DIY Reef Rock

[Pailines]

So i've combed through the web for reipies for DIY reef rock, more custom and more creative and less weight(when you make it right) than any rock work out there, including rocks from the ocean.

My problem right now is determining a recipies.

I found lists ranging from using corse salt and oyster shells for mediums, and while some use ice cubes some use silly puddys for negative spaces.

They have their pros and cons, but personally, i really hate the oyster shell methods, not only does it have sharp edges, it has anoix bubbles within the module of the rock work.

Not sure if anyone here has heard of any, i plan to try some of these recipies this weekend when i have the time.

P.S im a dental lab tech, i know a little about making molds and shaping with yada yada materials.

[(Bio)³]

talk to timfish, he did a presentation at a meeting about this. I think he built the rockwork inside mframes new upgrade also.

[ct67stang]

id be interested in doing this. let me know when you do it. there are some shapes im interested in making. id like to participate (if my stupid job doesnt have me out of town)

[+Mlaw]

keep us updated on this one. I'm really interested.

[Pailines]

Sorry for the lack of following up on this, work has been doing a number on my mind.

But I tried different recopies i found, that has a possible 'nice' out come. I waited for them to fully cure and firm to handle before presenting.

I tried different ratios of just Concrete and Water Salt and will post picture of creations when i get some natural light first thing tomorrow morning.

#1 1:1 Concrete and Salt (Everything mixed together, encasing the salt)

#2 1:1 Concrete and Salt (Mixed the Concrete first, then gently pressed the salt onto the surface)

#3 2:1 Concrete and Salt (Everything mixed together, encasing the salt)

#4 2:1 Concrete and Salt (Mixed the Concrete first, then gently pressed the salt onto the surface)

#5 3:1 Concrete and Salt (Everything mixed together, encasing the salt)

#6 3:1 Concrete and Salt (Mixed the Concrete first, then gently pressed the salt onto the surface)

The reason i made two different batch with every ratio of mixes is due to the fact that using too much salt drives up the price/lb of rocks made, really quickly. Not to mention that if the rock develop micro cracks, the salt could leech into the water column.

Furthermore, i found that trying to make the rock look 'natural' is just simply "trying too hard"

Every morning before going to work, i mix up about 10lb of rock, literly throw clumps of them on the glass panels. Later in the afternoon 10hrs laters, i come home and repeat the same process for the night and then morning. This nets about 10-20lbs of fresh brittle rocks for one day. Then i set them outside in the shade to dry and cure for the time recommanded by the manufactor. 20-30days, to fully harden and release the trapped salts

[Pailines]

Here is the cost / product rate as of this moment, right now it's looking really worth the time..

Bag of 90lb Portland Type I Grey Cement: $6.48

Bag of Diamond Crystal Solar Salt 40 lb. Extra-Coarse Water Softening Salt: $3.97

Panel of scrap Glass and Black Trashbag for base cover: $0

Water: Free, thank the lord for the rain the other day

Time: Got plenty...

So total comes down to $10.45 for about 50-90lb of self make rock, depending on the recipies i decide to use the rest of the materials for.

Not to mention that you can mold the rock into ANY form you can think of, that includes that middle-fingered-shaped-rock that you always wanted.... yeah, it's possible.

P.S. im thinking about adding either crushed deal coral or oyster Feed into the mix for a more regid and natural look, but still looking around for a cheap yet effecive method.

[Planeden]

What is the purpose of the salt? Pressed into the outside it makes pores, right. but all mixed on the inside?

[Pailines]

Here are some picture of the end result... picture order as listed above

[Pailines]

@Planeden: As you state, the salt is used to make the rock more porous than just regularly pouring it.

The resason to i tired to mix the salt in was due to the fact that salt pellets sinks into soft concrete, by capli effect.

So i tested, if i mix in enough salt, the salt encased would prevent the salt on the surface from sinking it. Kind of acting like a load-bearing-salt-base.

There are disadvantage to using too much salt, the more salt content there is, the more brittle the rock forms, but more porous, the less salt, the harder it forms, but less porous..

I just spent the morning testing out a new batch of rocks, this time with less water, more salt and vice versa, waiting for them to dry to get some testing going.

[Planeden]

Interesting. I like the first and last ones best. They seem to be the most porus and rocklike. The second picture almost looks smooth, so I guess the salt just oozed in like you said.

It also generally seems like the more concrete the better. In my opinion.

It looks really good though. Thanks for posting this. I may try this.

[+Mlaw]

have you tried using ice cubes instead of the rock salt?

[Jmvanness]

I may have to try this. I want to build a "shelf" of live rock for the back wall of my tank. So I could actually just put the concrete down over the magnets and build up from there. Maybe doing salt and ice chips from Sonic would give it that nice porous look. How stiff is the mixture when you first set it out? Can you dry a piece and go back and build onto it?

[+Mlaw]

I'm planning on doing some type of shelf in the future also. I was planning on building a structure out of egg crate, much like rebar is used for roads and driveways. That should give you a starting place to build on.

The sonic ice is a good idea but I'm wondering if it will melt faster than the concrete will set up because it is softer than normal ice. Dollar store sells gum drop sized/shaped ice cube trays that might serve the same purpose but give you harder ice to work with.

[+Dustin Blevins]

You could also try putting the ice in a bag and smashing it to get a little more random pieces

[texasreefer]

Great Thread! Thanks for sharing!

[ceastman]

Here are some pictures of the DIY rock I made: 3 parts crushed oyster shell, 2 parts cement and 1 part solar salt

[Dustin Pedretti]

Did you cure the rock before using it or just put it straight in?

[ceastman]

I put the rocks in tap water for about 8 weeks, with weekly water changes.

[Dustin Pedretti]

I made my first rock yesterday...I can't wait to take it out of the mold

[Dustin Pedretti]

Well mine looks dumb... I think itl look ok after I take a drill to it and it gets covered with stuff

[ceastman]

We used balloons to make some nice caves.