The Ultimate DIY Rocks!
- Thread starter JohnL
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customcolor
New member
Re: Quick Hardening Cement
Re: Quick Hardening Cement
it makes the portland set up really fast....if you add to much you wont have time to make some nice sized rocks....i dont know if seting up to fast will make the rock to brittle or not though..
Re: Quick Hardening Cement
i think i remember something said way back about it..
it makes the portland set up really fast....if you add to much you wont have time to make some nice sized rocks....i dont know if seting up to fast will make the rock to brittle or not though..
TheFishMan65
New member
Calcium Chloride
Calcium Chloride
Actually I was wondering about the porosity. I know the "œpoor water in and time how long it takes to get to the other side" test won't change much. I think of that as a large scale porosity test, and from what I have read, appears to be all about construction technique. But concrete soaks up water into tiny pores and capillaries. What I think we want for the anaerobic areas. So my question is does anyone know what calcium chloride does to a small scale porosity?
Someone at Lowe's (but in contracting so a little more knowledgeable then some) told me that calcium chloride is added to a lot of sidewalks. So I don't think that the hardness or brittleness will be affected.
Calcium Chloride
Actually I was wondering about the porosity. I know the "œpoor water in and time how long it takes to get to the other side" test won't change much. I think of that as a large scale porosity test, and from what I have read, appears to be all about construction technique. But concrete soaks up water into tiny pores and capillaries. What I think we want for the anaerobic areas. So my question is does anyone know what calcium chloride does to a small scale porosity?
Someone at Lowe's (but in contracting so a little more knowledgeable then some) told me that calcium chloride is added to a lot of sidewalks. So I don't think that the hardness or brittleness will be affected.
goldmaniac
New member
Be careful with that statement that Saltwater cures the live rock faster than fresh. I see that these recent statements are opinion, but we don't want mis-information to make it onto this thread. I think this thread is too large and too detailed as it is, really.
As for my opinion, I would think that freshwater would cure faster due to the lower pH than salt water. I would think that freshwater would be able to "absorb" more of the pH leeching, requiring more soaking to reach a higher pH what would trigger a water change.
7.0 pH ---> 11.0 pH kuring in fresh water
8.3 pH ---> 11.0 pH kuring in salt water
As for my opinion, I would think that freshwater would cure faster due to the lower pH than salt water. I would think that freshwater would be able to "absorb" more of the pH leeching, requiring more soaking to reach a higher pH what would trigger a water change.
7.0 pH ---> 11.0 pH kuring in fresh water
8.3 pH ---> 11.0 pH kuring in salt water
DIY rock panels after 2 years
DIY rock panels after 2 years
My DIY rock panels are in my tank for two years now. They are doing very well (see picture), thanks for all the advice!
DIY rock panels after 2 years
My DIY rock panels are in my tank for two years now. They are doing very well (see picture), thanks for all the advice!
goldmaniac
New member
Re: DIY rock panels after 2 years
Re: DIY rock panels after 2 years
Beautiful!
Re: DIY rock panels after 2 years
Beautiful!
rguyler
New member
Gold, my tap water is the same pH as my saltwater so in that light there is no difference. However the saltwater contains a lot more "hardness" so your statement may still hold true despite the pH levels being similar. The freshwater would be able to take on more leached calcium precipitate unless there is something else chemically that would prevent this.
Electrobes
Montipora type guy
Man I miss this thread and it's been a while! Glad to see this thread is still going strong.. I've learned so much and have started a small business from what I learned here a while back.
As for my rocks (Lite Rocks on my web page), I currently use a mix of perlite, white cement, and aragonite sand. I do use the dribble method because it produces the nooks and crannies that most reefers like, plus I can better form rocks with this method.
For Kuring I modded the Steam process (Based on readings here and outside sources) by making it bigger. I usually reach a temp of about 140F (No higher), which takes about 5-6 hours, but steam a total of about 8 hours. I let it cool off for a couple days before Curing them.
