The Ultimate DIY Rocks!

[mr.wilson]

If you want the rock to dissolve and release calcium carbonate then use freshwater, particularly acidic water. You can use Co2 or hydrochloric acid. I personally don't see a benefit in doing this.

If you want to establish the rock in an aquarium, just add it to the tank after a full 28 day cure. I build large exhibits for public aquariums with concrete walls and rock and I have not experienced any problems with PH. I cure the tank for at least a month, fill it with tap water, drain it a few days later, and fill it up with saltwater.

 

[goldmaniac]

I can offer my experience -

I made 4 separate batches, and I believe I got it right at batch #2, (at least I liked how it came out by batch #2) and I'd fill up a 32 gallon brute trash can with new MMLR after letting it air-cure in my hot garage for about a week or two. I'd fill up the Brute trash can with fresh water, wait a day or two, test with pH strips, and pH would come back 11.0 +. I'd change out the water, refill with fresh that was tested at a pH of about 7.0-7.2, and it would rise back up to 10.5-11.0 again. I believe I counted 25 water changes before pH would stay around 8.5-8.6 after soaking for 3-4 days.

I made a LOT of live rock, though, and swapped out about 80% of my tank, so I don't want to say that your pH will rise if you add MMLR, only that I figured that so much MMLR would hurt MY tank.

\ only my experience.

about 90% of this is MMLR about 2 years old:

<img src="http://www.goldmaniac.com/fishtank/20090710_fts_cropped_640.jpg" border="0" alt="">

<img src="http://www.goldmaniac.com/fishtank/fishtank_20090710/right_corner_FTS_450.jpg" border="0" alt="">

<img src="http://www.goldmaniac.com/fishtank/fishtank_20090710/20090710_fts_right_side_450.jpg" border="0" alt="">

only about 3-4 pieces are purchased live rock.

 

[DeathWish302]

My next batch of plugs, I'll try an experiment as follows:
1) air curing the 'crete for 2 months then kure in SW
2) air curing the 'crete for 2 months then kure in FW
3) 3 days for cure then straight into SW kure bath
4) 3 days for cure then straight into FW kure bath

I change 0.5 gallons of SW a day, so there won't be a burden of SW usage for a couple plug samples. This could end the kure debate once and for all (except the steam process). I'll post results in the 'near' future.

 

[goldmaniac]

sounds good. I may have had the high pH due to my particular concrete, too. Sounds like Mr. Wilson has the right idea with quick setting cement.
I used Federal brand white portland cement. it was REALLY hard locating white cement, but I really like the look of it.

Type I / II

<img src="http://www.usmix.com/content/images/c96354cf5cb87d04c5fa989b3b0f1322.jpg" border="0" alt="">

 

[mr.wilson]

Your test will prove what the effects on PH are with the different curing methods, but it does not address what the significance of an elevated PH has on a new tank. Frag plugs are another story because they are added to established tanks where PH buffering is a concern.

In practice I have not had any problems with a slightly elevated PH with new systems. These displays are all made up of concrete rock and the structural aspects are also concrete. I use a modified concrete with fiberglass fibers and silica fume for faster curing, PH stability and better malleability (sculpting). The freshwater exhibits are painted with a watered down acrylic paint so PH is even less of an issue. There is no point in painting marine exhibits as they cover in coraline algae.

7,000 gallon Reef Display

20,000 gallon Amazon Basin Exhibit

15,000 gallon Caiman Exhibit

 

[sikpupy]

Ahh, showing off again? :lol:


Awsome work!!:thumbsup:

 

[speckled trout]

Speckled Trout, I've seen pictures of your rock prior to adding to the tank and you are a master! You should give lessons or something on how you made your rock. It was possibly the most realistic (and cool) DIY rock out there.

Allright, I ain't sure about these claims, so easy does it. :lol:

I don't really put a whole lot of effort into making it. It's really very, very simple, too.

I put a tutorial on here, at least twice, but no interest was shown in it. I even asked if anyone wanted to get together to make some rock.....zero interest, so I just gave up....

 

[MSX-Jeff]

Do you have a link to your tutorial?

