freshsalty
New member
i got bored and figured id try some rocks ok looking for the first time and only 15 minutes.
15 minutes diy rock
- Thread starter freshsalty
- Start date
freshsalty
New member
honestly i just poured rock salt and portland cement type 1/2 and just added more cement to make it thicker then turned it around till it thickend and then i just let it drop from my hand.
CoolUsername
New member
This is not going to hold together or form well. Portland cement needs a substrate like oyster shells or Crushed coral (in construction they use sand/pea gravel/gravel) to bond to. Portland cement is one additive of concrete it isn't terribly useful by itself or with a disolvable substance like rock salt. Sorry but I predict it will just crumble.
scoobasteve
New member
I think that the salt will work well with the cement mix. The cement mix should hold as long as it is not stacked very high and the stress upon it is at a minimum. The benifit of using the salt is that as it dissolves the rock will become increasingly porous, as good live rock should be for good bacterial rendering. If gravel would have been used instead of the salt you would basically have been left with some chunks of concrete in your tank, good for coraline growth, but not so much for bacteria. It's like real swiss cheese versus the fake stuff, without all the holes, it's just a big hunk of white stuff.
scoobasteve
New member
One more thing. I am new to this site but i have noticed an unneccessary usage of the acronym "IMO". I know it is "in your opinion". "Everything" a person says, unless cited afterwards, is considered an opinion. If, for example, you feel a DSB to be a better choice for a reef tank than a BB, it goes without saying that this is your opinion; i don't think anyone will falsely assume it to be Jared from Subway's opinion if you leave out the "IMO". But then of course-that is only my opinion.
CoolUsername
New member
Please let us know how it turns out. We can all learn from this one.
Last edited:
freshsalty
New member
i let them set for 38 hrs then i put them in the rubbermaid and will be doing testing on them to see what they do i will let you know how it holds up to the weight.
I think CoolUsername has a valid point, so I called my mortar lime rep here at the brickyard. IMO and his, the salt, if mised with the cement will impede the setting strength of the cement, and without the use of any agents to add body... ie: sand and/or crushed shells, the compressive strength of the cement will be compromised. You need a binder... a body item. The salt, to minimize it's effects IMO should be added once the cement has used up most of the water in the reaction.
ALSO food for thought. In the masonry industry, changing the sand / gravel / agregate and fillers, affects your mix. I deal MOSTLY with mortar, a close cousin of cement. Here's our thoughts... we use grey mortar, but if traditional sand box sand - is added, it's color remains grey. If Silica sand is used, it color is lightened tremendiously. If you change to WHITE mortar, REGULAR mason sand (sand box sand) yeilds a off white like unbleached cotton. While the silica sand yeilds a bleach white mortar. From times long past, I will get people who bring in chunks of mortar- sometimes 10 people a day. It's my job to give them my OPINION and tell them what I think it will take to make that mix again. If the job was recent, in thew last 15-20 years, it's relatively easy. Mortar is 1 part mortar, 3 parts sand. Mized in any size... Dixie cup, or 5 gallon bucket... 1 part to 3 parts. Mix till like frosting, preferrably with a drill and mixer wand or a cement mixer, but still like frosting. (The drill helps suspend the sand properly in the water mix, in essence, whipping it) Poke your finger in, and draw it several inches, the line/grove should yeild a mix that is not soupy and wet, and not hard. The mix should be like frosting... and SLOWLY cave in. I tell you this because having the right amount of water affects the strength... cement is simular.
Now, I told you that story to tell you this one.....
Mortar... and it's close cousin Cement, were not always sold in bags. Many of the old masons I still order mortar and cement as a mix... mortar for example is 1 part cement, 2 part lime and 6 part cement. Many of the old buildings used crushed sea-shells in place of the lime. The sea shells gave the cement... mostly white... a white - white coral color - kinda a faded pink. Cement is also available in white, for about 2x the price. I speculate that white mortar with crushed shells and a filler like styro beads and the acrylic plastic , shaped in your salt (not mixed in, but used as a form). Let dryand then cure... These would look natural... but I think what I just gave you was the GARF Recipe.
Jason
BTW... scoobasteve, lighten up man.... IMO. It just releases you from any blame.
ALSO food for thought. In the masonry industry, changing the sand / gravel / agregate and fillers, affects your mix. I deal MOSTLY with mortar, a close cousin of cement. Here's our thoughts... we use grey mortar, but if traditional sand box sand - is added, it's color remains grey. If Silica sand is used, it color is lightened tremendiously. If you change to WHITE mortar, REGULAR mason sand (sand box sand) yeilds a off white like unbleached cotton. While the silica sand yeilds a bleach white mortar. From times long past, I will get people who bring in chunks of mortar- sometimes 10 people a day. It's my job to give them my OPINION and tell them what I think it will take to make that mix again. If the job was recent, in thew last 15-20 years, it's relatively easy. Mortar is 1 part mortar, 3 parts sand. Mized in any size... Dixie cup, or 5 gallon bucket... 1 part to 3 parts. Mix till like frosting, preferrably with a drill and mixer wand or a cement mixer, but still like frosting. (The drill helps suspend the sand properly in the water mix, in essence, whipping it) Poke your finger in, and draw it several inches, the line/grove should yeild a mix that is not soupy and wet, and not hard. The mix should be like frosting... and SLOWLY cave in. I tell you this because having the right amount of water affects the strength... cement is simular.
Now, I told you that story to tell you this one.....
Mortar... and it's close cousin Cement, were not always sold in bags. Many of the old masons I still order mortar and cement as a mix... mortar for example is 1 part cement, 2 part lime and 6 part cement. Many of the old buildings used crushed sea-shells in place of the lime. The sea shells gave the cement... mostly white... a white - white coral color - kinda a faded pink. Cement is also available in white, for about 2x the price. I speculate that white mortar with crushed shells and a filler like styro beads and the acrylic plastic , shaped in your salt (not mixed in, but used as a form). Let dryand then cure... These would look natural... but I think what I just gave you was the GARF Recipe.
Jason
BTW... scoobasteve, lighten up man.... IMO. It just releases you from any blame.
