makin diy rock

[salmonslayer]

Acrodesiac

 

[Reef-Eden]

Hi Guys..

Here's a method im in the process of trying.. silimar to aragocrete, but using salt chippings that dissolve out on soaking/curing, to create porosity..

http://www.reef-eden.net/diy_9.htm


And heres some images of it being blasted in the new tank...(only about another 3 weeks left till its cured and the salt has dissolved out of it..)

Regards

Simon..

 

[vwmoneypit]

like the tank is it glass cool lookin over flow hey off beat question I am a old vw nut to answer a question for me do they sell jettas over thier it is an old wise tale i hear

 

[vwmoneypit]

so I took some reg quick crete and made some rock i used the dessolving package penuts and some softner salt to see just what will work I have to say even doing it at night half drunk and tired it look ok just need #3 portland

 

[Reef-Eden]

..yep they sell Jetta's (well, used to..)

The tanks all glass, hand built by muggins here.

That pics a couple of weeks old actually..

(slightly off topic i know).

This is what it looks like now.. with a full length Weir comb sitting ontop of the slanted overflow..(this shot just shows one half of the total length..

regards

simon.

 

[vwmoneypit]

so now we have exhausted the product to use what about curing and one tried using hot water or boiling in a open pressure cooker to remove the bad ph and ect I really want to know from some exp masonist

 

[vwmoneypit]

acrodesiac what about using grout cant find #3 only two around here not even central premix knew what it was or availability wierd

Make sure you use type 3 white portland cement, that is key. I have made many different peices with lots of different recipies. I really like using chrushed oyster shell in the mix(can be purchased at feed stores) because it is so cheap and it's alot lighter in weight than aragonite. Through trial and error my current ratio for the mixture is 1 part cement, 1 part crushed aragonite, 2 parts crushed oyster shell. Just thought I'd share my experienced knowledge

 

[captstinky]

I found #3 in the local Home improvement store. I think I got 90lbs for about 10bucks. I have read that any portland cement will work. Cure time will depend on rock size. Also, curing in freshwater does not mean it is fully cured. I nearly fried a tank by testing the fresh water cure bucket, and placed the rock in the salt tank. Next day PH was off the chart. IME the best cure is in salt, and pull the rock out let it dry and resoak, as previously posted. Garf has great info on the DIY rocks. Curing in freshwater is good if fresh water is what you have- but placing the freshwater cured rock into salt water will result in elevated PH.



I have had good success with DIY rock, having coraline growing on rock and looking sweet after two months. I purchased a pound of live sand to seed the tank. What I found is that you put the 'naked rock' into a bare tank, and seed it with the stuff you want in the theory that you avoid a lot of nuisance 'stuff' and get the cool ledges/shapes/caves you want. I am making a bunch of small pieces for frags. Will post if it proves lucrative.

 

[acrodesiac]

I have used rock salt before but when it dissolved it left rather smooth indentations that were wierd looking. Did you put the salt in the mix or in the forms. Bye the way, your stuff looks very nice

 

[acrodesiac]

VW dude, do not use grout:exclaim: Lots of additves and stuff that you do not want in your tank

 

[vwmoneypit]

thanks for the comment wierd a guy made the back of his tank on hear with that or mastic just having a bitch of a time finding this stuff must have to knock some heads together erhhh tried some reg cement with 4 cps of mix and 2cps of salt/softener and some biodegradable penuts and it looked ok but it fell apart afret it started to cure wierd huh well still on the journey for #3

 

[Skimmy]

spray foam for the back wall works awesome!! i'll see if i can find some pics...

 

[captstinky]

I wonder if spray foam will provide biological action like cement or live rocks do? If you mix the cement rather dry, it will be porous, and the general idea is that you get some good biological activity. . .

 

[Skimmy]

here's a pic of a nano reef w/ foam back wall,
kinda small tank but you get the idea

 

[lavenderfish]

What kind of foam? I would definately want to get a brand that was non- toxic. I really like this foam idea.

 

[vwmoneypit]

the fire approved "rated"foam is pure white so u could try that as far as chemical reaction i would say after dry it would be ok at leaste a week in sun thou