They do leech ph though. I have heard people needing to cure their rock almost 2-3 times as long as ones who do not use oyster shells. I have also heard of people having post-install problems in their tank. I'm personally not going to use them because of this whether it is true or not I would prefer to just avoid it, just in case.
Sugar in aragonite rocks?
- Thread starter Cody Ray
- Start date
johno4
New member
Sorry to just jump in, but I thought you might find my experiences with making the stuff interesting. The easiest way to make porus rock is use straws. Make your rock however you like it, I simply followed garfs plan, pour in, shape do what ever you do. Once the rock is all poured and is sitting in its box as you wait for it to dry, get some plasic drinking straws, tape one end closed and stick them through your rocks. After about 12 hours or so when the rock is partially set, pull all the straws out. You end up with tones of holes going all the way through you rock. It is very porus.
Thats just an idea, I used it and it works.
Thats just an idea, I used it and it works.
BankerJohn
New member
All of the rock in my tank is homemade. I used the GARF method. Curing time depends on the pH of the water bath used to cure. Plan on A LOT of water changes. I used a Wal*Mart kids wading pool and changed the water daily for about 10 weeks - thank goodness for well water.
I have no problems with the porosity of the finished product; pods crawl in and out of the rock contstantly now. The trick I learned was to take a small handful of mud and let it 'drip' from your finger tips into the 'mold'. The mold is dry aragonite sand shaped into your desired form. Someone above mentioned straws... this works VERY WELL. I have made rocks with a closed cell filled with dry sand and poked a hole with a straw. When the rock hardened, I removed the straw and flushed out the dry sand from within, leaving a large void. I also made a rock for a friend in which the mud was formed around a lenght of PVC which was used in his closed loop return.
I have made many shapes and the process is fun. See my gallery and look at the rocks my 5 year old made. Yes, she made them all, with the help of her 3 year old sister.
At our local club meeting in March, weather permitting, we are going to make rocks. Our club is ANCHOR.
I have no problems with the porosity of the finished product; pods crawl in and out of the rock contstantly now. The trick I learned was to take a small handful of mud and let it 'drip' from your finger tips into the 'mold'. The mold is dry aragonite sand shaped into your desired form. Someone above mentioned straws... this works VERY WELL. I have made rocks with a closed cell filled with dry sand and poked a hole with a straw. When the rock hardened, I removed the straw and flushed out the dry sand from within, leaving a large void. I also made a rock for a friend in which the mud was formed around a lenght of PVC which was used in his closed loop return.
I have made many shapes and the process is fun. See my gallery and look at the rocks my 5 year old made. Yes, she made them all, with the help of her 3 year old sister.
At our local club meeting in March, weather permitting, we are going to make rocks. Our club is ANCHOR.
I just made a batch of aragocrete! I made 2 small pieces (individual batches) and they are currently curing in a small tub. I tried using two different methods and here is what I learned.
#1 A dry batch is *much* better than a wet batch
#2 Straws work wonders. I debated on this thinking it would make them look funny but when the straw comes out so does other stuff so it doesn't just look like a hole poked in the rock it actually made it very natural
#3 Molds seem deeper than they actually are. I tried to make an archway and I thought it would be raised quite high but it was barely raised at all. I think this has to do with the cement picking out part of the mold. So keep that in mind.
#3 Put a little bit in at a time. This seems to make the rock much more porous, and whatever you do don't pat the rock down to flatten or "make it stronger" it just ruins things.
#4 Drier the better (I already mentioned this but my wet batch seems really brittle...)
As for the recipes I used
~4-5 parts crushed coral
~1 part sugar sized aragonite
~1 part portland cement (I have the gray stuff
~3/4 part water (Add a little at a time)
Thats it. I will try to remember to post pictures later but I am very happy with my first batch (could have been better but from what I heard I did well b/c they didn't fall apart)
#1 A dry batch is *much* better than a wet batch
#2 Straws work wonders. I debated on this thinking it would make them look funny but when the straw comes out so does other stuff so it doesn't just look like a hole poked in the rock it actually made it very natural
#3 Molds seem deeper than they actually are. I tried to make an archway and I thought it would be raised quite high but it was barely raised at all. I think this has to do with the cement picking out part of the mold. So keep that in mind.
#3 Put a little bit in at a time. This seems to make the rock much more porous, and whatever you do don't pat the rock down to flatten or "make it stronger" it just ruins things.
#4 Drier the better (I already mentioned this but my wet batch seems really brittle...)
As for the recipes I used
~4-5 parts crushed coral
~1 part sugar sized aragonite
~1 part portland cement (I have the gray stuff
~3/4 part water (Add a little at a time)
Thats it. I will try to remember to post pictures later but I am very happy with my first batch (could have been better but from what I heard I did well b/c they didn't fall apart)
GoldStripe
New member
That's about the same recipe I used eshook and got the best results. I like using the crushed coral because you get more pores in the rock. I had to use he gray stuff to but it doesn't matter, it'll turn purple soon enough.
