my diy live rock

[jpond83]

i made about 50 pounds of this last weekend just wanted to share a pic

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp190/jpond83/Picture005-1.jpg

[allan]

I assume that it has not been cured yet? Is it crumbly at all? Looks like it could use a layer of coraline algae... and stuff... before it will look like the rest huh?

Have you begun to soak it yet?

[Europhyllia]

I think it looks great!
You are more patient than I am. :) I read up on it but then the weeks and weeks of soaking, rinsing and mostly WAITING really was too much for me.
But your finished product looks great. Kudos to you for making your own :)

[jpond83]

no it hasent been cured yet but im also not getting my tank for a couple months so that will be plenty of time. its been sitting in the back yard kuring (hardening up) for a week now so its pretty solid. i also added some aragonite to it to make it more stable. i plan on making a couple hundred pounds of this and seeding it with a hundred pounds of live rock and sand in a big troft. i dont need that much but i figured someone would need some and i might as well make it since i have all the supplies.

[jpond83]

all the peices dont look just like that one i tried different mixtures and got different results but all are real pourus

[jpond83]

also in a couple months i will need some coraline shavings if anyone can help me out it would be great

[jesserettele]

Wow, how did you do this? Will it grow all the biological stuff and essentially become live rock?

[Mr Cob]

Looks great. You did a great job on it. Can't wait to see what you do with it.

[jesserettele]

I found this link for those who were wondering the same question.
http://www.garf.org/class.html

It looks like these argocrete rocks will take a few months to cure (get the ph consistent due to the leaching of the concrete) while adding buffing compound before it is ready for a tank and then grows nitrifying bacteria and macro and micro organisms inside after a year or two only after being seeded by live sand or live rock. The more porous the rock the better. Natural live rock is made of old corals or calcium carbonate that naturally has the porous properties.

This is a great idea for custom shapes or just trying to preserve the reef if you have the time and energy.


Wow, how did you do this? Will it grow all the biological stuff and essentially become live rock?

[jpond83]

i will be making anoither hundred pounds this weekend. not really sure what im gonna do with it because the tank im getting will not hold all of this rock but i will find something.

[jesserettele]

I like the look of your mixtures with rock salt. The GARF website doesn't use this but their rocks look different as well. I could take a piece or two after they are cured to seed them if you would like (granted I am set up by then).

[ErikH]

I have ALOT of DIY live rock. ALOT. :)

[joelb]

that rock looks like motel for small pods to breed! id put it in a low flow area under other rocks so the pods can grow in the dark, out of the fishes way.

[jpond83]

i plan on putting my diy rock on the bottom under some actual live rock. im also going to kame a backround for my tank out of this mixture.

[jesserettele]

I like this idea. It would have to be removeable so you can remove it to let is cure for a few months right? That could make an awesome backdrop! I bet it would be one heavy piece though and my luck would be droping it through the bottom glass.


i plan on putting my diy rock on the bottom under some actual live rock. im also going to kame a backround for my tank out of this mixture.

[ErikH]

J, your rock looks great. Kure it then cure it! :D

It has much of the same texture as mine. What was your recipe?

[jpond83]

for that batch i used 4 to 1 rocks salt/portland. but i made some more with some aragonite in it also still came out real pourus. the backdrop will be made in 3 or 4 sections depending on what size tank i get. it would be real easy to remove and put back in. i am really going to need some coraline shaving when this rock gets done curing.

[jpond83]

heres a pic of some of the other rocks

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp190/jpond83/DSCN0500.jpg

[jpond83]

this is my old tank i wish i didnt have to get rid of it.

http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp190/jpond83/100_2297.jpg

[nubz]

thts really cool looking

[jpond83]

nemo is locked up in that picture

[1fstlightning]

**** that does look good. Need to learn how to do this my self when I get redy to do my 150 Gallon.

[jesserettele]

Could you post pics of your DIY rock that you have a lot of?


I have ALOT of DIY live rock. ALOT. :)

[nubz]

jpond, is that agrocrete?