DIY Live Rocks
- Thread starter hckycoz
- Start date
bellanavis
Active Member
I just made 12 more rocks, this is so fun! I can't wait to put them in the tank. I know, they have to cure first, 2 of them have been curing for a week now, but still a long way to go. I love making the rock, I get to make any shape I want.
bellanavis
Active Member
Here are some of the rock I just made tonight, there are 8, that I just shaped on a large contractors trash bag, on my kitchen floor. I wanted the bottom of these rocks flat, I have a 380 gallon and a 40 gallon tank that I am making rock for, and these are some that will go on the bottom of the tank, thats why I made the bottom flat. The others I can't get pictures of, because I molded them in sand, but I wll keep updating as I pull them from the sand. Does anyone else have an update on their rock?
bellanavis
Active Member
Some more
bellanavis
Active Member
These pictures do not due the rocks justice, they are really neat, with little caves, and what not, and the one, has a huge cave, almosr like its hollow, but its still really thick.
copernicus45
Member
Here are some pics of the rocks i made a few years ago, i made them when my screen name was New_noob
Thats what they looked like in the tank
and this is what it looks like now
Thats what they looked like in the tank
and this is what it looks like now
bellanavis
Active Member
Very nice, and thanks. Those rocks are just another example of how the good ALGE WILL grow on them.
bellanavis
Active Member
Can I ask everyone a question, I know, its already been answered, but sorry. How long did you soak your DIY rock in freshwater? I used the portland cement, the quickrite play sand, and cc, and I was wondering how long I should soak them for? Thanks!!!!
:thinking: :notsure:
:thinking: :notsure:
copernicus45
Member
I kept my rocks in a big rubbermaid tub and had my RO/DI waste water running to that and i let them cure 2 months.
bellanavis
Active Member
Ok, thanks for your answer, anyone else?
maelv
Active Member
Originally Posted by BellaNavis
I just made 12 more rocks, this is so fun! I can't wait to put them in the tank. I know, they have to cure first, 2 of them have been curing for a week now, but still a long way to go. I love making the rock, I get to make any shape I want.
I agree it was a pretty fun making it myself. I made two bigger peices one that will go against my left side of the tank...flush with the side of the glass...pretty big peice, don't hav a scale, but it had to have weighed a good 30 - 35 lbs. I think that in an effort to save the money....I will make the larger peices myself. The wife says she wants less rock and more swimming room and more fishes...we're still "debating" that....But in a 125, I will have about 150 - 175 lbs....not the original amount of 250 that I wanted.
But in my 42 gallon, I currently have abot 45 - 50 lbs of live rock doing its thing so when Veeje (velez made fiji...
) rock is ready, I will have others to seed it.
I just made 12 more rocks, this is so fun! I can't wait to put them in the tank. I know, they have to cure first, 2 of them have been curing for a week now, but still a long way to go. I love making the rock, I get to make any shape I want.
I agree it was a pretty fun making it myself. I made two bigger peices one that will go against my left side of the tank...flush with the side of the glass...pretty big peice, don't hav a scale, but it had to have weighed a good 30 - 35 lbs. I think that in an effort to save the money....I will make the larger peices myself. The wife says she wants less rock and more swimming room and more fishes...we're still "debating" that....But in a 125, I will have about 150 - 175 lbs....not the original amount of 250 that I wanted.
But in my 42 gallon, I currently have abot 45 - 50 lbs of live rock doing its thing so when Veeje (velez made fiji...
bellanavis
Active Member
Thanks Zman. Do you have any pictures of your rock malve?
maelv
Active Member
Originally Posted by BellaNavis
Thanks Zman. Do you have any pictures of your rock malve?
Not right now Bella when I go to the do the water change here in the next couple of days, I will make sure that I pull out the rocks and take pictures of them.....and right now I am so heated...
...I made this other big peice and I broke it...tying to put a cave into it....well a smaller peice broke off, not the whole thing.
Thanks Zman. Do you have any pictures of your rock malve?
Not right now Bella when I go to the do the water change here in the next couple of days, I will make sure that I pull out the rocks and take pictures of them.....and right now I am so heated...
...I made this other big peice and I broke it...tying to put a cave into it....well a smaller peice broke off, not the whole thing.
bellanavis
Active Member
I am sure I will break some too, and I bet it will tick me off also, lol.... Sorry to hear that. Yeah, post some pictures, and please post how long its been curing when you do, PLEASE? I know I am being a pain in the butt, but this post already has helped me so much, I think it will help people even more if we show what it looks like step by step.
maelv
Active Member
Will do bella, but I just stareted curing sunday on the bigger peice and today with my broken peice....so you're about a week ahead of me...but I will post. What surprised me most so far in the first batch is how....it was a real dark gray...when i first rinsed it off but in the two days, it has become really light...liek zman had said,....don't sweat it. I think this weekend, I will go ahead and make a bunch of smaller peices and place it in my large cooler to cure...
maelv
Active Member
Okay...a newbie question on the "curing process"....I have read and I know it takes about 8 weeks to lower the PH, with a heater, water flow, and water changes. Here is my question.....
If I am establishing a new tank, could all this be done from inside there while I am cycling the tank? Or should I keep them in the tubs until this process is completed?
Thanks
If I am establishing a new tank, could all this be done from inside there while I am cycling the tank? Or should I keep them in the tubs until this process is completed?
Thanks
bellanavis
Active Member
Maelv, I noticed that the color got lighter also, which is cool, I did not mind it darker, but lighter looks more like LR. I hope someone answers your question, because its a good one. Someone who knows more then me!!!!!
zman1
Active Member
maelv
For the pH cure you don't need a heater. I would not cure new DIY rock in a new tank. There was a lot of scum and build up in my AG tank I used to cure with. It took awhile to scrub it out before using it as a system sump later.
For the live rock you bought, sure you can put that in the new tank (no inhabitants) and use a heater now. Just make sure you scrub off the dead and loose debris before putting it in.
For the pH cure you don't need a heater. I would not cure new DIY rock in a new tank. There was a lot of scum and build up in my AG tank I used to cure with. It took awhile to scrub it out before using it as a system sump later.
For the live rock you bought, sure you can put that in the new tank (no inhabitants) and use a heater now. Just make sure you scrub off the dead and loose debris before putting it in.