speckled trout
New member
Does anyone have any pics of their tank containing rock made with this type of cement?
The Ultimate DIY Rocks!
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
Insane Reefer
New member
Like this?
Older pic's of the rock newly installed can be seen here:
http://s186.photobucket.com/albums/x176/Insane-Reefer/Nano-REEF/
hi all,
if you are interested in seeing my DIY live rock.
it is all going very well
http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/showthread.php?t=274315
if you are interested in seeing my DIY live rock.
it is all going very well
http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/showthread.php?t=274315
Want to say thanks to everyone for all of the testing that has been done on this. I like the look of the rock and want to make some for my tanks. My question is that the only supplier for white portland cement in the area carries LeHigh white portland type N. Would this be safe for use?
Thanks
Vic
Thanks
Vic
I have used Federal white cement with oyster shells. Great results, rocks very very porous, the look is awesome...
BUT, I let them cured (or kured?) for more than a month, then they have been curing under water for about 4 months now... sometimes with vinegar to lower the PH.
PH came down, but is still around 9.5 or a bit more... starting to be a bit fed up with all those water changes, not sure where it's going !?!?
With all the energy spent here, even considering the fact that I would really want to "help save the natural reefs"... Real Live rocks are coming closer to the best option for my tank now !!
I find it really sad, I enjoy making rocks and really like the look... but this is becoming insane ! No much fun doing WC again and again with very little results !
BUT, I let them cured (or kured?) for more than a month, then they have been curing under water for about 4 months now... sometimes with vinegar to lower the PH.
PH came down, but is still around 9.5 or a bit more... starting to be a bit fed up with all those water changes, not sure where it's going !?!?
With all the energy spent here, even considering the fact that I would really want to "help save the natural reefs"... Real Live rocks are coming closer to the best option for my tank now !!
I find it really sad, I enjoy making rocks and really like the look... but this is becoming insane ! No much fun doing WC again and again with very little results !
Thanks for the reply. There seems to be an ongoing issue with some rocks being made that seem to keep a high PH from what I am reading. My plan was to make the rock, steam cure it, and then put it in a sterlite bin with water. If anyone thinks it would be ok, I was thinking about taking the water from the sump pump and run it into the bin and out to the floor drain. Should keep the water change needs to a minimum. I already have about 140 lbs of real in my 120 and about 60 lbs in my 55. I want to make some for additional filtration and to get some shapes that I would like. At the cost of live rock locally it is getting pretty expensive to add even more.
Thanks,
Vic
Thanks,
Vic
Proud to show you my own made rock walls
Proud to show you my own made rock walls
Hello DIY Rockers!
I want to show you my home made rock walls and thank everyone for the information I found here!
I used Industrial Quartz, white portland cement and water dehardening salt for the dishwasher.
gr Ruben
Proud to show you my own made rock walls
Hello DIY Rockers!
I want to show you my home made rock walls and thank everyone for the information I found here!
I used Industrial Quartz, white portland cement and water dehardening salt for the dishwasher.
gr Ruben
jhildebrand
New member
Wow, that is nice. Should look great when the coraline grows. Good work....
My rocks did the same thing. No matter what I could not get the PH down. What I ended up doing was let the rocks dry out. I do not know what it did, but it worked. I let the dry for a few days, then soaked them in water again for a few days and repeated 3 or 4 times. Within two weeks the PH started to stay below 9 for more than a few days and I then put them in my tank. I have not had any problems since. Another thing to think about is what the water is like where you live. I live in Phoenix and the water here is already high in PH and very high in TDS. I would guess it would take quite a bit more time and water changes to cure rocks here than someone with neutral low TDS water. Something else you might try is soda/seltzer water added into your soaking bin. The CO2 will cause the the PH to drop and precipitate out the chemicals that are raising the PH.
frog.pauley
New member
I had a very similar problem with my rock...Ulta high PH! I cured mine in a river by my house, 1 part portland/ 1part rock salt. I let mine dry out for a couple weeks, then placed in the river for about 2 months....same problem, i found out mine was because i made the mixture way too wet, which in turn made it very solid and did not alow everything to leach properly.
mr.wilson
.Registered Member
I have been experimenting with a styrofoam base for larger reef structures. I carve the desired shape out of styrofoam and apply concrete by hand. I add different textures to make it pourous and look realistic.
