Acrylic paint should be safe once dried. You could maybe even add it to the cement aragonite mix while wet before it's poured. Might be worth an experiment.
Thanks for the videos on making live rock. I followed the instructions and made a great15kg piece. However I skipped the bucket part for 8 weeks and placed the rock in the local river for 1 week where the flow rate is 45,360,000 litres per week passing through the rock (quick calculation). The rock salt all devolved and it’s now hollow. Then two weeks in a salt water bath with some live rock. Now it’s looking great in the marine tank and the fish like it. I recommend the river as it speeds up the process by 7 weeks.
When you cure the rock it actually releases caustic contained in the cement, not acidic. No need pumps, nor air at all. pH should be at least about 8.3 at the end. Normally after 60 days changing 100% of the fresh water, at least every 2 or 3 days. The shape of your rock is very nice. Good job!
I see this video is 5 years old. Curious as to how the cement has held up in salt water. I wanted to do this but many people are saying salt water will break down the cement and cause it to crumble in just a few years. Any insight on this would be greatly appreciated.
My tank is not up and running yet but I have been curing the rock in fresh water for 5 or 6 weeks. The pH is still high but can I add this to an aquarium with no livestock? Will the high pH affect the pump, equipment, etc?
Hey bud did you have any issues with the PVC primer peeling off? Should I have let it dry overnight? I put it into a small aquarium with a pump to cycle and the water jet blew some of the primer off.
Hi! Great video!! I tried it and got some really cool looking pieces! But I'm not sure how to know when exactly it is ready. I've had in in a bucket of freshwater with regular water changes for over a month now. The pH is still higher than my tank pH. Is it safe to add?
I'd like to get your thoughts...i bought a 9 gallon cylinder tank with a center filtering system...the idea is 360° viewing. I was going to try to mold a single piece of rock to go around the filtration system. It would look like a 360° reef wall. The fish could swim around the outside and the bubbles and filtration would pass through the center. What do you think, can it be done?
I'm not aware of that being an issue. My understanding is that the curing process is intended to strip silicates and leaching material from the rock prior to use. I've used this rock in a heavily stocked reef for years with no noticeable issues. I'm willing to learn from everyone's input though about it.
Aquatic Oasis any long term issues? Back in the day, people told us not to use regular play sand as the substrate in our reef tank, some of use wanted to use play sand instead of actual live sand, but was told the silicates are bad for the corals, and play sand will leach it and eventually kill the corals. I myself don’t know cuss I’ve never tried it. Only thing I’ve done is buy small pieces of live rock/real reef rock and built structures out of it with the mortar they sell that’s safe for our reef tanks. It’s called emaco. And that’s how I build structures, small rocks stuck together with emaco.
great diy project man if only i had seen this 2 days ago lol i might have missed it but have you had any issues with these self made rocks long term? do they seem to hold up or anything? also will this add chems to your tank when you break chunks off ( if you were removing a stuck coral etc and have to chisel a piece off )
you can do yes. I do it in my rock manufacturing as long as it is done while you mix the cement and my purples coralline rocks of which we have made tons of has been going well for more than 6 years when i started making rock
A little late in the game. But how long does the rock salt and water softener chunks take to dissolve out okf the rock you have made or do they stay in the rock??? Getting ready to make some rock. Bought a 4cu-ft mixer so I can make a bunch.... small batches though.. I have 2- 500 gallon tanks in my future..
I made my own rock back 2014. The salt doesn't too long to dissolve out but, the curing process takes longer because, the ph bounces around for awhile.
How do I Make a Live Rock for a Peacock Mantis Shrimp with Lots of Caves and hideouts, Would Himalayan Salt Stones work the best? I just don't want to use PVC pipe to make their hideout
@@AquaticOasis the concrete rocks i make works well in cichlids tank and marine.And putting smaller amounts in soft water tanks never been an issue but diy rocks does harden water even after months in curing
I have a brackish tank, you mentioned needing an ammonia sorce for saltwater cure with added live rock, I think if I did a water change on my brackish tank, I could use the aged brackish water to make my salt water with Instant ocean marine seasalt to 1.025 should contain enough ammonia to cure reef rock,
Follow the same process, minus the final saltwater inoculation. The salt used in the cement mix is just to make the rock porous, and it does this by dissolving out during the washing process.
Buy reef rubble (the little chunks of live rock) sprinkle that over the base rock and it will colonize the bacteria and algaes that we want. I Wish garfdotorg still had their site up.
I would be concerned about mineral elements in play sand that are harmful to a reef! I've read before there can be some elements that are toxic to a reef & fish! I would love the ability to create shapes I want. I think a lot of caves, holes & shelves are cool & I love watching fish swim around & through them. Shelves would allow variations in lighting for low level corals that like lower light when place under the shelves. The top of the shelves are great for clams & corals that want higher light levels.
just use aragonite and coral sands instead of play sand. I've done it many times. This was all developed by Geothermal Aquaculture Research Foundation.
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Was a lot more fun making it than buying it awesome video thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Came out really dope.
