The Ultimate DIY Rocks!

It's here, it's here, it's here!!!

It's here, it's here, it's here!!!

Joy!
The steamer just arrived, I added some water and plugged it in (didn't bother with the hose), and almost scalded my hand on the steam!!!
I think we have a winner :)
Large Rock Sauna, here we come...
 
I made up some rocks a few weeks ago. I needed a false back for a cave in my display and so did the eggcrate, rock panel thing. Plus made up a few rocks just for filtering in my sump.

I've found for some reason that sponges really love the DIY rock especially rock made with mostly CC. I have a dark sump and those rocks for some reason just really attract the sponge growth. So I decided to make up some more to add.

I do need to whip up some example rocks for my upcoming presentation/workshop this weekend though. None of it will be tank ready by the meeting but it should be cured enough so people can handle it and see the possibilities.
 
Very cool, Cmpenny. Could be the MLR rock, or it could be the dim light and/or flow. But it would make sense that rock made with LR gravel would be more hospitable from the beginning...

And Good Luck on your Presentation! Be sure to tell us how it goes. Feel free to post the location and date/time details, if you'd like - there might be some locals on the thread who'd show up for that.
:D
 
Please sir, can you spare some rubble?

Please sir, can you spare some rubble?

This is sort of off topic, so I apologize, but CMpenny sort of brought it to mind and I thought this might be a good place to ask.

I've posted in the "Wanted to Buy" over in the trading/selling forums, but the only real response I got from that ended up with me being screwed out of a custom MLR pillar. So I am going to ask here and hope for better luck...

Anyway, I can't get good live rock here were I live - it usually has little life on it by the time we get it. I did buy some the winter before last from a place out of town, and ended up with a variety of worms and a couple of types of coralline algae as well as hydroids, aiptasia, flatworms and red bubble algae.

So after nuking those rocks, I had very little left to seed the biocube with, and I really need something to seed with. I do have some coralline, but no sponges, tunicates, foraminiferans or other cool stuff - none of the stuff that really makes it interesting to "tank watch".

If anyone has a pest-free, mature system (better than 2 years old), with some real LR that is just teaming with color and all sorts of good life, and you'd be willing to part with several pieces around the size of a golfball, please PM me and we can talk. I will ask for a picture of the rock you want to send, but I am more than willing to pay a fair price for the rock, as well as all shipping charges, etc. Please don't reply to the thread as me posting this was bad enough, but I'm sort of getting crazy about getting some life in the 'cube, but don't want to buy from a commercial place as I don't want to have to cycle rock that may or may not have pests on it.
THANKS!

Now back to your regularly scheduled thread...
 
Here are the meeting details:

Where:
Chad Penney's Home
204 S Union St
Reading, MI 49274

When:
2 - 5 pm EST


Details:
http://www.masm.org/meeting.asp

Anyone can attend if they like. All we ask is that if you are coming you RSVP to the email on the page so we can plan materialswise.

One of the guys attending may be bring his diamond band saw and cutting up some corals too.
 
Re: It's here, it's here, it's here!!!

Re: It's here, it's here, it's here!!!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12409134#post12409134 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Insane Reefer
Joy!
The steamer just arrived, I added some water and plugged it in (didn't bother with the hose), and almost scalded my hand on the steam!!!
I think we have a winner :)
Large Rock Sauna, here we come...
Click to expand...

Have you had a chance to hook it up yet? i have my fridge all ready to go, if its working.
:rollface: :rollface:

i found a few minutes to make some pieces and re-organize the workshop too.
DSCN2965.jpg

DSCN2966.jpg

DSCN2964.jpg
 
Sorry folks - my PC is on it's last legs - not ignoring the thread, but I did try to reply the other night and after half an hour of trying to get my post to take, my system froze. Now it reboots and whatnot whenever it feels like it. Going to get a new one with the "Stimulus" check...

