Another diy rock ?

[josh88]

Ok so I have all my materials, except my oyster shells, I remember reading something Mojo had said about the oyster shells having phosphates on them, and possibly leaching them into my water over time. Correct if I'm wrong. So I was wondering could I substitute this with crushed coral? Dry or live? I understand that's its probably the same but you don't see ppl using crushed oyster shells in their tanks for sand beds lol.

HTC EVO

 

[josh88]

Ok so found thread, crushed coral does the same. So any alternatives? Maybe rubble rock? Or just sand, white Portland cement, and solar salt to make the rock?

HTC EVO

 

[Krish]

Never made my own rock so couldn't say. Here's a bump back to the top for you.


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[mojoreef]

I have not done DIY rock for a long time Josh so their might be other methods out their now. But when I did it I used portland cement with aragonite sand (anything with shells is going to have to much Phosphate IMHO as the critters use P to make their shell) we used to mix in a bunch of spaghetti. the concept was that while curing the spaghetti would rot away and leave the rock more pourious.

mojo

 

[Norahs_dad]

Corse Rock salt will melt away leaving it poris too that's the first time I have seen spugetity used bet it would make some wormy looking holes though....this advice is just from obsessively watching videos of it being done when i was thinking about doing it but rember to add your driveway rock salt last after your Agragit and Portland cement to the mix or it will start melting away with the water. (And mabey weakaning the rocks to where they wont hold togather) Good luck i just couldn't wait for the curing so I dident do it.
Are you going to use the sand mold method that seems to make some of the most realistic looking rocks and I like the fact that you can make a shape in the sand fill it haft way with your rock mix then use strait rock salt to make big canals , hole, Chanel's throw it.

 

[josh88]

Mojo- your method seems crazy. Lol but I Can see the benefit to doing it. Your statement about p being used by critters that make their own shell is what worries me, I didn't want to have to battle p the whole time my tank was up And running
Norah- I will be using the sand in a bucket method. To be honest the amount of oyster shell people used made the rock look very unnatural. And made me think of how sharp that rock was, don't want my coral and fish scratched because of it. I want something pourous but not fake looking. I have a plan as to what I want to do. Just havent figured out if I'm going to make a solid piece, or multiple pieces to connect together.

HTC EVO