Making some rock

[Just Jim]

I thought I'd share a quick write up on my latest batches of rock. 10+ years ago I made 80% of my rock for my 240g. I read a lot of negativity on this compared to buying LR at $2-8/lbs. I'm setting up a 150g and going to tie it into my 240g. Trying to keep costs low I revisted making live rock. I used the recipe of Portland cement, sand, crushed oyster shell, and rock salt for texture. I've made 3 large batches and estimate the cost to be around $0.15/lbs. I don't claim that this stuff looks like tonga branch. But I've always been of the mindset that rock is just a place for coral to spread(and coralline). Here's a few pics

Batch 1 made with pool salt

Batch 2 I tried to get creative and those logs probably won't work. They look like speed bumps, lol.

Batch 3 I got perfect. Good texture and smaller pieces for stacking the top.

Finally a pic of my 240g. A long time of growth, but no one can tell 80% of it was made by me

 

[Fizz71]

Looks nice. You have to "cure" it for a long time now right? I was going to make my own rock when I upgraded and needed another 100bls.....until I was told it I had to sit it in RO and wait, then replace the RO and wait then replace again and then wait....yada yada. I bought rock from somebody leaving the hobby.

 

[Just Jim]

I'm going to "cheat" the method. I have the rock sitting in water outside. I'm dumping and changing it every day or two. After 4 weeks I'm putting it into my new tank and going to cycle the new tank for 4 more weeks. I change 25g/week from my 240g DT so I intend on using that water as a change up weekly until the new tank is ready. I have two WP40's waiting for the new tank so that should be enough for circulation.