Making your own live rock!

[derek_s]

So I found several articles on the net of people making their own LR. I even have a man made piece in my tank that I bought from cBay. Well, as an architecture student, I feel it my duty to try and make some unique LR formations that fit the program of my lifestyle, and that says something about me. Ha, j/k on everything after "that fit the...", but seriously, I think I might want to try and make a really unique set-up. I'm in no hurry to set-up, so I can play around with it.

My tank is a 92 gal corner, so the corner affords me a chance for something a little different. Any ideas/tips on making LR, both in actual construction and in design? I need some input!

 

[ericmcj31]

I've got some-and I like it-corraline is a little slow to spread, but now it is fully covered; I got some out of a tank-so can't help you on makingit--I think I would like making it b/c you can shape it into the shape you like and need for a particular application. Good luck and post some pics. for us!

 

[derek_s]

I will... If I do it. I need to do a little more research. But if you go to about.com and search for DIY LR there are several interesting articles on it. I just need to do some drawings on what I want it to look like. I'm thinking about tying to make it in layers that kind of interconnect. It's hard to explain, but maybe like lego pieces. It would look a little funny at first with "seams" but I think you could possible hide them, or even grout them like reef ceramics.

 

[jaustin]

you should use crushed oyster shells, they are cheap and make the rock look very real. I have a few pieces in my tank that are just concrete molded into neat shapes, if there were crushed oyster shells on the outside it would look way better.

 

[mockery]

Hey go to garf.org it says how to do it there

 

[roland jacques]

The only down side i see is waiting for it to cure enough not to effect/raise the PH

 

[nova65chic]

ramone has done some experimentation, should talk to him a little bit,

 

[reefjunkee]

I read several threads on Reefcentral.Looks fairly easy.Most used rock salt to make it porous.Some used the peanut shaped salt like You use in water softeners.After it cures You soak it in warm water to dissolve the rock salt i think.

 

[humptrax]

Reefjunkee;153199 wrote: You soak it in warm water to dissolve the rock salt i think.

GARF uses a vinegar solution and they soak the rock for a full week, if i remember correctly.

there's a long article about edward postma. he's their aragrocrete "expert".

considering how cheap live rock is on ebay, why make your own? to seed the rock, it's going to take you another few months... worried about hitchhikers?

 

[derek_s]

humptrax;153603 wrote: GARF uses a vinegar solution and they soak the rock for a full week, if i remember correctly.

there's a long article about edward postma. he's their aragrocrete "expert".

considering how cheap live rock is on ebay, why make your own? to seed the rock, it's going to take you another few months... worried about hitchhikers?

And miss out on the rewarding learning experience of making my own?

 

[derek_s]

No design ideas? I gotta draw something up to get you guys pondering...

 

[roland jacques]

humptrax;153603 wrote: GARF uses a vinegar solution and they soak the rock for a full week, if i remember correctly.

there's a long article about edward postma. he's their aragrocrete "expert".

considering how cheap live rock is on ebay, why make your own? to seed the rock, it's going to take you another few months... worried about hitchhikers?

i heard a week in vinegar is not near enough time. muriatic acid take a long time also. but i have no first hand knowledge ether way

 

[lorenk]

This is the end all be all thread on the subject. If you go to the very end (it splits about 4 times), you will find the recipes they ended up with.

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>

I have a bag of cement, bag of salt and a bag of shell...now I just need a bag of time and some motivation.

Personally, I would cure it with fresh water and just wait it out. I don't think people have had great results trying to accelerate the process.

 

[glxtrix]

When I made a rock wall for my freshwater tank I cured it in freshwater with a lot of regular table salt....it was about 3 weeks to cure. Went from a pH of 13 to 7.0 from one day to the next. That also included water changes every 4 days.

 

[ckwatson]

I have read that water changes are really the key, people have talked about making frag plugs and putting them in the back of the toilet (the part your back goes against) to keep fresh water running over them. My be hard with rock for a 92g but if you could keep it in a big drum or trash can and put a ball valve in the bottom so the water can slowly trickle out and the hose in the top

 

[kwl1763]

I had a 92 corner a few years ago that i made all the rock for. Here is a link to the thread.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=558003&perpage=25&pagenumber=1">http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=558003&perpage=25&pagenumber=1</a>

And a great DIY rock link there

[IMG]http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=456422">http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=456422</a>

 

[derek_s]

Very cool. I was thinking I might use a couple of gig rubbermaid containers to build it and cure it in.

I was kinda wanting something a bit similar to this (from another post):

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http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1288059&perpage=25&pagenumber=1">http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1288059&perpage=25&pagenumber=1</a>

Maybe just a little more mass, though. But you get the picture.... Very...contemporary-ish