DIY Live Rock Recipes?

[speckled trout]

The pieces that your looking at in the above pics aren't porous at all. They were meant to be purely "decorative" and will occupy the top of the "reef". I couldn't make them that porous because of the delicate shapes that I was trying to create.

I wouldn't say that they're that strong, either. Strength isn't necessary because they aren't going to have to support anything heavier than coralline algae and some encrusting species of coral. I would say that they're about as hard to break as real "live rock", though. You have to want to break them to get them to crack!

Now, the "base rocks" that I make to support all the other rocks are designed to be quite strong. I don't expect to them to break anytime soon. The ones that I have in my tank have been in there for 2 years and are doing the job nicely. They, on the other hand, are quite porous. They take a little while to drain if you have to remove one of them from the tank for any reason. On a scale of one to ten, some would be around an 7 and the ones your looking at above would probably be a 2. Remember though, the ones your looking at above aren't for biological filtration, they're my attempt to make it look a little more realistic.

 

[hmott]

weekend is over.. do we get a blow-by-blow on how ya do it? I'm waiting to get my supplies for your list, I love those rocks.

 

[speckled trout]

Hold your horses! I was extremely busy over the weekend. Yeah right, I was fishing!

I am going to try and post pics along with directions. A pic, as you know, is worth a thousand words. Hopefully, I'll be able to get busy on this project(pics of the steps), today after work. I'll try to be as helpful as possible with your questions.

Equipment/Supplies
1. Optional - crushed oyster shell - make sure you clean it pretty good, crushed coral can be used as a substitute.
2. Optional - crushed coral - different sizes will help you create a variety of textures in your finished pieces.
3. Container to create the rocks . I usually use an old styrofoam box that LFS use to ship fish. Any fairly solid box or container will work, though. The main consideration is using a container that is large enough to handle the size of the rock(s) your creating. I have also used old coolers and wooden homemade boxes. Anything cheap and sturdy!
4. Container to mix cement/shell/crushed coral. I usually use a five gallon bucket that can easily be rinsed out before the cement sets up.
5. Shovel/Hoe to help mix and stir the cement.
6. Small gardener's hand shovel or a big spoon to use when "pouring" the rock. I also use my hands. Note: Some people are sensitive to cement and should wear gloves. I'm not, so I don't use any. I find that using my fingers lets me control the application of the wet mixture as I create the rock pieces.
7. Gloves - if you've got sensitive skin.
8. Water hose with nozzle to control flow of water when mixing cement.
9. Type I/II Low alkali Portland's Cement. One bag will go a long way. Make sure to close it up tightly after using it or moisture will ruin the rest of the bag. High humidity has ruined several of mine. It makes them set up on the inside of the bag ruining them.
10. Enough crushed oyster shell/crushed coral/ or sand to adequately fill the box that you intend on creating rocks inside of. You will use this to create caves, tunnels, and support the wet cement as you "build" your creation. This crushed oyster shell/crushed coral/ or sand isn't going to become your rocks. It's necessary to create your "mold" as your working.
11. A bucket to contain the extra crushed oyster shell/crushed coral/ or sand inside of as your creating your rocks. This will be your supply for creating your temporary "mold". You'll take what you need as you need it from this container and add it to your "growing" mold for creating your rock. You'll be able to re-use this again to make more rocks in the future.

I can't think of anything else you'll need else at this moment. Well, I have to go back to work, so I'll update this later.

 

[doody]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=5617352#post5617352 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by speckled trout
Here's a couple of old pics of some rocks that I made for a friend. They are supported by legs that protrude through the gravel to keep the structure from toppling when his gobie goes to work! They also support the structure and allow it to sit slightly off the bottom permitting circulation underneath the rock structures.

They've been posted before, so you may have seen them already.

You say these have been posted. Could you tell us where?

 

[speckled trout]

I posted the ones above on an earlier thread about DIY Rocks. I don't remember the actual name of the thread.

Here's a pic of some recently cured rock panels that I made for our school's 55g aquarium. I made them so that I could insert them behind the other rocks to create a more realistic backdrop.

