DIY liverock

daluminum

daluminum

Member
There is a web page (google search DIY liverock) that explains how to make live rock out our concrete and livesand and some other ingredients. Im thinking about doing this. Not so much to save money on buying live rock.. but mainly so I can sculpy my own live rock and To sell to people who dont want to pay $7 a lb. for live rock. I know that I will have to get rid of lime and other bad chemicals for about 2 months. then about 2 more months for any growth to occur. But I think that by dumping all the algae and exchanged water from my 55g. I should be able to keep this tank nasty enough. I figure I can spend $30 on a tank $20 on conc and play sand. and $25 on LS. and I can get a 40 gal tank with 100lbs of dry rock for under $90. plus I can use a sump for a DSB and not have to have any substrate in the tank other than the DIY liverock. Well I have big ideas for this.. let me know if you have tried it. I want some feedback. Im going to try it regardless. but advice never hurts. PS. I wont put fish in till I test the params. so please dont cry at me about it being unhealty for the fish. THX ~DAnielnull :D
 
daluminum

daluminum

Member
ANY one done this before? I read articles after articles. All stating SOUTHDOWN SAND.. (grrrr cus spit holler.. damn HD) but for some reason I dont have any. but I will get some. somehow. But any other input. Im drawing a plan to include a built in Live rock overflow and return bar. and Hopefully find a way for disguse a few Pheads but still be able to service them. I want to see nothing but rock fish and corals. any input on a DIY project this big will help. anyone think that glass wont support the weight of alot of live rock against it? thx guys. :D
 
tomato clown

tomato clown

Member
For your rock, check into any rock quarries you might have near you. They will sell you rock by the truckload at a good price, and they will be all shapes and sizes with holes riddled throughout.
Dan
 
D

diatom

Guest
Tomato~
Many rocks will contain elements that can leach into your tank and kill your animals. Besides which most aren't very porus and really defeat the purpose of the LR in the first place.
The thought was nice but not a great suggestion.
 
daluminum

daluminum

Member
Im not trying to make the rock because I want cheap rock. Im trying to make it because I want to customize my tank. Make it look more like a view into a cave than a tank. But from what I have read The main contaminant from DIY with concrete is the lime. Lime does disolve and it should take about 2 months for allthe lime to be gone. THe pours can easily be recreated and alot of the bacteria that grows on the rock comes from the LS that you use... LS is the primary element in DIY LR. and this should help to cure and grow bacteria.. ie. 2parts LS 2 parts small gravel and 1 part concrete. I think Im gonna buy a 30 gal and try it.. Ican do it for less than $40 so why not.. If I dont like it I can just sell it on ---- as a "reptile cavern" hahahaha.. . Any other input? :D
 
tomato clown

tomato clown

Member
Diatom,
I was looning into how some of these LR distributors go about doing thier LR, and they get it from quarries. Is it only different because instead of the ocean there is a tank involved? Just wondering, because I thought of doing the same thing when I was looking for LR.
Dan
 
D

diatom

Guest
Dan~
Most LR distributors don't get their rock from quarries, they get it from coral reefs either in the carribean or the pacific. Unless I understand you wrong what to are advocating is getting roch from a quarry down the road...correct me if I'm wrong.
 
daluminum

daluminum

Member
No one gets it down the road.. even fake volcanic rock is not from a quarry. however the rock is just something for the bacteria to attach itself to. the rock could be a pertrified terd.. the bacteria is was makes it "liverock" but I dont sugest the use of feces in your tank. :D :D :D
 
wally

wally

Member
You can also create the things you want to with styrofoam. Then cover it with small pieces of live rock using silicone of epoxy. Take some sand and fill in the areas where the glue is exposed. In a few months when it all is covered with algae (coraline or otherwise) you qon't be able to tell its fake.
Also all of the aquaculture operation is Florida use rocks that are collected on land usually in the Bahamas. This rock however was once formed in the sea.
Limestone that you can get from many sources in the US would also make great rocks. It too was formed in the sea and is really just fossilized corals, shells, and other sea creatures.
 
rhearrel

rhearrel

Member
This has been done before, however, they are a competitor to Saltwaterfish.com. I have bought cleaners from them but not their sculpted rock.
The organization can be found on the web in Boise Idaho. They have a geothermal farm set up to propogate reefs.
Enjoy.
Ray
 
salth2o

salth2o

Member
The geothermal farm in Boise Idaho will actually teach you how to make your own live rock. I highly, highly recommend them. They are a foundation set up to preserve the reefs around the world by teaching you how to propogate corals and create your own live rock. If you can't find them on the web email me @ TLZKAASEN@msn.com
Good Luck ;)
 
davidcanupp

davidcanupp

Member
Hey DAluminum: i don't know if your idea will be a success...but I think it will and I hope so because I think that we would all like to find ways to have beautiful tanks and also keep the ocean live rock safely in the ocean. I love my tank but i also feel bad about pouring money into companies that deplete coral reefs of their ecosystems. I like the idea of making my own rock or buying it from companies that maintain their own farms of rock in special ocean areas. Thanks for the hands-on research, because it will go a long way in making this wonderful hobby more environmentally friendly :)
-David
 
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