I have found that expanding foam spray adheres the styrofoam to the bottom and back of the tank so it doesn't float away
I use 4" thick styrofoam panels and glue them together in layers to make blocks. You can either carve each layer independently before sticking them together, or you can carve out of a finished block. In some areas, you can buy larger styrofoam billets (blocks). I haven't used one, but a friend of mine swears by hot wire cutters for cutting and carving.
Use a stucco cement mix that is designed for affixing to styrofoam insulative panels. This will assure it sticks and offer some protection against breakdown from exposure to salt water. Adding a handful of fiberglass reinforcement fibers to each batch of cement helps with strength and malleability.
Here's what the reef structure looks like before the cement is added. I make 4' x 2' x 6' sections, then arrange them in a natural configuration. I use small pieces of styrofoam that are left over from the carving process to fill any voids and break up the seams.
This is what the reef looks like after the sections are joined together. You can tilt them on angles to get a more gradual slope.
Here's what it looks like after the first 1" layer of cement.
I have found that expanding foam spray adheres the styrofoam to the bottom and back of the tank so it doesn't float away
I use 4" thick styrofoam panels and glue them together in layers to make blocks. You can either carve each layer independently before sticking them together, or you can carve out of a finished block. In some areas, you can buy larger styrofoam billets (blocks). I haven't used one, but a friend of mine swears by hot wire cutters for cutting and carving. Use a stucco cement mix that is designed for affixing to styrofoam insulative panels. This will assure it sticks and offer some protection against breakdown from exposure to salt water. Adding a handful of fiberglass reinforcement fibers to each batch of cement helps with strength and malleability.
Here's what the reef structure looks like before the cement is added. I make 4' x 2' x 6' sections, then arrange them in a natural configuration. I use small pieces of styrofoam that are left over from the carving process to fill any voids and break up the seams.
This is what the reef looks like after the sections are joined together. You can tilt them on angles to get a more gradual slope.
Here's what it looks like after the first 1" layer of cement.
sikpupy
In Memoriam
That is insane, and awsome looking too, thanks for sharing. Have you tested a few external peices by beating on them and seeing how much punishment they can take? Just curious how fragile they are before you get some chipping and suck, like when you stick something in the tank and accidentally bump the fake rock. I know, the object of the game is to not do that, but I am all thumbs.
Hey, Insane... Got my RO/DI up and running so whether you need it or not, I will post my PH findins for you in the next few days.
Hey, Insane... Got my RO/DI up and running so whether you need it or not, I will post my PH findins for you in the next few days.
speckled trout
New member
You guys that are having the problem with high pH, what type/brand of cement did ya'll use? How long did you let it harden before putting it into the water?
I've always used Alamo's (brand) Portland type II/III cement and have never had a problem, so it's possible that your cement isn't compatible with doing this. It is a low alkali type cement.
I've always used Alamo's (brand) Portland type II/III cement and have never had a problem, so it's possible that your cement isn't compatible with doing this. It is a low alkali type cement.
speckled trout
New member
It is carried by Lowe's here in Texas. I'm not sure that it exclusive to Texas. It might be, though. I'll check one of my bags to see if it's made in San Antonio, though.
mr.wilson
.Registered Member
Thanks sikpupy, "insane" is exactly what I was aiming for
The cement mix I use for hand application is very durable and sticky with fiberglass fibers, polymers & silica fume. I do two layers that are about 1" thick minimum. In order to add more texture and shape, some areas are as much as 6" thick.
