Made some rock today! (update, pics work)

[jamal-188]

Well I'm going to be needing a lot more rock for my new tank so I decided to make some today. I don't have the money for more LR and I have about 100lbs of crushed coral so I figured to give it a shot.

Here are a few pics showing how I did it. There are a couple things I would do differently next time. First off I would have liked to find white cement, this stuff turned the rock almost black...but hopefully it will be covered in coraline in no time Second I would have liked to add a bunch of plastic shavings or scraps to make the rock lighter and to promote coraline growth.

Pic of big rubbermaid container, wheel barrow, and cc. I laid about 4-5 inches of sand in the rubbermaid container and moistened it slightly.
https://cms.psu.edu/AngelUploads/Files/cab313/pics/aquarium/rock.JPG

Next I dug imprints in the sand in the shape I wanted the rocks to be. I made a couple arches, reef tables, and some other shapes I thougt might look interesting.
https://cms.psu.edu/AngelUploads/Files/cab313/pics/aquarium/rock1.JPG

https://cms.psu.edu/AngelUploads/Files/cab313/pics/aquarium/rock2.JPG

It was now time to mix up the first batch. I used 3.5 parts cc, 1.5 parts southdown sand, and 1 part cement. I added just enough water to moisten it and mixed it in the wheel barrow. I then scooped the mixture into the premolded shapes. After it set for a couple minutes I used a stick to poke various sized holes in the rock to make it a little more porus. The bottom left rock I filled with sand to make a cave. When the concrete dries I'll just wash the sand from the inside and hopefully my blenny will love it The other is a reed table and just another wierd shaped rock
https://cms.psu.edu/AngelUploads/Files/cab313/pics/aquarium/rock3.JPG

Small arc:
https://cms.psu.edu/AngelUploads/Files/cab313/pics/aquarium/rock4.JPG

Donut shaped rock, maybe fish will find it amusing?
https://cms.psu.edu/AngelUploads/Files/cab313/pics/aquarium/rock5.JPG

Large arc, small donut, and reef table
https://cms.psu.edu/AngelUploads/Files/cab313/pics/aquarium/rock6.JPG

My dog Ceasar peering at me from the corner of his eye....
https://cms.psu.edu/AngelUploads/Files/cab313/pics/aquarium/dog watching.JPG

The other dog Casey yelling at me during the process....
https://cms.psu.edu/AngelUploads/Files/cab313/pics/aquarium/dog watching 3.JPG

After the cement cures for 24 hours I"m going to remove it from the bins and place it in a garbage can with water, changing it several times a week, for 8-12 weeks until it's safe to add to my tank.

 

[jamal-188]

Why don't my pics work

 

[PatM]

Sounds awesome, sounds like you are a fan of the GARF site. I am interested to see how this stuff came out, I am thinking of making some myself when I move my 20 over to my 55, which should be soon. I have used some chunks of concrete in the past and once corraline covered you can't tell the difference. Were you able to find the low Ph white cement or did you just use regular, I haven't be able to find that stuff anywhere.

 

[jamal-188]

Were you able to find the low Ph white cement or did you just use regular, I haven't be able to find that stuff anywhere.

Nope, couldn't find it, I think the stuff I used was lakeside #1 and it recomended to use #3 which was white.

 

[PatM]

Hmmm, lets see those pics. I've used regular ol' sakrete years before but it was f/w not salt and it was a cichlid tank so high ph was not an issue, and I let it cure for two months prior and no problems.

 

[scuba_steve]

use portland cement ! i found it at home depot and it cures white
but its fun making em' i think !! im making more myself but instead of mixing it with plastic i used driveway salt !! and sprinkled it into the the rock !! when it melts make cool little holes

 

[steve-s]

Why don't my pics work

It's probabley the SSL used with https URL's. Why not change the

to instead and just use them as links.

https://cms.psu.edu/AngelUploads/Files/cab313/pics/aquarium/rock.JPG

Great start on the rock. Let us know how you do with the pH issues.

