white cement - a question

[Verti]

I want to know whether the white cement is safe to use in salt water (the goal is to create a rock "HOME MADE") ?

Doese it release any chemicals into the water after drying completely?

I know that GARF and others create home-made rocks using white-cement, but I just want to be sure in chemicals matter.

Thanks.

 

[Verti]

Anyone please?

 

[reefsurfing]

It will significantly raise the PH of your water to dangerous levels. Most Let the homemade rocks cure in a tub of water and repeatedly change the water and test its PH over a months time and when the PH isnt affected by the rock they add it to their system. Check out BRS dry rock as it is much less hassle and not much more expensive.

 

[Islander84]

Wrong....if you buy the Quikwall made by quikrete it has no affect on ph at all! it is formulated for potable water holding tanks and things of that nature. I could only find it at the home depot and not at lowes they carry a brand called sakrete that will not work. The only thing about the quikwall is it has fiberglass strands in the mix that might not be attractive to some so i would pour the mix over a screen of some sort to filter it out. I made an entire background for my tank and the only thing i did was rinsed it off with some ro water..no soaking or ph curing or any of that mess....do your research and it will save ALOT of time!!!and its white!! Good Luck!

 

[Islander84]

The only thing i think it might leach a little would be silicates that would cause a diatom bloom during the cycling process of the tank which alot of new sand will do anyways....couple of weeks and it will fade out

 

[Verti]

Thank you both!

Islander84,
Could you please attach photo of your home-made wall?

 

[bertoni]

Sorry, I just got to this thread. I haven't heard of the Quikwall product. I'll take a look, but that sounds like a very convenient product for aquascaping.

 

[2thdeekay]

Scott M. (from Garf) told me they used Riverside brand white Portland cement because the finished product has less alkalinity. Lehigh brand works just as well from what I understand--what my kid used to make frag plugs and rocks. It's reef safe IME, just needs curing in freshwater to rid excess alkalinity.

 

[Verti]

I wonder if this product may be used for attaching rocks underwater (replacing and "rebuilding" rock-work in working reef tank - such as creating "bonsai" type rock-work).

 

[2thdeekay]

White cement? No, I don't think so. It pours/hardens just like regular concrete, and then needs to be cured of excess alk before being used in any aquarium. --if I understood your query

 

[Islander84]

Glad i could help! Take a look at my profile there are some pics on there in the photo album. I never had any knid of issues with alk, ph, cal,.....ive had the stuff in my tank for 4 months with no problems except for the small diatom bloom that has lasted for about 3 weeks and is almost gone theres more diatoms on the sand bed than on the walls....i used aragonite fiji pink dry sand that was rinsed thoroughly with ro/di water.....with the portland i battled lots of problems i will never again use portland for making frag plugs ,rocks,etc....

Thank you both!

Islander84,
Could you please attach photo of your home-made wall?

 

[symon_say]

It will raise your ph but, after a few weeks of daily water changes of the bucket were you cure your rock is safe, it won't change anything after that.