The Ultimate DIY Rocks!

[Travis L. Stevens]

As far as dying your rocks, it can be done. Search the Central Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society forum for a poster named "dugg". Captbunzo, would you mind doing this? You'll know what thread I'm talking about. He dyed his rocks with purples and reds. FWIW, I believe that he just used food coloring.

Stumpydru, though the proper definition of "cure" when it comes to cement is setting up bonds for strength, we established the fact that "cure" for DIY Rock means the method of dropping the pH to a managable level. You might want to read a few pages back. Once again, we are getting to the point that we are overthinking this. But thank you for the information.

I may try creating a waterfall system to cretae a constant flow process. That would be like soaking them in a running stream. I might put some in the ocean and test some there as well. The only issue peeps keep saying is polluants, but remember all this stuffs lives in the ocean which has some pollants in the water.

THat's true, but you have to remember, where the industry's rock is collected, it is either in remote locations that don't have serious pollutant runoff (IE Indo-Pacific Islands) or are aquacultured far from the shore (IE Tampa Bay Saltwater). THough, in the long run, it would probably be fine to go ahead and do it in the ocean near your home, I would definitely keep a close eye on them. You never know when someone dumps waste right near your rocks :thumbsup:

 

[onetrickpony]

Also as far as dye
I believe I have read that at least one supplier of live rock from the pacific islands
They are making there own DIY rock and seeding them in the ocean
When the rock goes through customs the dyed rock will glow when hit with Infrared light to distinct it from reef rocks
Ken

 

[Pattylucylaura]

This thread ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!! You guys are great for doing all of this research. It has been a great help in working on rocks I just made my first couple of rocks the other day waiting for them to setup in the sand before I pull them out and start curing them. If any one cares I did 1:2:3 cement, sand, salt them made them in a sand mold they weren't the best but it was my first batch and they may have turned out better than I thought when I pull them out. Regarding the dye I think I saw somewhere that someone used the plain rit dye you can use to make tye-dye t-shirts but I could be wrong. Maybe I will try to post some picks of my rock this weekend when I pull it from the sand.

Once again thanks for all of your hard work.

Oh and you guys that were going to drop your rocks off in the ocean to cure and hopefully seed them....I hate you!

 

[captbunzo]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7515265#post7515265 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by onetrickpony
Also as far as dye
I believe I have read that at least one supplier of live rock from the pacific islands
They are making there own DIY rock and seeding them in the ocean
When the rock goes through customs the dyed rock will glow when hit with Infrared light to distinct it from reef rocks
Ken

Way cool. I picked up a back issue of coral magazine recently in a LFS. It was (I think) about the September 2004 issue. It was on Lionfish.

Anyway, there was an interview with Walt Smith in it that mentioned and showed pics of his manmade rock operation. It was awesome.

 

[Savatage]

STUMPYDRU: I was asking about the quick cure in a little different manner. When we put the rocks into a bucket and do water changes to leach out the high PH, is there anything you know of that could be added to the water to help get rid of that high PH a little bit quicker than the natural way????

I used Muriatic acid once and didn't get any results. It still took me 4 months to get a change in the PH when my tap water comes out at a 7.5

After 4 months of water changes, every day, my PH was at 8.8 every time I tested it and I said screw-it and put the rocks in my tank anyway and monitored the PH of my tank for the first 6 hours. Believe it or not but my tank PH never even moved a point. Now my rocks are great looking.

 

[Insane Reefer]

We have PH chemicals for our tanks - what about a straight or slightly diluted soak in one of these???

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7516286#post7516286 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Savatage
STUMPYDRU: I was asking about the quick cure in a little different manner. When we put the rocks into a bucket and do water changes to leach out the high PH, is there anything you know of that could be added to the water to help get rid of that high PH a little bit quicker than the natural way????

I used Muriatic acid once and didn't get any results. It still took me 4 months to get a change in the PH when my tap water comes out at a 7.5

After 4 months of water changes, every day, my PH was at 8.8 every time I tested it and I said screw-it and put the rocks in my tank anyway and monitored the PH of my tank for the first 6 hours. Believe it or not but my tank PH never even moved a point. Now my rocks are great looking.

I would assume that either your test kit is bad or your monitor needs re-calibrated. But in general it usually only takes 4-6 weeks to get close. Occassionally it might take up to 8-10 weeks. What's interesting though is that the acid would react to the alkali water and creating some form of salt as well as give of Hydrogen wouldn't it? Really, I think we all need to just be patient and diligent. Nothing comes fast in this hobby

 

[Rhodophyta]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7513906#post7513906 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Insane Reefer
Almost any cement can be used - I would avoid one's with "fibers" in them, or one's for specialty applications and stick to the basic type 1,2,3.
Do keep in mind that white type 1 seems to be like swimming pool cement, and I doubt has any benefit to be gained from it - looks pretty though...

Some of the Aragocreters around here prefer the fibers in the concrete, since it's lighter without floating and stronger so the concrete can be much thinner. The only drawback is easily cured. If you add lots of fibers or use shavings from an acrylic project, you may get fuzzies after hardening. A quick pass with a propane torch will take care of them.

