"Plaster of Paris" Decor ...

[yasir]

Hi all,

Sorry for posting this thread here, please guide if there is a separate forum to discuss the Water Chemistry ...

I am planning to make some Decor for my Marine Aquarium (92 Gal) from Plaster of Paris.

My question is: will Plaster of Paris's decor will be safe for the Marine Aquarium and water quality?

Just for you reference, here are the details about Plaster of Paris:

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Plaster of Paris is a type of building material based on calcium sulfate hemihydrate, nominally CaSO4·0.5H2O. It is created by heating gypsum to about 150 °C.

2 CaSO4·2H2O → 2 CaSO4·0.5H2O + 3 H2O (released as steam).

A large gypsum deposit at Montmartre in Paris is the source of the name.[1] When the dry plaster powder is mixed with water, it re-forms into gypsum. Plaster is used as a building material similar to mortar or cement. Like those materials plaster starts as a dry powder that is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after drying, and can be easily manipulated with metal tools or even sandpaper. These characteristics make plaster suitable for a finishing, rather than a load-bearing material.
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Thanks in advance,

Yasir.

 

[Innovator]

Yes it will be fine as long as you can keep a solid consistency. At work we use it to make fish "cookies" with various food items packed in it for enrichment.

 

[yasir]

Yes it will be fine as long as you can keep a solid consistency. At work we use it to make fish "cookies" with various food items packed in it for enrichment.

Solid consistency of what?

 

[Innovator]

A solid consistency in the product, as in it tends to be flaky if not heated and dried properly/thoroughly. Now mind you, we (work) do not use it for creating decorative moldings, but rather so the fish can tear into it...just letting you know of the possibility

 

[yasir]

The PoP I have worked with, does not require any Heating; I can not do the heating as underneath PoP would be PVC pipe and I am not sure what will happen to it at high temperature.

Basically, I will make the structure with PVC Material and then case PoP over it to give it rocky look.

anyways, another idea !!! instead of PoP can I use white cement?

TIA,

Yasir.

 

[roka64]

I would look into aragocrete.
Aragocrete making
or
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f20/diy-rock-104715.html