# DIY Rock



## UnderTheSea (Jun 2, 2008)

Okay, I've had some emails about making your own rock. 

Here is my mixture..

5 parts oyster
1 part portland cement (St. Mary's GU10)
1 part bomix white playsand
1 part water softner salt (pellets)

I crushed the salt as they are larger pellets and was looking to create crevases. Don't just use any old portland mix as some maybe lethal to your tank.

I placed in a food safe bin with RO/DI water and a power head, I changed out 50% of the water about every 5 days. I did this for about 6 weeks. I've had pretty good success with DIY Rock while others have not. Some can never stabilize their water parameters and believe the source to be the DIY Rock. I had coraline grow quicker on them then on rock I purchased from a fellow reefer.








Oyster Shells and Portland Cement








Windsor Salt








Formation








Formation








Picture taken around Christmas








Picture taken just after filling up my tank

Hope this helps all that sent me emails.


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## findingnemo (May 23, 2008)

Hehe I think its pretty obvious i was one of those emailers    

Thanks for opening up a thread.

Where in GTA can I buy those ingredients?


So I would mix them all together like it was cement and then "form the shape" that i want?

Wait for it to dry completely and then put it in salt, or form the shape and then put it in salt before it dries and then let it dry completely?

Also making the rock out of that mix will make the rock not as porous right? So the water wont flow through it as much as say.. Fiji LR?


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## UnderTheSea (Jun 2, 2008)

Where in GTA can I buy those ingredients?

HD or Rona for Cement, Bomix White Playsand is only available at certain Rona's, Oyster shells - check yellow pages for co-op's in the area, I use the Orono Co-Op and softner salt is available at HD or Rona as well

So I would mix them all together like it was cement and then "form the shape" that i want?

I dig out a shape in the sand and place it in there. You don't want a runny consistency, more like play-do

Wait for it to dry completely and then put it in salt, or form the shape and then put it in salt before it dries and then let it dry completely?

I wouldn't use the salt as your mold, use the playsand, make sure it is silica free though or you can use aragonite or anything marine safe

Also making the rock out of that mix will make the rock not as porous right? So the water wont flow through it as much as say.. Fiji LR?

You are correct that it won't be as porous, the key is to try everything possible to make it that way. Use very fine pcs of wire and stab the rock several times, the more surface area you create the better bacteria growth will occur.


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## UnderTheSea (Jun 2, 2008)

Here are some other good links I've used...
http://www.garf.org/_2008/table1/index.htm

Here are some other shapes to give you some ideas
http://www.garf.org/WOMEN/WOMEN4/index.html


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## findingnemo (May 23, 2008)

Ok and what is the ratio of real LR with this personmade rock that I should get.

And since its like probably a different weight, how do I know how much of it I need?


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## UnderTheSea (Jun 2, 2008)

findingnemo said:


> Ok and what is the ratio of real LR with this personmade rock that I should get.
> 
> And since its like probably a different weight, how do I know how much of it I need?


That is one thing that has confused me about this hobby, you pay for the rock per pound or you measure how much you need by pound. Most will tell you as a rule of thumb 10-20% Max can be base rock, I sort of inverted that and 10-20% is Miyaki rock.

What size of sump are you going with? If you are going with around a 60 - 80g sump and be able to pack live rock rubble and a dsb in there you should be fine with at minimum 100lbs and that all doesn't have to be in your DT. I really don't like the looks of tanks that are just packed with LR and as such I've got 2 compartments in my sump full of LR.


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## findingnemo (May 23, 2008)

My sump is going to be 30G

What is dsb?


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Thats fantastic!


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

Your tank looks great can you put up a bigger pic. Pat


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## UnderTheSea (Jun 2, 2008)

findingnemo said:


> My sump is going to be 30G
> 
> What is dsb?


Deep Sand Bed (Coarser grade subtrate and more than 3" deep)


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## findingnemo (May 23, 2008)

Thanks, 

Ok in your pic you have like about 5 LR (maybe more in your sump) and like 13selfmade ones.

I noticed your rocks are now very purple and very nice , So from my understanding you have to cure them together?

I went to the other aquarium stores and noticed their rocks are not as purple as yours. Is there a specific LR you use that allows it to be so purple, and how long does it take to spread to the selfmade rocks?


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## UnderTheSea (Jun 2, 2008)

You do not cure the LR with the DIY rock. You cure the DIY until your PH is down to a reasonable level. The coraline growth is a good indicator of your parameters (calcium, magnesium etc). With store bought LR, there is a lot of die off and depending on shipping methods part of the die off is coraline. There is nothing special with my rocks or the LR I purchased. The only thing I do is drip Kalkwasser once a month or more depending on my Ca levels.


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## findingnemo (May 23, 2008)

Alright so i guess this weekend Ill go and pick up the supplies to make the rocks


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## UnderTheSea (Jun 2, 2008)

pat3612 said:


> Your tank looks great can you put up a bigger pic. Pat


Are these big enough for you? 

I've added more pics to my gallery, here is one I took this morning.














Don't have time to play around with stitching right now.


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## findingnemo (May 23, 2008)

left you a pm buddy.


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## findingnemo (May 23, 2008)

Just an update, 

Rona has the cement, couldnt find the sand so ill go with the LFS sand.

Can't find anywhere near my area that sells crushed oyster shells. Unless I drive 1.5 horus to get some where you got it from.


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## findingnemo (May 23, 2008)

Update.

Here are some pics of my DIY ROCK. I made 4 so far, they are curing in a little backyard pond thingy.

http://img77.imageshack.us/img77/9717/dsc06066cv7.jpg



http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/5303/dsc06062sf6.jpg


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