So glad to hear it!!!
Gonna give it a try this week. Super excited to make some cool rocks. Gonna save so much money!! Fantastic videos by the way. Nice work.
Very Impressive. Nice Work!
Nice vid man! Thinking about making some rock for my tank. Good work
Thanks for the content, looking forward to seeing my first efforts in marine fishkeeping with my own rock. Much appreciated!
Wow, I can't believe it worked. Awesome! Who would have thought!
Erika Gregersen i love you
Awesome! Thanks ! This IS just crazy!
Enjoy it! I did start using reef aragonite sand. It's just a much cleaner, better reef material without potential silicate leaching.
Awesome how well this turns out!
Is there any alternative if we don't have a pcv purple primer? Im not sure if that's available in my country especially in our town Cebu city.
You don't have to color the rock.
With time coraline will color the rock natural
Just don't use the primer. It will naturally change color in the tank anyways
Acrylic paint should be safe once dried. You could maybe even add it to the cement aragonite mix while wet before it's poured. Might be worth an experiment.
Thanks!!!!!!😎
It looks great! Love it.
Thanks for the videos on making live rock.
I followed the instructions and made a great15kg piece.
However I skipped the bucket part for 8 weeks and placed the rock in the local river for 1 week where the flow rate is 45,360,000 litres per week passing through the rock (quick calculation). The rock salt all devolved and it’s now hollow. Then two weeks in a salt water bath with some live rock. Now it’s looking great in the marine tank and the fish like it.
I recommend the river as it speeds up the process by 7 weeks.
Ok, so for my fresh water aquarium, I wouldn’t need the last part would I? Really loved your videos!❤️🇦🇺
You'd still want to cure it
Very informative
very helpful.hi from Greece
Have fun. It makes for some creative outlets
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When you cure the rock it actually releases caustic contained in the cement, not acidic.
No need pumps, nor air at all.
pH should be at least about 8.3 at the end.
Normally after 60 days changing 100% of the fresh water, at least every 2 or 3 days.
The shape of your rock is very nice. Good job!
and adding vinegar to the water will speed up the process.
@@dustintinsley3899 I don't recommend adding any type of acid in any amount. Been doing this for a long time...
awesome work,,, really love it
Thank you. I hope it works out for you if you decide to give it a go!
I see this video is 5 years old. Curious as to how the cement has held up in salt water. I wanted to do this but many people are saying salt water will break down the cement and cause it to crumble in just a few years.
Any insight on this would be greatly appreciated.
Works great even now
I’m curious about the PVC primer for dying the rock, is it safe?
My tank is not up and running yet but I have been curing the rock in fresh water for 5 or 6 weeks. The pH is still high but can I add this to an aquarium with no livestock? Will the high pH affect the pump, equipment, etc?
It shouldn't
I have a question. If it's made of cement, will there be an issue with silicates? Will this material undergo chemical reactions with seawater?
Which Portland cement did you use,
can i use other ways to color it?like iron oxide pigment or acrylic paints?
I wouldn't suggest it
Hey bud did you have any issues with the PVC primer peeling off? Should I have let it dry overnight? I put it into a small aquarium with a pump to cycle and the water jet blew some of the primer off.
It shouldn't come off, but honestly, it's just short-term appearance anyways
Hi! Great video!! I tried it and got some really cool looking pieces! But I'm not sure how to know when exactly it is ready. I've had in in a bucket of freshwater with regular water changes for over a month now. The pH is still higher than my tank pH. Is it safe to add?
I'd like to get your thoughts...i bought a 9 gallon cylinder tank with a center filtering system...the idea is 360° viewing. I was going to try to mold a single piece of rock to go around the filtration system. It would look like a 360° reef wall. The fish could swim around the outside and the bubbles and filtration would pass through the center. What do you think, can it be done?
Yes. I've seen them before
However the bubbles are a bad idea in a reef tank. You want water circulation, not bubbles.
What about all the silica in the sand and cement????its not made out of calcium so has no ph buffing if filled whole tank with it...or am I wrong?
I was wondering the same about the silica?
do it with just aragonite sand and Portland no sand or shells
I'm not aware of that being an issue. My understanding is that the curing process is intended to strip silicates and leaching material from the rock prior to use. I've used this rock in a heavily stocked reef for years with no noticeable issues. I'm willing to learn from everyone's input though about it.
Aquatic Oasis any long term issues?
Back in the day, people told us not to use regular play sand as the substrate in our reef tank, some of use wanted to use play sand instead of actual live sand, but was told the silicates are bad for the corals, and play sand will leach it and eventually kill the corals. I myself don’t know cuss I’ve never tried it. Only thing I’ve done is buy small pieces of live rock/real reef rock and built structures out of it with the mortar they sell that’s safe for our reef tanks. It’s called emaco. And that’s how I build structures, small rocks stuck together with emaco.
Crushed shells or aragonite are made of calcium carbonate, silica won't be a problem as they don't react at the high ph of the marine water
Does curing just mean drying or hardening?
