Making Live Rock At My Place Saturday June 6. Come Join Us!

[dakota9]

Hey guys!

I've been studying up on making live rock, and since I'll be needing about 40lbs of it in a few months, I thought now would be a great time to start.
I mentioned this the other day to Cindy and Denise and they were interested in trying it, so I thought I'd offer an open invitation to you guys to see if others would be interested in it as well.
Fortunately making proper live rock is pretty economical, (about 40 cents a pound compared to 4.99 a pound) so I plan on having all the basic materials here and available for use by everyone. I'm making provisions for the basics;

Portland Cement
Dead Live Sand (through very generous donations of LeeLee, Chris and Schwimmer)
Crushed Oyster Shell (through a generous donation of my boss)
Perlite
Granular Salt
Colorant
Coquina Shells (to decorate the outside of the rock if you so choose)
Dust masks
1 gallon and 5 gallon pails

Everything I've read about rock making suggests rubber (dishwashing) gloves be used, so you should definately bring some. Protective eyewear is also suggested.</em>

Other things you'd need to bring;

Styrofoam Cooler (the type fish stores receive livestock in are reportedly perfect for this, I got mine from that awesome Tim @ Keen Reef, and he had lots of them). If you come sans cooler, we can improvise, so don't let that stop you.

Anything you'd like to decorate your rock with..... (coral bits, shells, sea glass, colored sand).

A garden trowel.

Any adult beverage of your choice.......

I live about 5 minutes south of downtown Atlanta just north of the airport. If we have any interest, we could grill out or order pizza.

I work on the weekends (actually, my last off day was the tour of tanks, LOL) so I don't get off work until 1pm, so people could get over here as early as 1:30 that afternoon if they like.

If interested in personalizing your tank, learning somthing new, and spending time with new and old friends in the hobby, please post here, PM, or just give me a call.


Thanks for reading,

 

[lorenk]

Dakota, I have a bag of salt, cement, two buckets of sand from my 180 and crushed oyster shell that I can donate as well. I've never found the motivation to do this but if I can get a pass I'll come by.

 

[stickx911]

sounds like fun. unless the wife has secret plans for that day. I'll try to come.

 

[dakota9]

Glad for you to come LorenK

Thank you for the offer of the extra supplies, they will come in handy!


It would be very nice to meet you Ricky, I hope you can make it!

 

[linda lee]

ARC's first decorator live rock!!

This should be a fun time.

Hope to see some footage on You Tube!!

 

[jeff_mcphail]

I have about a 3 gallon bucket of LR rubble you can have that might help out a bit.

 

[oil_fan]

This sounds like fun! I've read a bit on making your own LR and thought it could be an idea to add more when it comes to me needing more.

Linda Lee;345522 wrote: ARC's first decorator live rock!!

This should be a fun time.

Hope to see some footage on You Tube!!

I can do that! I have an HD video camera and can post online.

[edit]Oh ya...count me in!!

 

[dakota9]

Great!

I'm really psyched about this!

I've got two cheapo banquet tables from HD, you guys think that will provide enough work space for us? Remember we're going to be working with some heavy stuff (sand, cement), think they will be sturdy enough?

 

[stickx911]

I have a collapsible table I could bring for a picnic table (or more work space)

 

[spike]

Do not plan on putting any of this rock into your system for at least 3 months. I have made multiple batches of man made rock. None of the quick cures I have tried has worked. Also the rock will do a Ph spike when it hits saltwater. Even after it has set for months in freshwater. I do not know why, I just know that it does.

 

[delloman]

I will be there if only to help

 

[dakota9]

stickx911;346159 wrote: I have a collapsible table I could bring for a picnic table (or more work space)

That would be great! Thanks for the offer!


Looking at our recent weather, I'm just hoping June 6 is the one saturday it doesn't rain.

Anyone interested could go ahead and google my addy to get a good idea of where I live;

3337 Old Jonesboro Rd
Hapeville (will probably pop up as Atlanta) GA 30354

 

[dakota9]

Delloman;346304 wrote: I will be there if only to help

I look forward to seeing you!

 

[dakota9]

http://www.shellhorizons.com/products.asp?Category=4&curPage=2&direction=forward">http://www.shellhorizons.com/products.asp?Category=4&curPage=2&direction=forward</a>

Check out this link!!!!!!

I'm going to be placing an order from this place in the next few days. I'm thinking bout making myself some rock out of shell. The minimum order is 50 bucks and I think I can fill that on my own since I'll be purchasing the shell for my new substrate from this place, but check it out and see if theres anything anyone else needs, and I'll attach it to my order.

 

[lorenk]

In case folks have not read this...

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=807988&perpage=25&pagenumber=1">http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=807988&perpage=25&pagenumber=1</a>

Maybe one of the longest threads on RC. Split several times. When you get to the last section, they boil it down to a simple resusable recipel

 

[Reefplumber13]

going to try to be there what would i need to bring with me?

 

[dakota9]

jgilley84;347144 wrote: going to try to be there what would i need to bring with me?

Glad to have you and Brandon both!


Look at the original post in this thread for the few things you'd need to bring.......

 

[lilrobb]

What is the cooler for?

 

[dakota9]

We'll use the styrofoam coolers when we are molding the LR. The process goes:

Open styrofoam cooler

Place about 4" of damp sand in the bottom and pack tight

using spoon, brush fingers remove sand making interesting shaped holes in the sand

This serves as the mold for your live rock. After that layer has been completed by filling all the negative space with the cement mixture, you'll put down another layer of damp sand in the cooler, pack it tight, and continue the process.

When finished, replace the lid and let it cure for a few days, the slower the cure time, the harder the rock.

The real trick is making the rock porus and I have a few ideas I've researched for just that.

WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU JOIN US ROB!

 

[Reefplumber13]

Dakota9;347326 wrote:
The real trick is making the rock porus and I have a few ideas I've researched for just that.

what are your ideas?