My rock is DYING??

[Ibrahim]

What kind of dye does real reef rocks use on their baserock? I've got some laying around and want to try it since it isn't harmful.

[MacDracor]

Dye? I was not under the impression that they dyed. Why would they? Why would anyone dye base rock?

[Ibrahim]

Originally Posted by MacDracor

Dye? I was not under the impression that they dyed. Why would they? Why would anyone dye base rock?

They dye it purple in order to make it look like Coraline. It's actually pretty nice looking but at 6.99 a lb it's too expensiv

[MacDracor]

Hmm. I zoomed in as close as I could, and it honestly looks like coralline algae... so either they're really good, or they just propagate purple coralline. I do have a rock with that color of coralline on it.
Did you try asking them about the color?

[Ibrahim]

Originally Posted by MacDracor

Hmm. I zoomed in as close as I could, and it honestly looks like coralline algae... so either they're really good, or they just propagate purple coralline. I do have a rock with that color of coralline on it.
Did you try asking them about the color?

No they dye it, well there are two types they sell, 1 is regular live rock dyed purple and the other is base rock dyed purple.

[MacDracor]

Well, I suppose it's cool that you can simulate coralline, though I think it should be explicitly stated in a product description.
Couple suggestions for you to DIY.
Polyblend:

[MacDracor]

Hopefully it goes without saying that this is not MY video. I just posted the link.

[Ibrahim]

Thanks!

[FTMMWS]

I'd be curious to see what you come up with and the end result..
I have NEVER been able to keep coralline or get it to spread after a few blotches appear

[Ibrahim]

Originally Posted by FTMMWS

I'd be curious to see what you come up with and the end result..
I have NEVER been able to keep coralline or get it to spread after a few blotches appear

Lol same here. I think I'll make a batch and see what I get.

[MacDracor]

It's strange, even though I've battled ich a few times and I have a little cyano, my corals all do fantabulous. So funny to think I have better luck with corals than with fish!
My tank is only a few months old, and I already have almost 1/4 inch patches of coralline on the back wall. But definitely show us what you come up with for the rocks!!

[Ibrahim]

I got the poly blend in red and captain blue. Also I found out what they do to dye the rock. It's non toxic water based acrylic paint so I ordered that too. Just need to get salt lol I forgot that at the store.

[Trusty_one]

I have found a place called smooth on that sells plastic molding supplies that has a section for aquarium decorations. They have a video for making live rock. How to color it to look like coraline and what not. Check them out. Won't hurt anything.

[Ibrahim]

Originally Posted by Trusty_one

I have found a place called smooth on that sells plastic molding supplies that has a section for aquarium decorations. They have a video for making live rock. How to color it to look like coraline and what not. Check them out. Won't hurt anything.

Cool I'll def check them out.

Edit: I know them now, the problem is they only sell things separately and it costs like $25 per ingredient so if there are 5 ingredients I will have paid $125 and have alot of excess left over.

[MacDracor]

DIY rock is really only cost effective if you're making huge batches and selling the remainder. Plus it takes months to be ready to use, depending on what you use to make the rock porous. I've heard of people using rock salt, sugar, even pasta. But it has to fully dissolve and leach out of the rock before it can go in the aquarium.

[Trusty_one]

Originally Posted by Ibrahim

Cool I'll def check them out.

Edit: I know them now, the problem is they only sell things separately and it costs like $25 per ingredient so if there are 5 ingredients I will have paid $125 and have alot of excess left over.

Yeah I wasn't saying to buy it. But, I like the idea of combining the styrofoam technique with the cement technique. That way you can get lots of nooks and crannies and dissolve it right away and just have to wait for the cement to cure and leech out.

[FTMMWS]

Originally Posted by Ibrahim

I got the poly blend in red and captain blue. Also I found out what they do to dye the rock. It's non toxic water based acrylic paint so I ordered that too. Just need to get salt lol I forgot that at the store.

So your saying your going to "paint" your rock...IDK ,,that sounds risky ,,especially if you have fish with teeth nipping and picking at the rock..
Non toxic or not,i still don't know if i would trust it

[Ibrahim]

Originally Posted by FTMMWS

So your saying your going to "paint" your rock...IDK ,,that sounds risky ,,especially if you have fish with teeth nipping and picking at the rock..
Non toxic or not,i still don't know if i would trust it

It's for my 4g pico which will have 2 clown gobies and the companies which sell coral inserts paint them the same way.

[FTMMWS]

Really, i didn't know that..