DIY Live Rocks
- Thread starter hckycoz
- Start date
tankgirl1
Member
why wouldnt clay work?? i'm not talking about straight clay, i mean hard fired clay...and could even put a clear coat glaze over it.
I would think that putting a "glazed" piece of clay in a tank would be an extremely bad idea!! It seems that the glaze, though not water solluble, will over time break down -- especially with the salicity and acidity (higher pH) of a saltwater tank. However, I have seen MANY people use terra-cota (the plain redish-brown flower pots that everyone has...Wal-Mart sells them for like $.99) pots in their tanks...so I cannot see why it is a bad idea. Even my highly reputable LFS uses terra-cota pots as hiding places for their fish in most of their tanks. I beleive that over time the terra-cota substrate breaks down and becomes weak, but aside from that I cannot see a problem (but I am not the expert).
I have also seen lots of PVC tubing in tanks AND in rocks! My LFS has a rock that they made with a pvc pipe through it for their morays to hide in. Very cool looking, and placed in a large tank under lots of smaller rocks you can actually see right through it (so no worries about the fishies hiding), and with vegitation and color growth all over the rock and LS inside the bottom portion, you actually cannot see the PVC tube that is inside. Very cool looking cave/hide-out for your fish. :happyfish
I would think that putting a "glazed" piece of clay in a tank would be an extremely bad idea!! It seems that the glaze, though not water solluble, will over time break down -- especially with the salicity and acidity (higher pH) of a saltwater tank. However, I have seen MANY people use terra-cota (the plain redish-brown flower pots that everyone has...Wal-Mart sells them for like $.99) pots in their tanks...so I cannot see why it is a bad idea. Even my highly reputable LFS uses terra-cota pots as hiding places for their fish in most of their tanks. I beleive that over time the terra-cota substrate breaks down and becomes weak, but aside from that I cannot see a problem (but I am not the expert).
I have also seen lots of PVC tubing in tanks AND in rocks! My LFS has a rock that they made with a pvc pipe through it for their morays to hide in. Very cool looking, and placed in a large tank under lots of smaller rocks you can actually see right through it (so no worries about the fishies hiding), and with vegitation and color growth all over the rock and LS inside the bottom portion, you actually cannot see the PVC tube that is inside. Very cool looking cave/hide-out for your fish. :happyfish
thegrog
Active Member
Originally Posted by Bronco300
well, i put my three rocks in the pool to start curing.....when do i know it is ready? why the pH levels off? i have a 40G tub, an airwand, and a 300gph powerhead...think thatll be good enough?
Luke P
You got it setup right.
They are ready when your pH stays below 8.3 for 5 days after a water change. Then soak for a week in salt water, and the pH should stay below 8.3 for 5 days as well. If it rises, then do another SW change and watch the pH. Once it stays stable, you are good to go!
Perhaps a bit conservative/cautious on the timing, but I don't like taking risks with my tank!
well, i put my three rocks in the pool to start curing.....when do i know it is ready? why the pH levels off? i have a 40G tub, an airwand, and a 300gph powerhead...think thatll be good enough?
Luke P
You got it setup right.
They are ready when your pH stays below 8.3 for 5 days after a water change. Then soak for a week in salt water, and the pH should stay below 8.3 for 5 days as well. If it rises, then do another SW change and watch the pH. Once it stays stable, you are good to go!
Perhaps a bit conservative/cautious on the timing, but I don't like taking risks with my tank!
crashedin0
Member
crushed oysters should be powder or bits and chunks ?
and can a little bio wheel and the filtering or do i gotta go all out on this?
and can a little bio wheel and the filtering or do i gotta go all out on this?
bronco300
Active Member
well, i did batches 4-5-6...i had to used the coral again because the feed store still hasnt gotten in my oyster shells...but here is a picture of em, forgot to take one of the third rock...but they are not quite as wet this time, or i dont think so at least...
Also, i went and looked at my tube of rocks curing, and there was a layer of bubbles on top of the water...does this happen to everyone?????? i switched out the water, but i didnt know if it was because of the PH, or because my spaghetti...or whatever.
I also think if you are going to use a pasta, bigger round ones would prolly work best...i'm gettin kinda worried the spaghetti is gonna be a pain to get out if it doesnt disolve...but we;ll see, its only been a couple days now.
Also, i went and looked at my tube of rocks curing, and there was a layer of bubbles on top of the water...does this happen to everyone?????? i switched out the water, but i didnt know if it was because of the PH, or because my spaghetti...or whatever.
I also think if you are going to use a pasta, bigger round ones would prolly work best...i'm gettin kinda worried the spaghetti is gonna be a pain to get out if it doesnt disolve...but we;ll see, its only been a couple days now.
bronco300
Active Member
today i worked with my rocks that i just made...so happens, if you do it right, the spaghetti will just pull right out...unless you do crazy ways with it...but if its long enough to get a grip on and goes straight through, it should pull out like butter...or at least mine did...there are some that did not yet..but i thought it could be because it wasnt as wet as the others i was able to pull out...i also bought some pasta, rigatoni and manicotti...the riga is 1-2" long and about 1/2" diameter...the mani is about 5" long and 1" diameter...i have been putting pieces together with the aquarium silicone...here are some pictures., the first is of the pasta parts i started putting together, and the second what i end up with so far..i'll just lay it on the layer of cement, put in the pasta, add another layer of cement..and boom...hole city, lol. How much rock can i put in about 30 gallons of water to cure? is there a ratio of rock lb to water?
oceana
Active Member
haha wow that is one crazy looking way to make rock. looks more like dinner lol.
sand and portland has always worked for us.
here are some progress pic of a rock we made for a nano tank. all one peice.
then some pics of our tank right after making much of the rocks in it. there are lots of natural live orck but i circled the largest home made ones. then i ut a currrent tank pic after a few years of growth
sand and portland has always worked for us.
here are some progress pic of a rock we made for a nano tank. all one peice.
then some pics of our tank right after making much of the rocks in it. there are lots of natural live orck but i circled the largest home made ones. then i ut a currrent tank pic after a few years of growth
