The Ultimate DIY Rocks!

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<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7669693#post7669693 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Insane Reefer
I think maybe you misunderstood too Savatage, I was the one that said that CC didn't seem to cause excessive algae bloom - the CO does...
Or at least more so that the cement itself seems to cause...

Personally, I have used a bit of both, and on neither occassion did I see an algae bloom. I did have a Caulerpa bloom, but I know what caused that (ignorance) and it's a long story. In short, Crushed Oyster Shell or Crushed Coral will not give you an algae bloom. A lot of the times, people will make DIY Rock and it will go into a fairly new tank. And just about every new tank will eventually have an algae bloom. For those that have DIY Rock, it's just easier for the algae to grow on because they don't have to compete for living space. After all, algae can't grow on (living) coralline algae ;)
 
TRAVIS: I agree with you on that. My tank was only up for 14 months when I put my own rock in it. Nothing grows on the other rocks and my rock is so course and rough and plain the it had a good chance to grow GHA. Now it has good coraline on it, but from the cracks and crevices GHA still grows.

You may be right about crushed oyster shells not causing blooms, but I said it is what I heard and/or read. Everything on here comes from what we all experience/hear/read/see.

But all in all. I have my new rocks made and in two days I will be checking them again and hopefully I will be able to start using the by Sept.

I do have a question though. I made enough rock to redo my entire tank. And I want to redo it all. Maybe keep a few old pieces, I don't know, but if I switch out the rock, should I do it a quarter at a time? How long should I wait between swapouts? 1 month? 2 monthy?

What about this idea............Put a good quantity of the new rock in my sump. Let it seed for 2 weeks and then do the swap in the main. Wait 2 more weeks and do it again with another small batch. Keep doing this until it is all replaced?

Give me some ideas to not adversly effect my tank.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7672663#post7672663 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Savatage
You may be right about crushed oyster shells not causing blooms, but I said it is what I heard and/or read. Everything on here comes from what we all experience/hear/read/see.

It wouldn't surprise me if the Crushed Oyster Shell was treated with something, and I would like to find out what. But, since it is meant to be fed to chickens, it would need to be safe.

I do have a question though. I made enough rock to redo my entire tank. And I want to redo it all. Maybe keep a few old pieces, I don't know, but if I switch out the rock, should I do it a quarter at a time? How long should I wait between swapouts? 1 month? 2 monthy?

What about this idea............Put a good quantity of the new rock in my sump. Let it seed for 2 weeks and then do the swap in the main. Wait 2 more weeks and do it again with another small batch. Keep doing this until it is all replaced?

Give me some ideas to not adversly effect my tank.

It all really depends on your tank. Do you have a lot of fish or a heavy bioload? If so, then you would need to do a little at a time. If at all possible, I would put as much as you can in the sump and let it sit for at least a month. Two would be safer. Then you could switch out that rock in the display and add more rock in the sump. Either way, it's a wise idea to wait a fair amount of time for the new rock to be well colonized.

Another thing you could do is take a big container and use old tank water, a piece of rock from your tank that you don't mind taking out, a heater, and a powerhead, and place all the new rock and old water in the bin. This way you are colonizing your rock AND doing a large waterchange.

Or you can do any combination of the above.
 
Thanks for the idea of the rock swapout. I think I'm going to go with the 32gal garbage can and cur it out in that first, then do the swap. I know I am having problems with my old true rock leaching out.



As for the Oyster Shells. It don't have to be safe. IMO. Think about what they do to dogs. Most of the dog food out here is so unsafe for the animals that it shortens their lifespan and causes so many heath problems. My sis went through some class in college that tought her about this. Something to do with the American Kennel Corp. (AKC)

It wouldn't surprise me what might actually be in the Oyster Shells. Look at the crap they put in our city water. Look at the crap they put in our food. Lots of bad s*** out here that kills us. I don't think they care more about chickens then they do people. It is kind of sad when you really sit back and think about it though.

Again, thanks for the direction on the rocks. I don't have enough to fill the tank, so I am going to try some neat ideas I have, and if I end up with too much, I will sell it.
 
One incredible thread. Can't wait to try my own. Haveing just covered all 24 pgs I'll need to wait about a month till I get my vision back tho.-lol. Thanks to all of you who have posted your formulas so the rest of us don't have to jack around so much. Curt
 
Some pics

Some pics

Here is a recent one I made.
PostAttachment.aspx


You can find more info and see more of mine at http://forums.reeftraders.org/forums/993/ShowPost.aspx
 
Get this....I did my last batch of rocks exactly the same way as my first batch and the last batch is breaking apart like as if no cement was added.
 
Started introducing some of my smaller pieces today! Once I get 3-4 in I will exopy them into a structure.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7680129#post7680129 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Insane Reefer
That's an impressive piece Pat. Any tips for doing "columns" like that?

You can take a masonry drill and drill your rocks and then slide some PVC through the holes. I plan on doing that for my Montipora tank in one area.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7683088#post7683088 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Travis L. Stevens
You can take a masonry drill and drill your rocks and then slide some PVC through the holes. I plan on doing that for my Montipora tank in one area.

Easier to add the pvc before you cast, and cast around it - if you are going that route - and drilling a lot of holes in the pvc helps with stickage. Pat's looks freehand as it were and wondered what he used to cast in (salt/sand/cc/??) and any thing he might have done differently next time - good tips are nice to have...
 
Bored Geek?

Bored Geek?

This is one for the geeks - those who have a bunch of old CDs from old hardware drivers or AOL discs, lol.

It started when I was looking for images on Google of what I want my reef rockface to look like - and I found this image:
125181coral.jpg


Wow - that would be cool to replicate, I thought to myself. But how? This is what I have come up with. Anyone with comments, suggestions or questions, feel free.

First, find a pile of old discs - one's no one wants anymore (Don't use that WinXP install disc!!!! :eek1: ), and using good shears, cut the basic shape...
125181cut-it1.jpg


Some discs are easier to cut than others are - some are soft, some are crunchy - don't mess with the crunchy ones - they will probably break as you work with them.

Now we shape it to get the awesome frills - I tried boiling the discs, but that didn't soften the plastic to a pliable consistancy, am thinking that everclear would work to soften, but wonder if it would re-harden afterward. I ended up using my trusty heat gun, on its high setting, in a well ventilated area. Soften that puppy up and watch it start to curl a bit.
125181bend-it1.jpg

I ended up making a bending rig of sorts with a bit of 2x4 and copper tube - this helps to make the bends go all the way to the bottom of the piece, if I want it too, and just makes life easier.

Now, I don't have any photo's of the covering process, but I simply mixed a thickish paste of 1:1 cement/sand, and using a cheap 1 inch paintbrush, painted the goop on. Had to do several coats, but this is the finished product. These can be added to the rockface as I am constructing it, just stick the ends into the wet cement and I should have something sort of like the coral pic.
125181DIY-coral1.jpg


These are pretty strong - take a bit of banging around before they actually break. A little less than 1/4" thick. You can use the paintbrush to "vein| the cement for a more realistic look.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7672425#post7672425 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Travis L. Stevens
After all, algae can't grow on (living) coralline algae ;)

Actually, it can.

My (base) rock went from this:

DSC00430.jpg


To this:

DSC00534.jpg

:confused:

These pics were months ago, however.
 
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