FWIW when I ripped my tank down and re did all the rock I cut a number of peices of pvc to length just about the same depth as my live sand, I put the pipe on end so the other open end was up and simply put the rock on that. My thoughts were that it would allow sand dwelling life to move under the rock with out causing it to fall AND it took all the sharp points of the glass.

I gather this is aragocrete you are making? If so I would love to hear details of how you did it, I have the cement but just haven't gotten around to trying it yet. I read that if you cure the rock for a few days in open air then give it a vinegar bath and rinse it off, that will usually cure it for use.... any truth to that?

FWIW when I ripped my tank down and re did all the rock I cut a number of peices of pvc to length just about the same depth as my live sand, I put the pipe on end so the other open end was up and simply put the rock on that. My thoughts were that it would allow sand dwelling life to move under the rock with out causing it to fall AND it took all the sharp points of the glass.

I gather this is aragocrete you are making? If so I would love to hear details of how you did it, I have the cement but just haven't gotten around to trying it yet. I read that if you cure the rock for a few days in open air then give it a vinegar bath and rinse it off, that will usually cure it for use.... any truth to that?

When i did my DIY LR a year or so ago it ook about 5-6 weeks of curing to drop the PH to desirable levels. Air curing and a vinegar bath isn't going to do it. This stuff forms a crust in the curing bin for the first 4 weeks.

Clinton

Re: DIY LIVE ROCK
 

Well I plan on keeping it in the bathtub till the ph of the water dosent rise above 8.0. I have heard of people mixing in pasta but I didnt do that and don't feel that it's nessecary. I think many people that are doing the macaroni thing are making their agrocrete out of just sand, which will not be porus at all.

Orchid guy. yes this is agrocrete I am making.
Here is the process I used. If I don't finish the instructions right away I will finish is soon. I am at work :oops:

So I mixed 5 cups of cement powder and a little bit of water in a bucket. mix this till all the lumps are gone. the cement/water should be fairly runny. I then added 17cups of oystershells to the bucket and about 2 to 3 cups of sand to the bucket. So basically 1:5 ratio of cement:substrate.
Mix this very well till all the cement covers the shells. You will probably have to add more water to the mix. I made this mix the consistancy of cottage cheese.

Once it's mixed well I added a layer of sand to the bottom of my plywood mould. I grabed a handful of cement mix at a time and just let it fall through my fingers. This is where the creativity begins. once I was happy with my sculpture I covered it with sand, reason is some of the sand will stick to the wet cement and give the rock a white appearance instead of grey. I find that I have to let these big pieces sit for about 3 days before I move it. Smaller pieces can be moved in about 24 hours or so. I then took a clean paint brush and brushed the sand off and let it sit for another day and then I put it in the fresh water to begin the curing process.

If you are using a container to make caves like I did then it's best and easiest to take the container out after about 8 hours or so .. after 8 hours the cement is still damp and it will be easiest to take it out at that point.

Did i miss anything?

Sounds good, man that is going to be awesome looking.

thanks will start to make some after my trip to FRANCE for the weekend and people say that the army is crappy . ye haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwww .all bills paid for...

:lol: seeya next week...

asmodeus, I spent 5 years in the Navy, a buddy of mine worked in base traffic in Victoria, he would phone me, Flight leaving friday evening for Aussie with a stop over in Hawaii, wanna go? All we had to pay for were our box lunches both ways, so round trip airfare to Hawaii was $6... there are some things I miss about the forces.

Canadian Man, Did you use regular concrete or the white(expensive) stuff?

Just regular stuff. I may have purchsed the white stuff but I got my supplies from a fellow reefer here in Calgary.

I bought the expensive stuff, the stuff Garf recomends,... $25 a bag... Hope it works... lol