The Ultimate DIY Rocks!
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Travis L. Stevens
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*shrugs* I actually don't know. I would guess 8-10 weeks tops. Possibly less.
ODOG
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I'll just add another possible ingrediant....pvc shavings. This is suggested on the garf website because of coraline algaes propensity for growing on it. I saved a bunch of shavings from my plumbing to give it a try.
I agree that the beauty with not only DIy but reefing in general is that there is no right or wrong way to do anything. Thats what always gets me when I see a flame war erupt in threads.
I agree that the beauty with not only DIy but reefing in general is that there is no right or wrong way to do anything. Thats what always gets me when I see a flame war erupt in threads.
Awesome thread. I've been itching to try this out for awhile, and this thread really helped me decide to do it (I just found this thread a few days ago). I finally started my rock tonight.
I used the simple 3:1 ratio [Water Softener Salt: Portland Cement (Type 10)]. I can tell that it's going to flake off at the surface, but hopefully the rest will be nice and tough.
I made a mock-up of my planned tank upgrade using 1/2" pink styrofoam. I even built the overflow so I could form the rock around it. The metal scraper is there so I can break the rock in half easily once it dries, and reassemble the two pieces afterwards. If that was all one piece, I'd have problems finding a place to kure it, let alone fit it into my tank safely.
This is the bottom level of three or four layers I plan to build. I'll probably add legs under this layer so it isn't right on the bottom glass. I've decided to go barebottom with my new tank.
Would this make a difference as opposed to rock lying flat on tanks with sandbeds, wrt dead spots?
Once this layer hardens, I'm going to cover it with plastic wrap and build the next layer on top. That way, it'll be a nice fit between layers, but it'll be easy to tear apart and reassemble. I'll probably drill holes through certain areas to help the thicker globs of concrete kure faster. Would this help at all?
I used the simple 3:1 ratio [Water Softener Salt: Portland Cement (Type 10)]. I can tell that it's going to flake off at the surface, but hopefully the rest will be nice and tough.
I made a mock-up of my planned tank upgrade using 1/2" pink styrofoam. I even built the overflow so I could form the rock around it. The metal scraper is there so I can break the rock in half easily once it dries, and reassemble the two pieces afterwards. If that was all one piece, I'd have problems finding a place to kure it, let alone fit it into my tank safely.
This is the bottom level of three or four layers I plan to build. I'll probably add legs under this layer so it isn't right on the bottom glass. I've decided to go barebottom with my new tank.
Would this make a difference as opposed to rock lying flat on tanks with sandbeds, wrt dead spots?
Once this layer hardens, I'm going to cover it with plastic wrap and build the next layer on top. That way, it'll be a nice fit between layers, but it'll be easy to tear apart and reassemble. I'll probably drill holes through certain areas to help the thicker globs of concrete kure faster. Would this help at all?
Rhodophyta
New member
Flusher,
Put some sand, dirt, or even crumpled newspaper under your plastic wrap between layers to create some open areas and keep the weight down. Be sure to have enough contact points between each layer and you might want to stagger the metal scraper so that each layer will interlock.
Put some sand, dirt, or even crumpled newspaper under your plastic wrap between layers to create some open areas and keep the weight down. Be sure to have enough contact points between each layer and you might want to stagger the metal scraper so that each layer will interlock.
salty in Gray
New member
Very overwhelming post for a newbie, but seems quite simple.
The only part I am unclear on is this, I am in the process of setting up a new tank. It is a 65 g tank, if I were to create about 65 pounds of rock, and then buy maybe 10-20 lbs of LR, and add it to the aquarium w/ live sand, how long would I need to wait to have the agrocrete to become live?
Is this a bad idea for a new tank?
The only part I am unclear on is this, I am in the process of setting up a new tank. It is a 65 g tank, if I were to create about 65 pounds of rock, and then buy maybe 10-20 lbs of LR, and add it to the aquarium w/ live sand, how long would I need to wait to have the agrocrete to become live?
Is this a bad idea for a new tank?
ODOG
New member
Salt, it's not a bad idea at all. After adding the live rock it's best to wait as long as possible for your home made base rock to populate with good bacteria and all the other little critters and micro fauna necessary for a good reef tank. Take a look at the linked thread, about half way down page one there is a post by Erichugo AKA Eric borneman. I think there is some useful inofrmation there for a newbie. Good luck and enjoy your rock making. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=249112
jasert39
New member
well i made close to fifty pounds of this rock, then a great deal on live rock fell into my lap, now I think that i am going to break it up and use for frags.
I ended up using about a 2.5 to 1 ratio for my mixture anything more seem a bit to weak for me for some reason.
a great thread for a new reefer trying to save a few bucks.
I ended up using about a 2.5 to 1 ratio for my mixture anything more seem a bit to weak for me for some reason.
a great thread for a new reefer trying to save a few bucks.
Rhodophyta
New member
You can speed up the good-guy bacterial part of the live rock by making your next to last soak an ammonia solution. Once the ammonia is replaced by nitrite and finally nitrate, you can give it a final rinse in dechlorinated tank temperature water and use it.
Kent, those rocks look awesome. That's probably $500+ worth of LR for less than $20 right there. 
Thanks. :smokin:
I had to move my rock-making area to the basement today. After 40 hours, the rock was nice and hard, and I had no problems moving it (although it was pretty heavy). The two pieces split nicely, but nothing else broke apart. I added a new layer on top, and it turned out pretty good too. I used large chunks of salt to form out negative areas for tunnels. Tomorrow I'm going to add a thin top coat of plain cement to make sure I don't lose too much of the form, which is what I did for the bottom layer.
In a couple days, I plan to make an overhanging layer with a few tunnels and pockets. That should be more of a challenge.
Fingers crossed that this stuff doesn't just disintegrate like it has for some people...
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8390995#post8390995 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sunfishh
Looks great Flusher
Thanks. :smokin:
I had to move my rock-making area to the basement today. After 40 hours, the rock was nice and hard, and I had no problems moving it (although it was pretty heavy). The two pieces split nicely, but nothing else broke apart. I added a new layer on top, and it turned out pretty good too. I used large chunks of salt to form out negative areas for tunnels. Tomorrow I'm going to add a thin top coat of plain cement to make sure I don't lose too much of the form, which is what I did for the bottom layer.
In a couple days, I plan to make an overhanging layer with a few tunnels and pockets. That should be more of a challenge.
Fingers crossed that this stuff doesn't just disintegrate like it has for some people...
JOSEPHLB
New member
Is this the Portland Type I that is being used: http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=10352-286-317
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