I actually had to take out most of my man made stuff because I got a STEAL of a deal on some nice Figi and Marshall Island rock from a local reefer who is getting deployed soon. I'm starting the stocking up process for the new tank. I couldn't pass up 188 lbs of LR for 2.50 / lb when it's 7 to 9 bucks at the store. Some of my friends now have my agrocrete rocks
I actually had to take out most of my man made stuff because I got a STEAL of a deal on some nice Figi and Marshall Island rock from a local reefer who is getting deployed soon. I'm starting the stocking up process for the new tank. I couldn't pass up 188 lbs of LR for 2.50 / lb when it's 7 to 9 bucks at the store. Some of my friends now have my agrocrete rocks
Goldstripe,
Excellent deal on the rocks! Congrats. As for me I am doing everything either DIY or aquaculture. I have always been a psuedo-tree-hugger (not crazy just mindful) so thats the plan.
As for the recipe I'm glad that I picked a decent one. I read a bunch of different recipes and just kind of "averaged them" to make the one I used. I believe its the water that makes the most difference. I think the one thing I would do different is rinse the CC before using it. I have bene told it makes a stronger rock because the cement binds to the coral not the dust and debris on the outside of the coral. Just an idea.
Excellent deal on the rocks! Congrats. As for me I am doing everything either DIY or aquaculture. I have always been a psuedo-tree-hugger (not crazy just mindful) so thats the plan.
As for the recipe I'm glad that I picked a decent one. I read a bunch of different recipes and just kind of "averaged them" to make the one I used. I believe its the water that makes the most difference. I think the one thing I would do different is rinse the CC before using it. I have bene told it makes a stronger rock because the cement binds to the coral not the dust and debris on the outside of the coral. Just an idea.
GoldStripe
New member
I agree. I had used CC that had been in a tank thus already rinsed. Thanks for the congrats on the rock. Now I'm trying to con the wife into letting me buy his tank and stand. It's a 220 all glass with a 39" tall stand for 500 bucks. Sounds like a good price to me. 
douggiestyle
New member
as for the original post of sugar in agrocrete i was doing my weekly cruz of garf and they mention puting hard rock candy in the mix. i would think peppermint would be out. but maybe broken jollyranchers. or maybe melt some some plain white sugar let it harden then break into pieces.
also pieces of plastic. i mentioned this in another thread. garf claims that coraline migrates to the plastic quicker.
also pieces of plastic. i mentioned this in another thread. garf claims that coraline migrates to the plastic quicker.
I remember reading plastic pvc shaving work very well but I haven't had the time to cut them up. It has been 55* around here so maybe I will pull out the circular saw and tear up some old chunks of pvc to get some shavings into some of my pieces.
I got one of my fountain tubs that will be storing rock so I can create some more and still cure the old and the new (currently my curing tub isn't big enough) So I will be working on that soon..
I got one of my fountain tubs that will be storing rock so I can create some more and still cure the old and the new (currently my curing tub isn't big enough) So I will be working on that soon..
GoldStripe
New member
You may want to try drilling with a bit. Then you'll have those curly que's, may work better. Just a thought. If they stick out too much you can always trim them back after the concrete has hardened.
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
If you use crushed shells, oyster, or just the substrate (but a shell substrate of shells so it can dissolve the best), and then soak it in acid (which many do anyways to speed up the curing time), the shell will dissolve and leave a very porous structure.
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
Muratic (which is easy to find at near full concentration) would work much better since vinegar is only a 5% acetic acid solution. Its really comes down to the concentration. HCl would prolly be even better, but it might be harder to find for some. I have used HCl on several occasions to dissolve shells and the like that get stuck in equipment.
The only acid I would prolly stay away from is plumbing/sulphuric because of the smell, and any residual SO4 cant be a good thing (although, if it stuck in the rock's anaerobic places, it could turn the rock into a basic nitrate filter at startup like those granular sulpher reactors...hmmmm...and that wouldnt be so bad). Ill have to look into that...but I think its safe to assume that it would disrupt the seeding of LR with other bacteria.
The only acid I would prolly stay away from is plumbing/sulphuric because of the smell, and any residual SO4 cant be a good thing (although, if it stuck in the rock's anaerobic places, it could turn the rock into a basic nitrate filter at startup like those granular sulpher reactors...hmmmm...and that wouldnt be so bad). Ill have to look into that...but I think its safe to assume that it would disrupt the seeding of LR with other bacteria.
douggiestyle
New member
ive used vinegar and muriatic acid both. the muriatic disolves calcium deposits in minutes. the vinegar takes overnight to disolve the same. the muriatic may be to fast. the vinegar may soak in over the longer time. may be good or bad, i dont know.
NicoleRM
New member
I don't know if anyone has tried this yet or if it would work, but the packing peanut reference made me think of it. Lately I've been seeing these environmentally friendly packing peanuts made of some sort of starch material. They melt when exposed to water. I don't know if the cement/sand mixes used to make homemade rock are dry enough to give keep them from instantly dissolving, but it might be something to look into.
That is a good idea NicoleRM. Does anyone have some env' friendly packing peanuts and is willing to make a small (fist) sized rock to see if it holds together?
I'm not sure if it will because IIRC starch has a sugar base so when it dissolves it will be just like a sugar cube and affect the cement, but an experiment is in order b/c I don't remember 100%.
I'm not sure if it will because IIRC starch has a sugar base so when it dissolves it will be just like a sugar cube and affect the cement, but an experiment is in order b/c I don't remember 100%.
