The Ultimate DIY Rocks! - Page 2

Flusher · #26 10/21/2006, 02:16 AM

Has anyone tried using aquarium liquid pH adjusters while kuring their aragocrete? I think some have phosphates, but not all of them. It sounds like this could work to me, but I'm sure there's something I'm not aware of. Ha ha.

Rhodophyta · #27 10/21/2006, 04:37 AM

Flusher,
Put some sand, dirt, or even crumpled newspaper under your plastic wrap between layers to create some open areas and keep the weight down. Be sure to have enough contact points between each layer and you might want to stagger the metal scraper so that each layer will interlock.

salty in Gray · #28 10/21/2006, 12:59 PM

Very overwhelming post for a newbie, but seems quite simple.

The only part I am unclear on is this, I am in the process of setting up a new tank. It is a 65 g tank, if I were to create about 65 pounds of rock, and then buy maybe 10-20 lbs of LR, and add it to the aquarium w/ live sand, how long would I need to wait to have the agrocrete to become live?

Is this a bad idea for a new tank?

Flusher · #29 10/21/2006, 02:18 PM

Rhodophyta: Way ahead of you.

ODOG · #30 10/21/2006, 04:41 PM

Salt, it's not a bad idea at all. After adding the live rock it's best to wait as long as possible for your home made base rock to populate with good bacteria and all the other little critters and micro fauna necessary for a good reef tank. Take a look at the linked thread, about half way down page one there is a post by Erichugo AKA Eric borneman. I think there is some useful inofrmation there for a newbie. Good luck and enjoy your rock making. http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...hreadid=249112

jasert39 · #31 10/21/2006, 09:07 PM

well i made close to fifty pounds of this rock, then a great deal on live rock fell into my lap, now I think that i am going to break it up and use for frags.

I ended up using about a 2.5 to 1 ratio for my mixture anything more seem a bit to weak for me for some reason.

a great thread for a new reefer trying to save a few bucks.

Rhodophyta · #32 10/21/2006, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by salty in Gray
Very overwhelming post for a newbie, but seems quite simple.

The only part I am unclear on is this, I am in the process of setting up a new tank. It is a 65 g tank, if I were to create about 65 pounds of rock, and then buy maybe 10-20 lbs of LR, and add it to the aquarium w/ live sand, how long would I need to wait to have the agrocrete to become live?

Is this a bad idea for a new tank?

You can speed up the good-guy bacterial part of the live rock by making your next to last soak an ammonia solution. Once the ammonia is replaced by nitrite and finally nitrate, you can give it a final rinse in dechlorinated tank temperature water and use it.

sunfishh · #33 10/22/2006, 11:02 AM

Looks great Flusher

Kent E · #34 10/22/2006, 05:39 PM

I gave it a go. Here are a couple of pieces:

jasert39 · #35 10/22/2006, 07:53 PM

wow those are some pretty big peices...nice job

Flusher · #36 10/22/2006, 08:13 PM

Kent, those rocks look awesome. That's probably $500+ worth of LR for less than $20 right there.

Quote:

Originally posted by sunfishh
Looks great Flusher

Thanks.

I had to move my rock-making area to the basement today. After 40 hours, the rock was nice and hard, and I had no problems moving it (although it was pretty heavy). The two pieces split nicely, but nothing else broke apart. I added a new layer on top, and it turned out pretty good too. I used large chunks of salt to form out negative areas for tunnels. Tomorrow I'm going to add a thin top coat of plain cement to make sure I don't lose too much of the form, which is what I did for the bottom layer.

In a couple days, I plan to make an overhanging layer with a few tunnels and pockets. That should be more of a challenge.

Fingers crossed that this stuff doesn't just disintegrate like it has for some people...

dez_2121 · #37 10/22/2006, 09:50 PM

here's a pic of my tank after having the DIY rock in for about a 3 or 4 weeks maybe in the moring i'll take a couple more just to show the progress of the rocks

JOSEPHLB · #38 10/23/2006, 11:35 AM

Is this the Portland Type I that is being used: http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...=10352-286-317

?

Zestay · #39 10/23/2006, 11:35 AM

tank looks great dez!!! that looks like its a fair amount of DIY rock. can you circle the DIY rocks in there so people know which is which?

Zestay · #40 10/23/2006, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by JOSEPHLB
Is this the Portland Type I that is being used: http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...=10352-286-317

?

thats the type of portland cement i used on mine. mine are still in the curing tank ( been there for 24 hours now ) and all seems well so far.

Travis L. Stevens · #41 10/23/2006, 11:52 AM

I've been using LaFarge Portland Cement Type 1 that I find at the Lowe's in Stillwater, OK

JOSEPHLB · #42 10/23/2006, 12:27 PM

I've read through the other split portion of this thead, and I've noticed a few questions concerning coloring of the rocks.