Cheers
Steve

 

[doughboydj]

I was wondering if someone could direct me to this GARF site. Or any other site that I can did up some info on making some rock for my reef set up.

 

[ClamKnuckle]

was wondering if someone could direct me to this GARF site

http://www.garf.org/

Or any other site that I can did up some info on making some rock for my reef set up.

http://www.scubaraven.com/diy_liverock.htm

I know there is more i just can't find them at the moment!

 

[jamal-188]

Let us know how you do with the pH issues.

I was planning on curing the rock in a rubbermaid garbage can changing the water ever other day or so. A friend at my work recommended to use a small amount of Muriatic(sp) acid to drive the pH way down speeding up the process some. He worked at Ripley's aquarium while they were building a 2 million gallon tank and they used this acid because of concrete floors.

I know the curing process will take some time and I don't want to rush it, but the sooner I get it in my tank the sooner it can get covered in coraline and blend in better

 

[doughboydj]

thanks for the websites

 

[66deuce]

Well I'm going to be needing a lot more rock for my new tank so I decided to make some today. I don't have the money for more LR and I have about 100lbs of crushed coral so I figured to give it a shot.

Here are a few pics showing how I did it. There are a couple things I would do differently next time. First off I would have liked to find white cement, this stuff turned the rock almost black...but hopefully it will be covered in coraline in no time Second I would have liked to add a bunch of plastic shavings or scraps to make the rock lighter and to promote coraline growth.

Pic of big rubbermaid container, wheel barrow, and cc. I laid about 4-5 inches of sand in the rubbermaid container and moistened it slightly.
https://cms.psu.edu/AngelUploads/Files/cab313/pics/aquarium/rock.JPG

Next I dug imprints in the sand in the shape I wanted the rocks to be. I made a couple arches, reef tables, and some other shapes I thougt might look interesting.
https://cms.psu.edu/AngelUploads/Files/cab313/pics/aquarium/rock1.JPG

https://cms.psu.edu/AngelUploads/Files/cab313/pics/aquarium/rock2.JPG

It was now time to mix up the first batch. I used 3.5 parts cc, 1.5 parts southdown sand, and 1 part cement. I added just enough water to moisten it and mixed it in the wheel barrow. I then scooped the mixture into the premolded shapes. After it set for a couple minutes I used a stick to poke various sized holes in the rock to make it a little more porus. The bottom left rock I filled with sand to make a cave. When the concrete dries I'll just wash the sand from the inside and hopefully my blenny will love it The other is a reed table and just another wierd shaped rock
https://cms.psu.edu/AngelUploads/Files/cab313/pics/aquarium/rock3.JPG

Small arc:
https://cms.psu.edu/AngelUploads/Files/cab313/pics/aquarium/rock4.JPG

Donut shaped rock, maybe fish will find it amusing?
https://cms.psu.edu/AngelUploads/Files/cab313/pics/aquarium/rock5.JPG

Large arc, small donut, and reef table
https://cms.psu.edu/AngelUploads/Files/cab313/pics/aquarium/rock6.JPG

My dog Ceasar peering at me from the corner of his eye....
https://cms.psu.edu/AngelUploads/Files/cab313/pics/aquarium/dog watching.JPG

The other dog Casey yelling at me during the process....
https://cms.psu.edu/AngelUploads/Files/cab313/pics/aquarium/dog watching 3.JPG

After the cement cures for 24 hours I"m going to remove it from the bins and place it in a garbage can with water, changing it several times a week, for 8-12 weeks until it's safe to add to my tank.

What kind of dog is your dog CaseY?! It looks just like my dog and we have no idea what breed she is.

 

[jamal-188]

Golden Retriever, he's really light colored though, most of the time they are much more brown/copper colored.

 

[66deuce]

Golden Retriever, he's really light colored though, most of the time they are much more brown/copper colored.

I'll see if I can post a pic soon of my dog Maya and show the similarities. To me they look like they came out of the same litter!