For Curing I use 100G tubs that I fill with tap water and heat to 130F. I move the water in the tubs with powerheads at about 30x turnover. I change the water weekly.. it usually takes about 4-5 weeks before I get the pH to about 9, which I find suitable for tank use. The only unfortunate thing going against me is that my tap water is about the same pH as our saltwater.. 8.3 :lolspin:
I just switched to making my Lite Rock exclusively (I was making Reg Rock using dolomite) and am using a new method in forming them, meaning all my rock are in the tubs. I'll try to get some decent pictures during the next water change (It's no fun sticking your hands in 130F water!). I have to get these pictures to update my site anyway, but would love to hear from you guys, your opinions.
As for my rocks (Lite Rocks on my web page), I currently use a mix of perlite, white cement, and aragonite sand. I do use the dribble method because it produces the nooks and crannies that most reefers like, plus I can better form rocks with this method.
For Kuring I modded the Steam process (Based on readings here and outside sources) by making it bigger. I usually reach a temp of about 140F (No higher), which takes about 5-6 hours, but steam a total of about 8 hours. I let it cool off for a couple days before Curing them.
For Curing I use 100G tubs that I fill with tap water and heat to 130F. I move the water in the tubs with powerheads at about 30x turnover. I change the water weekly.. it usually takes about 4-5 weeks before I get the pH to about 9, which I find suitable for tank use. The only unfortunate thing going against me is that my tap water is about the same pH as our saltwater.. 8.3 :lolspin:
I just switched to making my Lite Rock exclusively (I was making Reg Rock using dolomite) and am using a new method in forming them, meaning all my rock are in the tubs. I'll try to get some decent pictures during the next water change (It's no fun sticking your hands in 130F water!). I have to get these pictures to update my site anyway, but would love to hear from you guys, your opinions.
Electrobes
Montipora type guy
Hey everyone! Right after I posted the last post I had issues to my account here and just now got it resolved (Slight glitch when changing emails).
I managed to take a shot of the rock I make. I recently placed one in my own tank. I didn't really want to show it because I had just done a lot of work on the tank, and had an accident with a powerhead which blew up the sand bed all over the place, which also meant funk getting on everything.
Don't mind all the funk on the rock, it went away after about two days since the incident.
What's really nice about the below rock is how light it is, yet so strong! I'll be showing my other rock (Using my new forming method) as soon as I do a water change on the tubs.
Hope you enjoy!
I managed to take a shot of the rock I make. I recently placed one in my own tank. I didn't really want to show it because I had just done a lot of work on the tank, and had an accident with a powerhead which blew up the sand bed all over the place, which also meant funk getting on everything.
Don't mind all the funk on the rock, it went away after about two days since the incident.
What's really nice about the below rock is how light it is, yet so strong! I'll be showing my other rock (Using my new forming method) as soon as I do a water change on the tubs.
Hope you enjoy!
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Electrobes
Montipora type guy
Thanks J, I wanted to mention it at the other place, but this is my wifey's laptop.. I am in Baaaaaston (Boston) 
Electrobes
Montipora type guy
Yeah but this is her work laptop.. and what's the fun without the BS?
Thanks for the compliments, it's so nice to hear that something you make doesn't stink! :dance:
What do you mean about gauging porosity?
jnarowe
New member
Well, I guess my chief concern about any rock is how much area is available for bacterial growth. We see this a lot in mature tanks with beautiful coraline covered rocks. They can crash and burn because the coraline has essentially negated the porosity of the rock. So here comes that annoying urchin, doing nothing but its job...cleaning off the rocks.
So with rock like yours, how do you gauge the extent to which it can house bacteria? I would think there must be some method, perhaps some kind of water displacement test? Just a curiosity of mine. How do we, as hobbyists, value rock?
So with rock like yours, how do you gauge the extent to which it can house bacteria? I would think there must be some method, perhaps some kind of water displacement test? Just a curiosity of mine. How do we, as hobbyists, value rock?
goldmaniac
New member
I don't think that's a realistic measurment to ask someone who's making their own rock. I don't know how you'd even attempt it without access to a lab.
I think the rock looks great, and it looks like it's very pourous.
I think the rock looks great, and it looks like it's very pourous.
You might be able to do a simple displacement test. Have a container large enough for the rock, filled with a known amount of water. Wrap the rock in plastic that fits tight, put it in the container and figure out how much water it displaced. remove the plastic, repeat. the difference in displaced volume would tell you how much "porosity" the rock has...sort of.
