making live rock.

[anemone seeker]

how do i make live rock? is sakrete hydraulic cement ok? is portland cement ok?

 

[degibson84]

the rock becomes live after it has been in the tank long enough to have living bacteria and algae

 

[GrendelPrime]

he wants to have man made live rock and needs info on everything he needs to get going making his own

 

[DaveK]

The best instructional area for making "agrocrete" rocks that I have found is here (offsite) - GARF.ORG - The reef aquarium place

You'll need to select "agrocrete" and then the various articles. There are a massive amount of them.

 

[rgfast]

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/diy/48608-diy-aragocrete-rock.htmlyou might take a look at this

 

[anemone seeker]

well i made some rock but im not sure if it works i put it in a bucket of water to see if it came apart or leached anything and it didn't seem to. im using it for a 10 gallon nano tank that i just set up, it is not cycled yet and i wanted to know if it is ok to cure the rocks in the nano tank while im away.

 

[rgfast]

no! you need soak in fresh water container for 6 weeks,during this time you change water weekly white vinger for first week will help with ph spike

 

[anemone seeker]

oh

 

[anemone seeker]

u sure? it wouldnt hurt aneything because theres nothing in the tank. and it has to cycle anyway so the ph woul go up?

 

[GrendelPrime]

rgfast makes his rock so i would imagine he would know..and sence ur leaving tomorrow i honestly wouldent do anything at all, i know ur very impatient but dont set ur self up for tank crash after tank crash. ur tank will still be there when u get home from camp

 

[anemone seeker]

ya i guess

 

[GrendelPrime]

honestly if u dont want the truth and what will be the best for the live animals u choose to bring into your tanks there isnt any help people can give u and im not trying to sound like im comming down on you but in almost every post u have its asking to help undo what people told u not to do and if u notice the replys u are getting are fewer and fewer...and again i understand ur very young but u need to listen to the people who are only trying to help u

 

[anemone seeker]

uhhh... i said i wouldnt put the rocks in but i heard from another post that i could so im a little confused by the two conflicting posts thats all and i think my zoos are sick the info is in my biocube thread.

 

[GrendelPrime]

rg makes rock so i would go with what he says

 

[tsrt40]

Always move slowly and error on the side of caution. Im curing some rock right now. Seeing how my containers look with that nasty water in them. Id never place un-cured rock in tank. I have no info on what/if ph levels off and if so.....what value? But its ok my first batch sits for 2 days and is at 8.4. Think i will let sit for week and see how high it climbs....lol. only been 3 weeks of changing water daily. Kids help me with making them so some are awsum and others....well....i must say are still awsum as well 8)))). I will say the ones my 11 yr old helped me with are some of the best.

 

[tsrt40]

Everything i see is portland. Go to garf.org for all the info. Goodluck and have fun. My first series is now curing and some of it should be done soon i hope. Ask me how it turned out in a few months.

 

[jerry26]

All you need is

Portland cement(not pre mix concrete)
oyster shells
Aragonite sand

I dont remember the ratios but they are easy to find. Ive never tried it but some people put rock salt in it so that when you cure it it dissolves and leave big holes in it. Looked a little better i thought.

It would be wiser to cure it in a separate container. Just submerge it in water and change the water regularly. Give it a couple weeks then check the ph and see if it rises above normal. It is fully cured once it does not affect the ph.

Ive made my own rock and, like theyve said, DO NOT add it to your tank without curing.