Rock Idea

ripil

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hello
i found this on another site and wondered if in theory this would work. ( i find this after spending loads on rock and sourcing from all over i say sourcing i stole alot of it from various friends tanks )

To make your own rocks, you will need Portland cement and play sand. Portland cement is one of the most commonly use types of cement so it shouldn’t be hard to obtain. It consists chiefly of different calcium silicates, but is usually also filled with clinker phases that can contain iron, aluminum and magnesium. Portland cement is considered safe for aquarium use as long as you get your cement from a reputable producer that adheres to the official cement standards. Portland cement is sold as a powder and will turn into a paste when you mix it with water. As the reaction between cement and water progresses further the paste eventually turns into a solid “rock”. Type 3 Portland cement is recommended, but type 1 or type 2 will also work.
1. Wash the play sand. (This step is not mandatory but will yield stronger rocks.)
2. Mix one part Portland cement with four parts play sand. The result should be pasty and you should be able to form balls in your hand. Always use durable rubber glows to prevent alkali burns!
3. Place damp sand in a container and dig out hole of suitable sizes and shapes – you have now created a mold.
4. Drop the cement mixture into the mold and shape it.
5. If you want to form caves, tunnels, holes etcetera, use more damp sand.
6. Leave to rest for at least 24 hours.


i simply share this with you as a question and take no responsibility for any mishaps if you try this. (see ya in court)
 
Yeah, it works. Did it several years ago for use in a reef tank. Had no issues, but would recommend letting it setup about 48-72 hours. Then soak in water for about 2-3 weeks, changing it every day or two. This actually makes the cement stronger and helps lower the alkalinity of the rocks.
 
three questions.
would using coral sand work as well?
if coral sand could work would i get a much better looking colour from it? and i don't suppose you got any pics of the tank set up have you? im going to give this a go at the weekend. im thinking using coral sand would be expensive but worth it if it comes out looking like i think it will.
 
This technique is really only for hard water tanks, as what you're creating will buffer the water a fair amount.

Coral sand would create a much coarser texture of rock, which would crumble a lot more. If you take a look at DIY live rock you'll see that they use aragonite in a similar method.
 
I don't have any pictures, I did this over a decade ago, and had made a switch from hard water fish to South Americans.
Take a look at www.garf.org this is where I got the recipe I used.
 
thanks mate can't find the diy rock thread on here but will check out the site. its for my mbuna set up so they like hard water. if i have a go i'll test the water the rocks are in. tap water here is 7.9 so it might take longer than 3 weeks lol
 
You can speed it up a bit using distilled white vinegar. Just a cup per 5 gallons, will make a big difference.
 
Have you guys tried this for a 3D aquarium background?
 
There was a post somewhere lying around where someone built a 3D background out of polysytrene with this sort of thing as a top coat to get the rock look.
 
This guy made a DIY background outta styrofoam and cement sand mix
 

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