The reef structure in the previous pictures can be walked on. I made some ornate pieces that are more delicate, but probably more durable than real coral heads. If you break off a section, it will encrust with coraline algae within a few months. You could always put a small rock over a damaged area, but the idea is too keep your thumbs out of the tank
These styrofoam pieces are about 2' high. You lose a bit of detail when you coat them with concrete, so you have to leave tolerance. You can add smaller branches and texture with the concrete coating. A sea sponge or dry brush are good for this. Screw drivers and other tools are also helpful. I even stuck some shells in the surface of a few rocks for variety and colour.
You could add some colour with watered down acrylic paint, but it will all be covered in coraline in a few months, so there isn't much point. Concrete tints also work but use very little and mix some brown with the red, or it comes out too bright. Another trick is to add coarse gravel on the outer layer then spray water on it to bring the gravel to the surface.
It's hard to tell from the picture, but this piece is 5' high. It weighed about 150 lbs with the concrete on it. I broke a few tips off lifting it into the tank, but added more concrete to blend it in with other large pieces.
You can add small accent pieces with more detail once the larger sections are bonded together with expanding foam and concrete. Remember to leave room for corals and some natural live rock for seeding. A few pieces of live rock in the sump should suffice though.
This is how that 5' high piece looks in the tank. I had to chop 6" off the bottom to make it fit (oops).
I should have taken more pictures as it went together, but here's how it looks. I wanted an open design with lots of room for the fish to swim around. It's a clownfish and anemone display. The branchy design leaves lots of sites for host anemones and their guests.
The stand and frame around the aquarium is made the same way as the rock, only with white portland with brown highlights rubbed in with a sponge. I made some faux sponges on the base for extra depth and to blend with the tank. Save the styrofoam scraps and bond them together with expanding foam (eg. Great Stuff).
The cement mix I use for hand application is very durable and sticky with fiberglass fibers, polymers & silica fume. I do two layers that are about 1" thick minimum. In order to add more texture and shape, some areas are as much as 6" thick.
The reef structure in the previous pictures can be walked on. I made some ornate pieces that are more delicate, but probably more durable than real coral heads. If you break off a section, it will encrust with coraline algae within a few months. You could always put a small rock over a damaged area, but the idea is too keep your thumbs out of the tank
These styrofoam pieces are about 2' high. You lose a bit of detail when you coat them with concrete, so you have to leave tolerance. You can add smaller branches and texture with the concrete coating. A sea sponge or dry brush are good for this. Screw drivers and other tools are also helpful. I even stuck some shells in the surface of a few rocks for variety and colour.
You could add some colour with watered down acrylic paint, but it will all be covered in coraline in a few months, so there isn't much point. Concrete tints also work but use very little and mix some brown with the red, or it comes out too bright. Another trick is to add coarse gravel on the outer layer then spray water on it to bring the gravel to the surface.
It's hard to tell from the picture, but this piece is 5' high. It weighed about 150 lbs with the concrete on it. I broke a few tips off lifting it into the tank, but added more concrete to blend it in with other large pieces.
You can add small accent pieces with more detail once the larger sections are bonded together with expanding foam and concrete. Remember to leave room for corals and some natural live rock for seeding. A few pieces of live rock in the sump should suffice though.
This is how that 5' high piece looks in the tank. I had to chop 6" off the bottom to make it fit (oops).
I should have taken more pictures as it went together, but here's how it looks. I wanted an open design with lots of room for the fish to swim around. It's a clownfish and anemone display. The branchy design leaves lots of sites for host anemones and their guests.
The stand and frame around the aquarium is made the same way as the rock, only with white portland with brown highlights rubbed in with a sponge. I made some faux sponges on the base for extra depth and to blend with the tank. Save the styrofoam scraps and bond them together with expanding foam (eg. Great Stuff).
sikpupy
In Memoriam
WoW!! I pray for the day I have a job that I can be that creative, deliver such service to a client and be able to go see it anytime I wish. You my friend are a "true" artist.
The only problem I have with you now is......a "15 gallon fish tank"? I am sure you are busy, but, a 15 gallon fish tank????
The only problem I have with you now is......a "15 gallon fish tank"? I am sure you are busy, but, a 15 gallon fish tank????