 

[Insane Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7516538#post7516538 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Travis L. Stevens
...Nothing comes fast in this hobby

Except tank death.

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7516978#post7516978 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Insane Reefer
Except tank death.

Exactly. :thumbsup:

 

[kraze3]

Ok so Two more questions.
First: I headed out to a coupld HD's and Lowes' today. I found Morton White crystal solar Salt, its a water softner. There is a pic here second down on the right(blue bag)
http://www.gardenscapeinc.com/products/morton_softener.htm
This is what another web site has to say about it
"Solar salt: Morton® White Crystal® Solar Salt is 99.7% pure salt harvested from natural salt brine through solar evaporation. White Crystal ® Solar Salt is also available in coarse and extra coarse grades. Because solar salt is produced in open ponds, some impurities from the environment get in the salt. The presence of these impurities also requires periodic cleaning of your softener tank to remove sediment"

Just wondering if anyone has used this and if its the right stuff to use or if it looks like it will work fine?

Second: The only portland cement I can find is type I brown (well its not the white). Im pretty sure this is ok to use, I read Travis used it in his third batch on the first page. Just want to make sure there is no downside to this cement before i buy it.

Im pretty sure I will be fine with both but just wanted to make sure. Im excited to try and make some rock
Thanks guys/gals!

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

Email the company or ask Lowe's and/or Home Depot for an MSDS sheet on the salt. It will tell you the exact compounds found in it. Since it isn't 100% pure Sodium Chloride, I would be careful until you find out exactly what is in it.

As far as the Portland Cement, all my rocks were done with Portland Cement Type 1. It's grey in color. It should be just fine.

 

[kraze3]

alright Ill ask for the sheet.
Thanks!

 

[kraze3]

I emailed the company to see how long it would take them to respond.
In the meantime i found this online
http://www.usa-gambro.com/upload/MSDS/Morton White Crystal Coarse Solar.pdf

 

[Stumpydru]

Travis - I understood curing you was talking about that's why I separated the two out and called cement curing - curing and your type of curing - tank safe hehe.

I did that so if peeps go out and read the Net and see the word curing they would understand what the site is talking about. Now back on track.

To all,

Post more picts so we all can see designs so for us newbie's to DIY can get some ideas. I'm going to try some this weekend for myself with some of the ideas I had posted so see how lite weight and porous I can make them.

 

[Insane Reefer]

Kraze, I don't think that .03% is anything more than sand and grit (see sediment) - I found a small pebble in mine, which is "Hy-Vee Solar Salt"...

If you can actually get 2 different grain sizes, I would. Would make nice variation, esp. if you are using it to mold as some are.

 

[Insane Reefer]

Maybe to make a distinction, we could call it "Kuring"...

 

[kraze3]

Yea I am going to try to mold with it. I didnt think it was anything to worry about but when I go to buy it im going to ask for the sheet and before i try anything ill post what it says, since im not even sure i know how to read it lol
The two sizes does dound interesting ill see what is there whn i go back.
Thanks

 

[shookbrad]

It would be real nice if someone went through this entire thread and created a condensed version.
Maybe listing each product different people used and a lot of pics from everyone's rocks. Shoot if someone put something together I would host it on my web site for all to find.

 

[WIJAONKA]

Okay,

Here's my .02. Including a number of Do's & Don'ts!

First, I have been messing around with the DIY rock for about three weeks now. I had four 90 lb bags of Quick-Crete (Portland, Sand, Gravel) sitting in my garage, so I started with that. I also have been using sandbox sand, and Morton's Water Softener Rock Salt (99.5% pure). AND, I used cooked noodles in my first batch.

1) I applied a hammer to the rock salt to get a variety of salt sizes/shapes. Works well and I like it. DO

2) Noodles, in my opinion, don't really work. I cooked 'em and mixed 'em in, and they just made a mess. They don't really have much of an effect on the cement. I won't use them again. Plus, they make a mess. DON'T

3) Quick-Crete is not ideal. I have about 30 lbs of rock that is simply disintegrating before my eyes. As it cures, it just keeps falling apart more and more. All of my rocks were allowed to dry for 24-72 hours in the Las Vegas sun before jumping in the FW bath. DON'T

4) Unique shapes are easy: use plastic water bottles for caves/tunnels, rubber gloves for the same. Plastic grocery bags work very very well in creating channels, pits, valleys, etc. Once the mix dries, the bags gently pull right out. DO

5) Molding PVP pipes/couplings/outlets into the mix is great. For those of you who want to mask water returns, this is swell. DO

I will post pics in a couple of days. I am going to sift my Quick-Crete to rid it of large (read: LARGE) chunks of gravel and sediment. Then I am going to try again with the modified cement mix. Once I get the cement to behave the way I want it to, I will make a couple of new batches and post pics. It is very possible that I am simply not allowing the cement time to dry correctly due to high ambient temps (100 degrees +). I may need to really really wet my mix down to prolong the drying process. Once I figure it out, I'll chime in again.

Thanks,

W