I didn't see this product mentioned, Integral Colors. Its a concrete pigment sold from Direct Colors, Inc. out of Shawnee, Oklahoma. Here is the product: http://www.directcolors.com/concrete_integral.htm

Here is the MSDS info: http://www.directcolors.com/msds_doc...tegralmsds.pdf

Has anyone heard of this stuff and/or tried it?

Travis L. Stevens · #43 10/23/2006, 01:02 PM

Haven't heard of it or tried it. Maybe I should take a long drive down to Shawnee to check it out

BADBOYGATOR · #44 10/26/2006, 11:04 PM

ok after reading this post and the split (part one ) i think im geting the idea of DIY rocks just for the record (and if im wrong im sure some one will let the noob know )

i want to mix the cement on the dry side add softner salt to the mix and let it dry

cure it for a few weeks and then add it to my tank

now questions (1) do i want to break up the salt when adding it to the mix?
(2) do i want to form it in salt or sand or does it matter?

(3) when cureing am i just watching he Ph? or should i be watching other things as well?

(4) any thing i missed ?

Hotrod324 · #45 10/26/2006, 11:08 PM

I just tried to make some rock... How big are the crystals of salt you guys are using? The bag i got has huge crystals, far to big to be using for rocks. Is everyone having this problem and just breaking it up or is what yall are buying smaller? (my crystals are about 1" diameter ave)

Flusher · #46 10/27/2006, 02:03 AM

I noticed that my rocks would crumble pretty easily when handled after a couple days. Since then, I've been adding a top coat of cement with no salt mixed in. I leave a few areas unpatched so some of the surface will be porous. Hopefully this will keep the entire rock from crumbling, while leaving the inside of the rock nice and porous.

Quote:

Originally posted by Hotrod324
The bag i got has huge crystals, far to big to be using for rocks.

I got a mixed bag of sizes. Some are easily 1" long. I use those to form caves and other details. If your whole bag is 1" pieces, you could either smash them into smaller pieces, or go buy a different type of salt. Buying a new bag will save you lots of grief.

Flusher · #47 10/27/2006, 02:16 AM

New photos:

The top layer broke in four when I tried lifting it prematurely. I used cement to reattach two pieces, and left the other two pieces broken for ease of assembly.

I've since added a third layer, but it needs more work... I've also started a new set of rocks for my 6g nano. I'm going to move my Mantis shrimp back in there once the tank is revamped with the new rock and plumbing.

I'm still a bit worried that my rock will crumble, or that the porous internal parts won't leech out their salt, etc, due to the cement top coat.

tszetela · #48 10/27/2006, 07:59 AM

Flusher, very good idea to build the mock-up of the tank.

Just an FYI, Kuring with CO2 and few water changes seem to take longer that frequent water changes. I have been running 10 bubbles a second in to an old whisper powerhead (think I have been in the hobby a long time?!!) and doing a water change with RO water once a week. And after 2 months when I pull the CO2 and let the rock sit over night the Ph still goes up to over 9. So I am now going to do a water change every other night in addition to the CO2. Granted this is a casual observation with no control group and I do think I have a larger rock to water ratio than I would prefer.

Not to mention the its a PITA of having to disconnect the CO2 tank and carry it to the other side of the basement when ever I want to use the kegerator!!!

Travis L. Stevens · #49 10/27/2006, 10:05 AM

Quote:

i want to mix the cement on the dry side add softner salt to the mix and let it dry

I mix the salt and the cement together thuroughly before adding water. Then I add the water. If it gets too wet (which it usually does), I just add more cement.

Quote:

cure it for a few weeks and then add it to my tank

Well, it could be longer than a few weeks, but you got the idea

Quote:

(1) do i want to break up the salt when adding it to the mix?

I don't, but my salt crystals are smaller than what some have been experiencing. My largest crystals are about 0.5" in diameter. Most are in the 0.25"-0.5" range

Quote:

(2) do i want to form it in salt or sand or does it matter?

It's up to you. A salt mold yields a textured surface free of particles. A sand mold creates a sanded surface with little texture. Either one works.

Quote:

when cureing am i just watching he Ph? or should i be watching other things as well?

Just the pH and make sure to do lots of water changes

Quote:

any thing i missed ?

You missed to have fun no matter what happens to the rock. If you are an unlucky person and have it crumble, try again. Just make sure the original mixture is properly hydrated and thuroughly mixed.

CapnKick · #50 10/27/2006, 10:30 AM

I'm laughing at myself...after reading this entire thread thoroughly and monitoring closely, I mixed and formed my first batch of rock. I set it to dry on aluminum foil (I don't mind the flat bottom for my particular application), and noticed the foil melted to the rock (is that right? maybe "stuck" is the word)! Anyways, after a month of curing, the foil still won't come off. Since I'm not crazy about the shape of my first batch, I think I'm going to toss it and start a second batch, this time using sheet pans.

Just a word for the wise...