Unfortunately, yesterday it was drizzling when I left work. I wasn't able to work on any more rocks. Hopefully, today it'll be dry and I'll have some more pics to post.

Here's another shot of some of the other recently cured pieces that'll be going to some of my friends.

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[doody]

Thanks, I searched all your posts and found them. Now to read and sort through them to get what I need

 

[moses13]

Can you elaborate on your method of creating the intricate branching rocks?

 

[speckled trout]

I'll try to post up some helpful pics later. I wasn't able to work on any rocks because it was drizzling yesterday. I was planning on documenting the process step-by-step with pics and some description of the actual process. Bad thing is I don't get off work until after 4 and it gets dark at 6:45. That doesn't leave me a lot of time, but I'll try again this afternoon.
Hopefully, the weather will cooperate.

 

[speckled trout]

I have plans to take a bunch of my cured rock out into the Gulf of Mexico this summer. I'm going to place it in large crates, so that it can become encrusted with marine life. These are plastic crates that are made very similar to milk crates and should allow lots of light and water to flow through them. My plans are to give it several months and then retrieve it. Lots of different types of feather dusters and even coralline algae should be inhabiting the rock by then. Anyways, that's my plan.

 

[speckled trout]

Creating the branchs isn't really that hard. It just takes a little extra time and planning when making the rock. I try to have a mental picture of what I want the finished structure to look like before I actually start making it.

First, try to envision or even draw what you want the finished piece to look like. Consider your existing rock when your doing this because you will probably want to incorporate it into your layout of your "reef" along with the homemade rocks.

Also, know your tank's dimensions. If you don't, you might end up making a piece that doesn't fit your tank. How your going to place these rocks and how your other rocks will be used with them is extremely important before making any new rock. You've got to have a plan!

-More to come

 

[speckled trout]

Well crud! It's raining(pouring) again and supposed to be raining throughout tomorrow. I can't make rocks in the rain, so my step by step pics may have to wait a little longer. Sorry.

By the way, we're in the middle of a terrible drought, so I shouldn't be complaining. We haven't any appreciable amount of rain since way back in last year. A burn ban has been in effect for a long time. This is very unusual for this area this early in the year and we're way below what we should have had for rainfall.

 

[psycho_clown]

trout can't wait. i got a freind that has a bayou behnd his house would that water be alright to cure it? water moves pretty fast. but in louisana so not that clean looking pretty muddy looking

 

[Roland Jacques]

how about color can i put ny kind of dye in the mix? like a tan color

 

[hmott]

can't wait.. speckled trout.

 

[speckled trout]

Okay, I'm gonna try to do this during my lunch. I might not finish so have patience. Also, it was raining yesterday and a little difficult to take pics and play with cement at the same time.

 

[speckled trout]

Step 1
Determine what you want your finished piece to look like. You will either be making your rock ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œupside downââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ or ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œright sideââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ up. This depends on what youââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢re trying to make. If youââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢re making a rock that has fairly intricate projections or branches I would suggest making it ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œupsideââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ down. What I mean by ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œupsideââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ down is that the top of your rock will be the first part of the rock that you are creating. To accomplish this, place the desired amount of sand/shell/oyster on the bottom of the container that you have chosen to make your rock inside of. I am going to be making a branching structure, so I will begin by placing a small amount of shell in a pile at the bottom of my container.

Step 2
Since Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢m making a rock that is more of a ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œdecorativeââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ piece I wonââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t be trying to achieve a lot of porosity. I am going to be more concerned with structural integrity. However, I still donââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t want my finished piece to fall apart when taken out of the mold. It is going to have fairly thin branches and I need to make sure that thereââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s always enough cement in contact with itself as I make the various branches of the rock. This is critical to the structure of the finished piece. However, it doesnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t have to be super strong because it wonââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t be bearing a lot of weight. It is going to be occupying the top of a reef and shouldnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t have to hold up anything more than zoanthids, star polyps, mushrooms, and hopefully some coralline algae.

