shapes.

Dyceskynes · #**141** 11/29/2006, 12:01 PM

Man I must have misses that. Thanks I will check it out.

Flusher · #**142** 11/29/2006, 12:13 PM

Well, I had all my rock built and soaking in a large bin for about a month. It started to crumble, as though there were fault lines throughout the rock. I think that as the salt dissolved, it weakened the rock.

I ditched the whole batch, which was really a heart-breaker:

Fortunately, I took photos so I can replicate this attempt.

My next batch will be a 3:1 sand:cement mix. I did a test piece with aragonite instead of sand, and it's much stronger than just cement with salt. It's quite porous, too, if mixed fairly dry. As with my salt mix rock, I'll probably use a thicker mix in key areas to keep it intact. I'm going to skip the addition of salt to avoid any fault lines this time around. Sand is $5 for a 40lb bag, which is a lot cheaper than aragonite.

Holmez221b · #**143** 11/29/2006, 12:16 PM

Which sand is reef safe??

impur · #**144** 11/29/2006, 12:19 PM

silica and aragonite.

Holmez221b · #**145** 11/29/2006, 12:25 PM

a 40lb bag for 5$.. Do they sell it at HD or Lowes

Flusher · #**146** 11/29/2006, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Holmez221b
a 40lb bag for 5$.. Do they sell it at HD or Lowes

Yes, it's the Target brand play sand. I used it in FW tanks awhile back, no problem. I got it at HD. I think it's 40lb, could be 20lb. Either way, it's a big bag for just a few bucks.

ODOG · #**147** 11/29/2006, 01:27 PM

Flusher, I agree with what you are saying. I made a small batch last winter with equal parts (2 cups of each) sand and aragonite to 1 part cement and elt it came out way better than a small batch i made that was 4 cups salt 1 part cement. I wound up making another batch 1 part cement, 1 part salt, 1 part sand, and 2 parts aragonite. I like this a lot and used it to patch up the ones I had that crumbled. It still came out pretty porous and looks pretty natural with the shells and what not in the aragonite. My next project will be building a tower in this manner which will be layer upon layer of homemade rock with each layer getting a little smaller so I have a volcano shaped rock in the center of my 110 I am putting up.

DYCE, http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...5&pagenumber=1

There is the link. I want to try this in my new setup. I think it's a pretty good idea.

Rhodophyta · #**148** 11/29/2006, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dyceskynes
I am going to start working on a 20L crab tank and was thinking on having a rock back wall. Has anyone tried to form the cement on to egg crate diffuser for support? I want the panels to be fairly thin yet lighter in weight.

Something better than egg crate diffuser is coarse pond filter matt. You can cut holes in it and then stitch on a patch of the same material with monofilament fishing line to make a jutting out section or shelf.

http://www.enkoi.com/prod64.html

This is one place to get the matt. The fishing line I'll leave up to you.

Hotrod324 · #**149** 11/30/2006, 02:38 AM

so how again do you know when your rock is ready? Ive had some rock in the toilet for about a month now so i stuck it in a bucket of water. I tested the ph and its was good so does that mean its ready? Is that all we have to check?

ODOG · #**150** 11/30/2006, 10:43 AM

How long was it in the bucket of water? If it hasn't raised the ph in a day to be safe I would say it's ok.