vayapues
Member
Below is a picture of my first attempt at making aragacrete:
I used 50 lbs Portland cement
150 lbs araganite
25 lbs rock salt
25 lbs salt pellets (for water softener)
I let it cure for 4 days on my back patio. I then washed it with a hose, and carefully placed it in my newly setup 120 g tank. This nearly did me in. The large piece you see in the pic weighs about 125 lbs. I had to lift it higher than my head, and then gently set it down. For some of you, that would probably be easy, but I am out o shape.
For the next 60-90 days, I will be doing a 100% water change every three or four days, as the aragacrete cures. This is very important, because the first two months or so, as the concrete cures, it raises the ph above 9. If this were an established tank, I would cure the rock in a plastic bin, outside. But since there is currently nothing in the tank, I opted to just cure it in there.
Once it is cured, and my ph tests at a decent level, I will cycle, and add some life to it.
One thing that I did notice, that blew me away, is how porous the aragacrete is.
I can literally pour a cup of water right through it, and it comes out almost instantly on the other side. Yet it is strong enough for me to life 125 lbs of it holding it by a single arch, as I wrestle it into a tank.
That translates into a lot of room for my bio filter.
BTW, I made too much. If anyone wants it, I will send to you for free. You pay shipping of course. The pieces i have left are all just rocks, except for one arch. They are all about the size of a dinner plate, except for one larger piece. If you want them, let me know, and I will take pics and post.
Just make sure you cure them for two months before placing into an existing reef.
I used 50 lbs Portland cement
150 lbs araganite
25 lbs rock salt
25 lbs salt pellets (for water softener)
I let it cure for 4 days on my back patio. I then washed it with a hose, and carefully placed it in my newly setup 120 g tank. This nearly did me in. The large piece you see in the pic weighs about 125 lbs. I had to lift it higher than my head, and then gently set it down. For some of you, that would probably be easy, but I am out o shape.
For the next 60-90 days, I will be doing a 100% water change every three or four days, as the aragacrete cures. This is very important, because the first two months or so, as the concrete cures, it raises the ph above 9. If this were an established tank, I would cure the rock in a plastic bin, outside. But since there is currently nothing in the tank, I opted to just cure it in there.
Once it is cured, and my ph tests at a decent level, I will cycle, and add some life to it.
One thing that I did notice, that blew me away, is how porous the aragacrete is.
That translates into a lot of room for my bio filter.
BTW, I made too much. If anyone wants it, I will send to you for free. You pay shipping of course. The pieces i have left are all just rocks, except for one arch. They are all about the size of a dinner plate, except for one larger piece. If you want them, let me know, and I will take pics and post.
Just make sure you cure them for two months before placing into an existing reef.
