man made live rock

[cameron]

Try this from reefcentral (saved to my site):

 

[spike]

the cave rock is made by using a rubber glove, blow it up and set in a bed of sand. Then drop concrete mix over it and use fingers make holes. Plus to fingers in the glove make smaller opening in the cave.

 

[vettesarebest]

Have you herd of putting Macaroni in there? To make it more porus, but then the Macaroni dissolves.

 

[spike]

Maroons15 wrote: Have you herd of putting Macaroni in there? To make it more porus, but then the Macaroni dissolves.

I have done it. I will post pics tomorrow. I made a hole all the way through a rock and made deep pockets. Good hiding places for critters. Some even say to use plastic shavings. Coraline algae loves it.

 

[kevin]

Cameron wrote: Try this from reefcentral (saved to my site):

http://www.cameroncole.com/DIYRocks.mht">http://www.cameroncole.com/DIYRocks.mht</a>[/QUOTE]

didn't work for some reason

 

[cameron]

Gotta use IE for my original link... here is the real thread:

 

[glxtrix]

ramone wrote: Thanks for the compliment. I wish I could find a way to drop the PH to be able to use sooner in tank.

either soak in vinegar for a day then soak in water for 3 days, or you could use regular table salt (a lot) with freshwater and powerheads, but this takes longer.

 

[spike]

glxtrix wrote: either soak in vinegar for a day then soak in water for 3 days, or you could use regular table salt (a lot) with freshwater and powerheads, but this takes longer.

i tried the vinegar and muratic acid to drop PH. But is a few days after removing from the vinegar or acid and putting back in freshwater the PH jumped again. Seems to be only a temporary drop.

 

[kevin]

How high does the PH get?

 

[spike]

kjessop wrote: How high does the PH get?

I would say it would vary. The larger the amount of water and the smaller the piece of rock, the less it effects PH. If I put 10lbs of newly made rock in 5-6 gallons of water the reading is the highest on my test strip. But if you put a small piece maybe 3-4 lbs in a 125 the PH would only raise slightly. The rock when freshly made needs to cure, not talking about the curing process of real live rock but the drying process of concrete. It takes weeks for concrete to cure and stop leaching this white skim on water surface, I think it is limestone leaching from rock. I would not feel safe putting one of my rocks into a tank for about 3 months after it is first made. Actually I cure it in freshwater then about 2 weeks in saltwater before I put in my tank. When the rock goes into the saltwater after beng in freshwater fro 2 1/2 months the PH rises again. Patience, a reefers best friend.

 

[maveri9720]

No exactly sure what it is, but it is something in the concrete mix.

Boston Aqua Farms, who sells quality frag plugs, has a disclaimer that says not to put a bunch of their frag plugs in your tank at once, b/c of the arago-crete that they use. They cure them for a month at their facility and still tell you not to add a bunch at one time b/c it might create a second mini cure cycle.

It's a process that will take a good couple months before you can put it into your tank.