DIY Real Rock (not Aragocrete)

[ChemE]

I'm in the planning stages for our next tank which will be somewhere between 120 and 240 gallons. As you all know, rock can be a very costly aspect of setting up a tank. Luckily, I live on a recently deceased reef (Florida) so I can get base rock from flower beds.

I wash the rock with a toothbrush and then blow soil out of the pores with a turkey baster. It is then boiled once or twice (depending on water color after the first boil). I plan on soaking all the rock in bleach and water for a few days, giving it a final boil, and a 1 week sun dry to break down any lingering bleach. The rock will then be cured in a Rubbermaid tub with a beefy skimmer and seeded with some of my existing live rock.

My question is, am I going to have problems down the line with silicates or phosphates? I feel like my cleaning regimen should preclude this but wouldn't mind hearing your opinions.

Also, I wanted to see how the shapes I'm finding compare to what is available commercially. I've already got 150 lbs of larger rocks 8" to 24" and wanted to make sure I had some smaller rocks for fragging and filling in any holes. Below are pictures of 15 lbs of smaller rocks.

15 lbs of smaller rocks stacked on bathroom scale

Close up of scale reading

Rock laid out so you can see the shapes

Ad hoc reef structure built with rock

Ok, what does everyone think? Will this work OK or is there something I've failed to take into account? Has anyone else ever tried this?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[jman77]

Sounds like your putting them through a good cleaning. I've never collected rocks from inland... I have in the past collected from off the beach dried rock and never had problems with them.

 

[REEFKEEPA]

I would love to get my hands on some of that stuff!
I'm sure it will be fine once it becomes bacteria laden.

 

[ChemE]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6938448#post6938448 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by REEFKEEPA
I would love to get my hands on some of that stuff!
I'm sure it will be fine once it becomes bacteria laden.

Thanks for the compliment. I'm very picky when about what I grab when I'm out walking the dog. Only the most porous/gnarled rocks make the cut. It's hard to turn down free (ok, boiling takes a little electricity but not enough to notice) rock just lying in the flower beds waiting for a reef tank to call home.

Any cautionary notes or is my plan solid? I'd hate to fight a nuisance algea outbreak because of a mental slip.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[REEFKEEPA]

ChemE, I'm I understanding this correctly?
You just walk along the sidewalk and grab rock out of peoples flowerbeads?I hope they don't care or no one lives there anymore.
You could wind up in a WOS.

 

[ChemE]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6938547#post6938547 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by REEFKEEPA
ChemE, I'm I understanding this correctly?
You just walk along the sidewalk and grab rock out of peoples flowerbeads?I hope they don't care or no one lives there anymore.
You could wind up in a WOS.

Nope, just one large flower bed in the apartment complex I live in. They are going condo and all anyone here cares about is selling a unit. No one is on the look out for a fish geek toting rocks back to his apartment.

Thanks for the heads up though.

 

[M. Python]

I think with all that washing and curing you will remove pesticides, weed killers and fertilizers. I would use it, I wish I could find it in my back yard.

 

[REEFKEEPA]

Whew! I think you should Hoard as much as you can then!
I'll come buy some from you! It's only about a 12 hour drive but I want to get down there anyway.

 

[kgolem]

Re: DIY Real Rock (not Aragocrete)

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6938373#post6938373 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ChemE
I feel like my cleaning regimen should preclude this but wouldn't mind hearing your opinions.

Thanks,
Chris

Sounds like you're doing a good job at cleaning the rocks. If you have access to a power washer, I know that does a good job a getting into the deep crevases.

A buck or two at the local car wash may go a long ways.

 

[xtrstangx]

Sounds pretty good.. should get them very clean.

 

[ChemE]

Re: Re: DIY Real Rock (not Aragocrete)

Re: Re: DIY Real Rock (not Aragocrete)

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6939251#post6939251 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kgolem
Sounds like you're doing a good job at cleaning the rocks. If you have access to a power washer, I know that does a good job a getting into the deep crevases.

A buck or two at the local car wash may go a long ways.

What a great idea! I could up my production rate tremendously by hitting the car wash! That would really blast all the crud out of the crevases and pores (of which there are loads).

Thanks kgolem!

 

[GoldStripe]

It's probably going to be tough to get the rocks to stay still while your blastin the you know what out of them. Ouch my eye!

 

[ChemE]

Yeah, everyone else will be washing their car and there's me at the end with rocks flying all over the place. Oh well, it's way too late to start caring about what other people think.

I just crossed the 170lb mark today. This rock is seriously lacey.

 

[Barto]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6938571#post6938571 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ChemE
Nope, just one large flower bed in the apartment complex I live in. They are going condo and all anyone here cares about is selling a unit. No one is on the look out for a fish geek toting rocks back to his apartment.

Maybe I should send you a few boxes with return shipping call tags. Be happy to pay you for time to pick & pack, I'll clean them here. PM me if interested
Thanks

Great looking rockwork!

 

[REEFKEEPA]

I'm Serious man,
I'm gonna make a road trip and go rock hunting.
I'll load up the country Cadillac and cruise back to the 504.

 

[REEFKEEPA]

I'd probably get busted by the FSP for attempted smuggling of coral or something!

 

[ChemE]

I don't even know what it takes to get a ticket down here. I go 20 over everwhere and run reds. These guys don't even make an attempt at handing out moving violations. You won't get pulled over unless you crash into one.

 

[ChemE]

The 5 pounds I picked out this week came out especially nicely...

 

[cmhollis]

Dude,

I am seriously jealous. How great is it to be able to just go out and cherry-pick rock and not have to pay anything?

If you do use the car wash, just be sure not to use any soap as most detergents contain a large amount of phosphates.

Although, looking at your handle I am sure you know this,

Mike

 

[ChemE]

Pretty darn great. Although, everyone can buy the same thing here http://www.reeferrock.com/store/Qstore.cgi?CMD=011&PROD=1064328450 for $2/lb. It's not quite free but it isn't too bad either.

And thanks, I didn't realize that detergents have phosphates in them; thanks for the heads up.