Best DIY rock recipe?????

[lotsoftats]

I know there are a bunch of threads for DIY rock...but what is the best recipe? I want lightweight porus rock I have all the time needed to cure and what not since i will not likely get water in my system till next spring...I need alot of rock....I do have around 50 lbs of good base rock that will go into a buddies 150g tank to cure..just looking to make some different shape rocks.

 

[lotsoftats]

^

 

[widmer]

I made fantastic rocks that I refer to as dish sponges because of how porous they are. I used:

1 part portland #2 cement powder
1 part sugar sized aragonite
3 parts medium-coarse aragonite gravel (~2 mm)

The big trick is to not pack them very deep in your sandbox, otherwise the ones at the bottom get compacted and lose their porosity.

 

[uncleof6]

Well that is one of the better recipes that I have seen. I still believe that GARF's recipe has been and still is the best recipe.... till if/when I give widmer's a shot to see.

J

 

[lotsoftats]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15517461#post15517461 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by widmer
I made fantastic rocks that I refer to as dish sponges because of how porous they are. I used:

1 part portland #2 cement powder
1 part sugar sized aragonite
3 parts medium-coarse aragonite gravel (~2 mm)

The big trick is to not pack them very deep in your sandbox, otherwise the ones at the bottom get compacted and lose their porosity.

do you have any pics? or a thread for your rocks

 

[jbomar3771]

i made some really porous rock with 3 part crushed oyster shells, 1 part white portland cement and after mix add 2 part rock salt. after you soak the rock in water it desolves the salt and makes the rock very porous and looks great.

 

[widmer]

I don't believe I have any pics, and there's certainly no thread. I basically followed the aragocrete directions on GARF, but did my own little recipe. Did you have any additional questions?

 

[skunkmere]

does that stuff leach and bad stuff, or do i need to cure it for a long time?

 

[uncleof6]

In this hobby patience is a virtue, yes you have to let it "cure"

Jim

 

[lotsoftats]

from what I have been reading it will take at least a month to cure...the longer the wait the better the results....I have months before water will be in the system...so it is no big deal for me to wait

 

[Greenmaster]

I have made a bunch of rock. I just made a tutorial video. If you want to watch a 45 min video I just made one of how I make the DIY rock, go to http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=17233309#post17233309
for my rocks I used

1 white portland cement
1 aragonite sand
3 oyster shell
after those are mixed with water I add
1 coarse salt