DIY Live Rocks

oceana

oceana

Active Member
hey there
yes i have done this but it was not NO curing time just a short one.
but i would NEVER recommend that any one try this. i had several systems at the time and the one i did this in was rather new and made for the only reason of testing things like home made live rock and playsand to see what if any the affects were.
will it hurt you in the long run after a proper cycle. not likely, BUT it really is not worth the risk.
 
ezee

ezee

Member
Thanks for the great answers!!! And the concern. I was planning to cure my rock separately anyway but my chomping the bit side needed some convincing.

I don't have an RODI yet, getting it next week. Should I wait to cure in RODI water or just get a headstart with tap and switch out for RODI when I get it?
E
 
hckycoz

hckycoz

Member
rodi water will have nothing to do with bacteria growth on the rocks or will it? Can i just use tap water to seed my rocks?
 
thangbom

thangbom

Active Member
you can but the rock since it's porus.. will take in some of that tap water.. and may cause some problem down the line.. ( most likely a crazy diatom problem... covering the whole rock for a few weeks.) and maybe some p04 causing green hair algea... but then agin.. it's only a little bit of this 'tap' water so the problem shoul'nt be that bad or big of a problem..
 
zman1

zman1

Active Member
Just added my DYI rock to a new 120 gal. Right now it's a 100% DYI rock. Will bring over a few LRs later.
I have attached Full, Left, Center, Right, and Side views. Just starting the cycle now. Also, added a couple handfulls of LS from my other tank.




 
bronco300

bronco300

Active Member
that is a TON of rock, lol, let us know how well it grows the coraline......
i have a question about the grow out tank...if i want to use just another rubbermaid, how do you make braces or something so the tub doesnt bow anymore...i saw someone uses pvc, but what do you use at the holes that hold it in place?
 
zman1

zman1

Active Member
The Rubbermaid I used for grow out is a 50 gal stock tank, no bracing required.
The DIY rock was in a 100 gal stock tank during curing and is now the sump for the new 120 gal tank.
The sump on my 75 gal is a storage bin - Think it's 50 or 40 gal. Looks and room are not a concern to me, it sits behind the tank and I have two frames of 2"x4" top and middle with legs that tie them together, as this does bow horribly without it.
Pic (sorry about the fuzzy pics)
1 Grow out tank (50 Gal Rubbermaid)
2 75 gal tank's sump (50 or 40 gal storage bin)
3 120 gal tank's sump (100 gal Rubbermaid)


 
hckycoz

hckycoz

Member
if anyone is still following this i got another question. Think way back when, when i first did this and i was wondering if you think that those first batches are ok to put into the tank now? I am a huge worry wart when it comes to my tanks so thats why they have cured for a while.
 
bronco300

bronco300

Active Member
its been over two months now, i would think so, i thought they said around 8 weeks...so that would be past then.
 
zman1

zman1

Active Member
Thought I would show some pictures of what the rock looks like today. It's been 8 months.
I am fighting a algae problem in the high flow areas. It's 99.9 percent DYI rock, I moved and removed a few rocks from when I first put them in. Seed rock came from my other tank.
Cost for the rock was about $8 per bag Oyster shell, $10? Portland cement, Shells$15 a bag, $9 Sand for molds, $20 Tubs.
Total $115 for about 300 lbs. Rock without fancy molding FREE....
Ingredients
240 (5 fifty lbs bags, a little left in one) lbs Oyster Shells
used about 3/4 90 lbs Portland
30 lbs Puka shells (2 bags whatever their weight was)



 
bellanavis

bellanavis

Active Member
Sorry to bug you, but could you please post again what mixture you use, how you do it, and anything else you can think of? It just gets a little confusing reading all 6 pages of posts. If you have time, it wouldbe much easier for me if you emailed any info youhave to me at BellaNavis@Aol.com, so I could save/print it. Thanks so much, and your rock looks great.
Also, everyone, all of the info and rock is great.
 
bellanavis

bellanavis

Active Member
Your rock looks great also, did you doit the same way as Oceana? I think I saw that picture somewhere before, did you post it on another site?
 
zman1

zman1

Active Member
Originally Posted by BellaNavis
Your rock looks great also, did you doit the same way as Oceana? I think I saw that picture somewhere before, did you post it on another site?
I may have posted under zman90 at the other site. I think I have my mix with pictures on my homepage under DIY rocks. Click my name at top left and choose homepage.
 
tanks alot

tanks alot

Member
i really did not want to read through all 6 pages so i will just ask
what is the best combination for portland cement and shells.
how many cups to make a 30lbs rock
 
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