The Ultimate DIY Rocks!
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Abalone joe
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Anyone ready to coment on impurities in crushed oyster shell? Both bags I've purchased have contained quite a bit of steel wool looking stuff. I've pulled as much out as possible but there are remnants in the finished product to be sure. In a few pieces of rock I've seen a few very small hairy rust colored bits. Does anyone have experience with this and has it caused any problems?
Abalone joe
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adnup
Have you made rock using this technique before? How are things growing? Does water softener salt have any impurities to be concerned about?
Have you made rock using this technique before? How are things growing? Does water softener salt have any impurities to be concerned about?
jjmcat
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7549879#post7549879 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Insane Reefer
No, the only type of cement I can find locally is type 1 or 1/2, no straight type 2 or type 3 in either grey or white
You can find the type 3 at most staturary places.They use it for birdbaths,statues,etc....
Rhodophyta
New member
Oysters often grow on mangrove roots. The common Florida one is red mangrove which produces a reddish rusty looking residue that deposits on everything under the tree, including the oysters. Sometimes you find ground up bits of mangrove wood, and wirey black mangrove roots in the oyster shell. If the crushed shell has been dried out for a while, you can float quite a bit of this stuff out of the shells by putting it in a bucket with lots of water and pouring/overflowing the bits of wood out. The reddish stuff some say will inhibit or discourage lifeforms among the roots. Oysters sure are not one of them.
Abalone joe
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On the water softener salt, I was more concerned with impurities that might be imparted to the rock. even after the salt has desolved. At sprallmart morten has water softener salt that claims to be 99.5% pure salt. What comprises the other .5%?
On the oyster shell; I'm fairly certain it isn't mangrove root. I'm pretty sure it is steel wool or something like it. I doubt it is purposefully added but more likely of incedental inclusion from processing. What steel wool would be used for I have no idea. There is a lot of it though. quite a number are big pieces with a multitude of smaller ones. I didn't mean to give the impression that they were all small pieces. It's just that after painstakingly picking the pieces out, there are still some left despite my besst efforts. The rust color is from oxidation from sitting in water during the curring process. I really don't want to throw out all the rocks I've made. BTW; I purchased the bags nine months apart so it wasn't just the one batch. I don't know how many crushed oyster shell producers there are but these are from the same producer. Even if it is iron, what disasters should I be worried about it causing. I supose maybe algal growths at point of exposure. People use iron as part of their mud substrates to bind phosphates. I know this wouldn't be the outcome of the exposed iron. Think about it though, A substrate containing a significant portion of iron is definately going to contribute iron to the water column.
With all these things in mind, chime in on all of your person feelings on the safety of the somewhat contaminated crushed oyster shell based rock as well as possible contaminants in water softener salt.
On the oyster shell; I'm fairly certain it isn't mangrove root. I'm pretty sure it is steel wool or something like it. I doubt it is purposefully added but more likely of incedental inclusion from processing. What steel wool would be used for I have no idea. There is a lot of it though. quite a number are big pieces with a multitude of smaller ones. I didn't mean to give the impression that they were all small pieces. It's just that after painstakingly picking the pieces out, there are still some left despite my besst efforts. The rust color is from oxidation from sitting in water during the curring process. I really don't want to throw out all the rocks I've made. BTW; I purchased the bags nine months apart so it wasn't just the one batch. I don't know how many crushed oyster shell producers there are but these are from the same producer. Even if it is iron, what disasters should I be worried about it causing. I supose maybe algal growths at point of exposure. People use iron as part of their mud substrates to bind phosphates. I know this wouldn't be the outcome of the exposed iron. Think about it though, A substrate containing a significant portion of iron is definately going to contribute iron to the water column.
With all these things in mind, chime in on all of your person feelings on the safety of the somewhat contaminated crushed oyster shell based rock as well as possible contaminants in water softener salt.
Insane Reefer
New member
I found 3 pebbles total in my "Hy-Vee" brand and it claims 99.7% purity, and a few things that looked like crushed rock...
It could possibly be steel wool, a lot of plants do process more than one item nowadays, however, I have kept chickens off and on over the years and never came across anything like that. I might venture that what you are seeing is this mangrove root, plastered with the excessive dust from the crushing process, wherein the grey dust is washed away by the water, revealing the rust colored material.
If you really want to know, hold some up to a magnet - steel wool will jump to it...
Personally, I'd be more worried about all the reports of algae outbreaks associated with crushed oyster shell. Part of the manufacture process does require cleaning, and while I am sure that the shell is rinsed enough for a chickens purpose, the shell might absorb the cleaning agents, and slowly leech them back into the system.
Abalone joe
New member
Is the morten white crystal the same product they sell for water softener use? Also, I'll have to check with a magnet on the apparent steel wool stuff. Just to note; I've picked thru and then washed the oyster shell. While washing and stiring the shell I've been able to find more of the wool. IT DOESN'T FLOAT but it is also lighter and less dense than the oyster shell. So it sits on top of the shell and also moves with the water more than the shell, assisting in it's isolation and removal. After washing it is just a slightly dark Gray/black.
kraze3
New member
Yeap! thats what I am using Morton White Crystal Water Softner Salt. Its solar salt.
There is a pic here second down on the right (blue bag)
http://www.gardenscapeinc.com/products/morton_softener.htm
There is a pic here second down on the right (blue bag)
http://www.gardenscapeinc.com/products/morton_softener.htm
Barto
Alleged Lounge Moron
FLOW THRU ROCKS!
FLOW THRU ROCKS!
WooHoo, Finally!
I did batch 3 over the weekend. Just 1 rock, I had nick-named it the starfish. Was to be pretty good size, I looked too soon I think(24 hrs) and it broke into a few pieces. Rocks are rocks, so off to the soak tank.
I checked them today, I can pour water thru them!
This is the first batch that has achieved that porosity. I am excited
Pics tonite or tomorrow.
Thanks all!
FLOW THRU ROCKS!
WooHoo, Finally!
I did batch 3 over the weekend. Just 1 rock, I had nick-named it the starfish. Was to be pretty good size, I looked too soon I think(24 hrs) and it broke into a few pieces. Rocks are rocks, so off to the soak tank.
I checked them today, I can pour water thru them!
This is the first batch that has achieved that porosity. I am excited
Pics tonite or tomorrow.
Thanks all!
Insane Reefer
New member
Way cool, BSB!
I have made rocks with this crushed oyster shells. I also had the same crap in my mix, but I mixed it anyway and I have had NO problems yet. My rocks have been in my tank for about a year now.
The only problem I have read and heard about Oyster shells If I'm not mistaken) is that they are very high in PH so the leaching will take longer. It's been a while but I think it was PH that they are high in. I don't think they have Nitrates or Phos in them but I may be mistaken. I'm gonna say that it is the PH factor.
kraze3
New member
All the rocks im making come out very porous the only problem im seeing is *** the salt disolves the outer edge of the rock seems to become a bit flakey. They are soaking now it seems when i pick them up to move them my fingers crush some of those porous little caves. Is this happening to anyone elses rocks or just mine. Just curious if its normal or if im doing somehting wrong.
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