Yes as well as pulling out any unnecessary lime that is in the rock from the cement.
great diy project man if only i had seen this 2 days ago lol
i might have missed it but have you had any issues with these self made rocks long term? do they seem to hold up or anything? also will this add chems to your tank when you break chunks off ( if you were removing a stuck coral etc and have to chisel a piece off )
Nothing that I have ever noticed. I did have high tin at one point, but I don't think that was from the rock.
What could you add to make it lighter?
Could we grow succulents and cactus in this rock. Please reply.
I think so
Good video. About the PVC primer, applying it to the rock do you need a certain time to let it dry before it’s okay for a reef tank?
Id say at least a day if left in a good place to dry.
Can you color the concrete with pigment, and it be safe for the saltwater tank?
you can do yes. I do it in my rock manufacturing as long as it is done while you mix the cement and my purples coralline rocks of which we have made tons of has been going well for more than 6 years when i started making rock
A little late in the game. But how long does the rock salt and water softener chunks take to dissolve out okf the rock you have made or do they stay in the rock??? Getting ready to make some rock. Bought a 4cu-ft mixer so I can make a bunch.... small batches though.. I have 2- 500 gallon tanks in my future..
I made my own rock back 2014. The salt doesn't too long to dissolve out but, the curing process takes longer because, the ph bounces around for awhile.
How about curing the rock in a flowing creek, and then "seed" it with live sand?
Should work well
How do I Make a Live Rock for a Peacock Mantis Shrimp with Lots of Caves and hideouts, Would Himalayan Salt Stones work the best? I just don't want to use PVC pipe to make their hideout
Finally got around to making some rocks! Poured them today. They are small maybe 7 in long and 3 in wide. What do you think for drying about 3 days?
Do you by chance of a fish safe adhesive that could join these type of rocks together?? Thanks!!
@@cooljz82 Instant Ocean hold fast. It's a 2 part epoxy.
@@scotty2salty327 Awesome!!! Thanks for reply!!!👍👍
How about water down acrylic paints, did you or anyone else tried it?
I don't think I would try any paints as they will break down and enter your system
@@AquaticOasis Thanks for your advice.
Does this rock work as a filter in aquariums like normal live rock?
Can we use pumice or simple mountain rock in reef tank after curing?
No you cannot
Pumice maybe? Has to be super clean grade though. Seachem matrix is pumice stone
I have a huge pumice rock in my reef and I have no issues
Is this able to go into a fresh water tank?
I'm sure it would be able to without issue
@@AquaticOasis the concrete rocks i make works well in cichlids tank and marine.And putting smaller amounts in soft water tanks never been an issue but diy rocks does harden water even after months in curing
what is the use of the salt ?
I have a brackish tank, you mentioned needing an ammonia sorce for saltwater cure with added live rock, I think if I did a water change on my brackish tank, I could use the aged brackish water to make my salt water with Instant ocean marine seasalt to 1.025 should contain enough ammonia to cure reef rock,
I would still add additional ammonia, but used water would help
Should you cure it in R/O ? Or straight tap water?
Tap water is fine. I would reserve ro for your tank husbandry.
I would love to have an update on how it this doing, anything leaching out in the water ?
I would love an update too!!
No issues
do u have list of material needed
Can we use red salt... This red salt comes from mines in Pakistan
Yep
what type of salt do i use does it have to be aquarium salt?
Ant large grain/pellet salt
The PVC primer is toxic?
It is while it's wet. I think what is happening is the pvc primer evaporates away, and the purple component is just a pigment that is left behind.
IS THE SALT NECESSARY FOR A FRESHWATER TANK ? WHAT OTHER CHANGES WOULD YOU MAKE TO THIS OR TO MAKE EASIER FOR A FRESHWATER APPLICATION ?
Follow the same process, minus the final saltwater inoculation. The salt used in the cement mix is just to make the rock porous, and it does this by dissolving out during the washing process.
Buy reef rubble (the little chunks of live rock) sprinkle that over the base rock and it will colonize the bacteria and algaes that we want. I Wish garfdotorg still had their site up.
I put the rocks in a bucket with fresh water and the pvc primer turns the water purple , someone knows how to fix it?
Make sure the pvc primer is completely dry first. Personally, I wouldn't bother with using pvc primer to color the rock.
@@nefariousyawn what would you use?
I would be concerned about mineral elements in play sand that are harmful to a reef! I've read before there can be some elements that are toxic to a reef & fish!
I would love the ability to create shapes I want. I think a lot of caves, holes & shelves are cool & I love watching fish swim around & through them. Shelves would allow variations in lighting for low level corals that like lower light when place under the shelves. The top of the shelves are great for clams & corals that want higher light levels.
just use aragonite and coral sands instead of play sand. I've done it many times. This was all developed by Geothermal Aquaculture Research Foundation.
Cant I just go to my beach and take some rocks out of the water?
Yes you can if you have that access and your local government allows the collection.
Be careful doing that though. You can bring ocean parasites into your tank.
You made a Dino fossil head.
I love it