Anyway.
Kinghokus, I have not yet had a chance to try the steamer with the freezer yet. There is a rickety storage unit taking up a bunch of space in the garage and my hubby has promised to help me disassemble it, but he got called into work today, so I don't think it will happen today :(
I will post results as soon as I have results.
Now, how are you sealing the moisture into those rocks? Just letting them sit out to dry is not proper curing, you know. They will be a lot more likely to fail down the road, and you don't want people hunting you down because you sold bad rock ;)

And DiegoLizardo. Welcome to the thread! :wavehand:
You might want to PM CustomColor and ask him since it seems like either he missed your question or isn't following along ATM.
But I think what you are asking about was made with Pond Foam, not MLR...
 
Im keeping them covered with plastic and 1x/2x daily squirts with the hose. they were only uncovered for pics and to hose the sand off.. im taking advantage of the warm temps and passing on the steam for this batch. i have a few weeks before i really get going so im just going to save the electricity and let the sun work for me.

thanks for the sauna update. i know all about rickety things in the garage taking up space. i've forced myself out into the shed because im scared of what lurks in my garage.
 
I just wanted to say thanks for all the good info I got out of this post.
Here are what my rocks look like after just 4 months in the tank.
rock002.jpg
 
Hello fellow dedicated rock builders!
I plan on reading thru this post a little bit each day to see hoe evrything has developed. I have missed the last 200 posts or so.

Does anyone have the current overview or guide all summed up on the curretn techniques that have been working solidly? I would like and I'm sure many others would like to get ahold of a well put together how to guide with all the current technology described. If no one has, I would be happy to put it together as I reread the whole multi split thread, but I wanted to check and see if anyone else had done this yet!

I'd like to say thank you to all the dedicated reefers that have spent their own time and money to further this project for all of us! You guys "rock"!!!!!
 
go back a page or two or 3 to Insane reefers super long post. that's a good starting place. :beer:
 
Hey all :)
Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the warmer temperatures - I know I have been since I can barely get online or even keep my PC booted, lol. Anyone been making any rock?

I have hooked the steamer to the deep freeze, and in 25 minutes the temperature had reached 150°F. I need to find a way to control it; I'm thinking recycling timer. I thought I could use my "Natural Waves" timer, but it has a 100W max and the steamer is 1350W. There are a couple of hydroponic timers available for a pretty penny that should do the trick...

Well, I did it (finally). I "finished" my Biocube 8 with all MLR and have a good start on the corals (frag donations accepted ;) ). I said I'd post pictures, so here goes.

So without further ado...
Biocube_May20of08_web.jpg
 
Well, I have an update as well. It's a long story, but my 75g is half way done. The wall is complete, but I still have to makethe pillars. In a state of emergency, I tossed some new live rock in the tank to hold for a while.

75gClarityDay3.jpg


That picture was taken a while back. So far, the clam and ricordea that are in there right now are doing great. I'll be moving my 29g over when I find the time.
 
Yea! I found enough parts in my storage to build a small (266MHz) internet PC that doesn't crash (so far). It is sloooooow, but it works :)
Does anyone know anyone who has gotten the Stimulus check yet? I haven't heard of anyone I know getting one.

Anyway, CMpenny, way to go - looks like you folks had a great time and had great weather? We need more people doing demo's locally. I think I will make that a priority this summer, along with the educational website I've been slowly working on (now that I have a stable PC, I can continue writing copy for it). I've never given a presentation though - sort of unsure about doing it - you'd not know it from this thread, but I am sort of nervous around strangers and shy...

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12583310#post12583310 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Travis L. Stevens
Got 1.5-2 years?
Click to expand...

What, were you planning on LARP'ing the story!? Can't we get the Reader's Digest Condensed version?
:lol:
Any target date for the 75 to be "finished"?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

R
DIY AI-coded ESP32 based aquarium controller
Replies
0
Views
307
ronnyking
R
AquaticReefTV
DIY Cable management time lapse
Replies
1
Views
530
S|\/|S
S
AZBigJohn
New Build... I'm back
Replies
15
Views
446
Dustin07
D
projectsWithSam
Sam's Oceanic 120
8 9 10
Replies
187
Views
2K
griss
griss
Reef Kinetics
An Offer You Don't Want to Miss!
Replies
0
Views
180
Reef Kinetics
Reef Kinetics
Back
Top