aragonite cement?

[v2k]

Is there some type of aragonite cement available to cast some "base rock" for the aquarium? Has anyone cast fake "live rock" before?

[Polkster13]

Get with Richard at CB Pets. He was telling us how he made his shelfs to hold his coral fras. Looked like chisled LR plates. Very cool looking.

[GaryP]

Go to the GARF website and search for aragocrete. There's instructions and videos there on how to make it.

[hobogato]

sarah and felipe made somethig like that at fin addict.

[Andrew]

I use low alkali portland cement from home depot. I've used crushed oyster shells mixed in with it, although you can use lots of other things mixed in the cement. Some use crushed coral or aragonite sand. I can't remember exactly the ratio, but I believe I use about 1 part cement to 5 parts shell or sand mixture.

After the "rock" dries, you must soak it for several weeks in (fresh)water so the rock doesn't cause the pH in your tank to skyrocket (because cement has a high pH). Some call this "curing". I'd change the fresh water every week. You may want to test the pH after several weeks using a fw test kit. pH should not exceed 8.4.

Andrew

[v2k]

Do the rocks made with cement way more than live rock of equivalent size? Does the porosity of the final product increase the more one adds crushed coral and sand to it?

[Magneto]

I have heard of people using spaghetti noodles to create more air space inside them. I havent kept track of it to hear if that was a good idea or not.
But the basic theory is mix in something that will bio-degrade, when that substance rots away it will leave spaces in there. Obviously you would want to cure this rock longer so you dont have a sourse of nutrients rotting into the tanks

[v2k]

Acrylic shavings would make it lighter, provide texture, and creat air pockets? Has anyone tried using those biodegradable noodles that come in packages nowadays? Their residue might take less time to cure than spaghetti noodles I would imagine...

I appreciate all this feedback and brainstorming...I like to gather ideas together before I get started....

[Shark_Bait]

I have used the GARF method and they came out just fine. I did not have the source for the acrylic shavings that Pete might be able to provide. With the acrylic they will be WAY lighter and more porus than the ones I made. Those packing "peanuts" that they have now that dissolve in water may be a good option too. Though you would have to chop them down to a little smaller pieces or the rock would wind up looking like holey rock. Good luck and show us how they come out.

[GaryP]

Richard and Mark at CB made the aragocrete shelves in their SPS tank.