Notice in the picture that I am carefully creating the top branches of my new rock. To do this, I make thin irregular shaped branches on top of the small pile of shell(doesnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t contain cement). Remember, your making this upside down so these will be at the top, so think in ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œreverseââ"šÂ¬Ã‚.

Step 3
Take some of your dry or semi-wet shell and GENTLY cover a section of the wet cement leaving enough cement exposed on the ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œcentral axisââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ of the new rock to connect to as you build your rock. This shell can be removed after your cement has hardened. It will create an empty space between one branch and the next once itââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s been removed. Look carefully and you'll notice the dry shell that I've added to create a space between each of my rock's new branches. Remember, place it very gently on top of the wet cement!

Continue adding branches making sure to always have enough cement in contact with itself. To do this, carefully add more cement and shape it with your fingers or small gardenerââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s shovel. Make sure that each branch is contacting an adequate amount of wet cement of another branch or the "central axis". If you don't it will break off later, especially if you make it real thin. It takes a little practice to accomplish this and get a feel for how thick each section needs to be in order to keep it strong. You might not be successful on your first attempt. But keep trying, it gets easy.

After that, keep doing the same thing over and over until the rock that you've envisioned is completed. The following pics are sequential and show the steps. I hope you are able to figure out what I'm trying to say.

After you've formed the rock to your satisfaction you will need to let it dry for a minimum of 24 hours. Preferrably two days. I suggest leaving it alone for longer especially if you're making a more delicate rock like the one that I just made for you. It will be plenty of strong by the time that it has completely cured you just don't want to rush it and try to pull it from the mold too quickly. Have patience and let it thoroughly set up.

Once you get the hang of it you'll be able to create the exact look that you're trying to get for your own reef.

My next project is going to be a sectioned rock wall on my 105g. It will include shelves and outcroppings to support various coral and other rocks. It will also include fake rock sections to camoflauge my skimmer returns and powerheads. I'm going to make areas that I will be able to place the powerheads into that look like rock but are easily accessable if I need to access one. Anyways, have fun and let me know how your new rocks come out. Remember, use your imagination, it's the limit to making rocks.

 

[speckled trout]

Making A Base Rock

Making A Base Rock

I am going to make a rock that will be placed at the bottom of the other rocks. It must be strong enough to support the other rocks and can be as thick and porous as you want. This one will have legs that will keep it steady should some critter decide that he wants to try and burrow underneath it. We wouldn't want it to topple and cause an avalanche.

If your good you can make legs that look pretty natural and will readily blend into the tructure and won't stick out like a sore thumb. In other words, don't make any straight line. Keep you base rock as narly and irregular in shape as possible.

This first pic is of my dry oyster shell that has been dampened and packed tightly so that I can create the "mold" of the legs that will protrude down into it. I am making this structure "right" side up. The front of the rock is at the bottom. The flattened back section is at the the top of the pic and will face the back of the aquarium. It will alllow me to place it relatively close to the back without actually touching it.

In this next pic I have put cement into the "legs" of the structure and then connected them with cement to begin the bottom of the structure. I will be leaving lots of openings for water flow and for my various fish and creatures to wander in and out of as they explore the "reef."

Continue to add cement creating whatever caves, nooks and crannies that you desire.

The person that I'm making this base rock wanted a "shelf" on the back of the rock. In the below pic I'm starting to form the back shelf and have it completed on the last pic. Now all I've got to do is wait for it to dry.

 

[hmott]

now that was worth the wait.. now I'm really exicited to print this off and give it a try. 2 more days and my weekend will be filled with rock making. That is the best diy rock tutorial I have seen, thanks a ton!

 

[speckled trout]

Your welcome. If you have any questions, post them up. I'm sure others will have the same ones.

 

[Roland Jacques]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7068830#post7068830 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hmott
now that was worth the wait.. now I'm really exicited to print this off and give it a try. 2 more days and my weekend will be filled with rock making. That is the best diy rock tutorial I have seen, thanks a ton!

Dito, Speckled trout thanks

how about color dyes are they reef safe? i would like a tan rock and some defferent shades.