I'm setting up my new 120 at home, and want to make 1 large "flat triangle" for a cave/shelf to go with the LR I already have. Is nobody using thorite/hydraulic cement for the zero cure MMLR anymore? If so, why not? My plan was to use hydraulic cement, CC, aragonite, and solar salt....soak it long enough to dissolve the salt and put it in the tank.

 

[sikpupy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15569793#post15569793 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by speckled trout
Allright, I ain't sure about these claims, so easy does it. :lol:

I don't really put a whole lot of effort into making it. It's really very, very simple, too.

I put a tutorial on here, at least twice, but no interest was shown in it. I even asked if anyone wanted to get together to make some rock.....zero interest, so I just gave up....

Sheeeeeat, if I was in Texas your way, i would be all over that like white on rice for a cool project to do, so, there IS some intrest....just an FYI.

 

[speckled trout]

I don't have a link. It's still on here, somewhere, though.

 

[MSX-Jeff]

what about the Thorite or hydraulic cement?

Just got back from Lowe's...it looks like hydraulic cement is "a mix of portland, sand, and other proprietary ingredients". Will this work for a fast cure MMLR?

 

[DeathWish302]

Your test will prove what the effects on PH are with the different curing methods, but it does not address what the significance of an elevated PH has on a new tank. Frag plugs are another story because they are added to established tanks where PH buffering is a concern.

Exactly! My frag plugs and rock are going into a stable reef environment and I want to make certain there is little effect. That's why my 2 month dry cure has worked best for me.

Nice displays by the way. Where is that amazon basin display? I'm intrigued enough to drive and see it. Any African cichlid based tanks you have made?

Thanks!

 

[2_zoa]

mr.wilson;

That is some extremly nice work. Bravo.

Showing off.........I think so. But I would too if I built stuff like that.

 

[rguyler]

Sikpuppy...me too!

+1 on Mr. Wilson's work. Nice stuff there!

The difference for me is that my tank is already established so putting a ton of new rock in there all at once is probably a bad idea. If I cure/kure it completely prior to going in the tank, I wonder how much at a time I shouod consider "safe" to add at one time?

 

[rguyler]

Jeff, here's a tutorial for Trout's work:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1504895

 

[MSX-Jeff]

Thanks Rik...I may not need any MMLR, I found a nice big "flat triangle" rock about 22x16 while digging around in the sumps tonight

 

[TheFishMan65]

Quick Hardening Cement

Quick Hardening Cement

I have almost read every post since the beginning all 5 or 6 splits. I am on page 34 and hopefully someone will answer this by the time I get here.

From what I read the opinion is not to use premixed fast set becuase they are less porous than regular portland. What I never saw or missed was what the addition of calcium chloride (I think that was it) does to the cement.

Thanks

 

[SpankythePyro]

any testing w/ a ph kit? or are people using a pH meter?

 

[cmpenney]

I use a meter.Just leave the probe in the tub all the time.

 

[sikpupy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15572134#post15572134 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rguyler
Sikpuppy...me too!

+1 on Mr. Wilson's work. Nice stuff there!

The difference for me is that my tank is already established so putting a ton of new rock in there all at once is probably a bad idea. If I cure/kure it completely prior to going in the tank, I wonder how much at a time I shouod consider "safe" to add at one time?

The catch here is that I put my fresh rock in a 5g bucket for a week. It is sitting next to my toilet, a little higher than the tank. I incorperted a few peices of PVC, drilled a few hole and some tubing. Now, when one flushes the toilet, water goes into the bucket first, flushes the rock and then goes into the tank. No waste of water and the rocks get flushed (pun intended) at least twice a day. This takes away most of the surface junk formed on the surface of the rock away.

then........

I just start aquascaping at one end of the tank and work my way over, or, bottom up. Add a mellon size rocks on friday night and watch PH every two hours or so. Heck, check it once an hour is you want, its not hard like doing ammonia or something.

You would be suprised what the tan (in a 90) will accept. I had the chance to bombard my tank and maybe even fill her up, but, I stopped about 1/4-1/3 the way and just waited a week before adding more to be sure. PH did not go up one bit, i was very suprised. Okay, I lied, it did go up half a point, but, thats kinda moot in my opinion. Personaly, I think the salt does something to it too.