DIY base rock...a la Garf

[project5k]

yea, it happens..
i have taken a couple pics of that first batch i made and put in the tank, where it has the purple growing on it, i just need to remember to sit down and download the camera when i get home.

this is the second batch i've made, and they are still in the fresh water cure bins right now, but as soon as i do my next water change, (should be today or the next) then thoes new ones will move from a freshwater soak to a used salt water soak, with heat, and movement, for a couple weeks, then they can go into the tank...

I'm thinking that i may wanna take a hammer to 1 or 2 of these newest rocks, one cause i think some of them may be a bit large, and 2 i'd kinda like to know what they look like on the inside.

the other thought that i had was to make a good stack of these new rocks by drilling through some of them and threading them onto some PVC pipe, to hold them together, and that would let me see the insides of them, if i go that way...

havent decided yet.

 

[project5k]

here's a couple pics of the first batch in the tank, showing some purple growth...

 

[project5k]

ok, so here's what i got done this evening.
I moved the 2nd batch of rocks, from the fresh cure tanks to my water change "trash" water can, and put a pump in there. (the can was still mostely full from last nights water change)

The batch weighed in when first hard at 130 pounds. Now, after taken right from the water and only allowed to drip for 5 min or so, weighs 109 pounds. And let me tell you, theres still lots and lots of water inside these rocks, if they had been left to really dry out, they would probably drop another 10 pounds.

Also, i wanted to know what the inside of one looked like, so i picked a smaller one, and smashed it on the step out front.(thats how i know theres still lots of water inside)
You can really see the inside of the rock, its considerably darker.

I also took a couple pictures of the outter surface, the sandy colored stuff is the crushed florida coral that i sprinkeled on the rocks when the cement was still wet.

oh, and a soda can for size ref.

 

[dcantucson]

Just curious project, why did you make them flatter instead of more round like a grapefruit? I like the texture of them. They will be good homes for lots of critters.

 

[project5k]

to be honest, cause i hadnt thought about it, this is just the shape i ended up with when i made em..

and flatter should stack easier HA!

the surface texture is whats left when the salt disolves... i think it looks pretty cool, and should help when i stack them, (keep them from sliding) i hope.

 

[wontonflip]

Now that my 125g is close to being ready, I'm going to make bigger rocks this week :) Anyone know if the colder weather will slow down the curing process? Guess I'll just have to keep testing the water.

 

[dcantucson]

I don't think it will matter that much unless they freeze.

 

[bjohanson1234]

the curing process is a chemical reaction so it will slow down in colder weather.
If it will be noticable :dunno: just keep checking the water

 

[project5k]

i agree with bj on this one, i believe that the common accepted theory is that as long as its above 40F then the temp dosent seriously effect the chemical reaction of hydration... below 40F its supposed to slow it down some...

i never measured anything with my water.... i just let it soak out for 30 days, changing the water ever 6 hours.. then i let it soak in my trash water from a water change with a heater and pump for a couple weeks, and then i put it in the tank and so far, its worked flawlessly for me...

 

[wontonflip]

I've slacked on this. Anyway, good thing I haven't dumped the rocks into my 125 yet. I had the rocks sitting outside on a table, dry, for the past month or so. And now, I decided to make sure it's fully cured by soaking it in my tub overnight..guess what....PH went up. DOH. So since it's cold, I've taken to curing it in my bathtub. I think it's time to put in a powerhead and heater to hopefully speed things up.

 

[ali1]

nice details went into it

 

[project5k]

if the rocks have been dry for a month then you've gotten about all the chemical reaction your gonna... from here on out its just whatever salt is left inside, and any lime that wasnt used up in the reaction..

oh, and BTW i'd be willing to bet that its the unused lime thats making your water ph go up... i'd scrub the rocks vigerously with a plastic bristeled brush and get the "dusty" coating off them, personally i do this under water, just do i dont have to breathe it... plus it makes it easy to know when i've got a spot clean..

 

[wontonflip]

I'll try that, thanks project.

The ph is just still constantly going up every day. Oh well. Not like I'm rushing to populate it...no heater and lights yet :mrgreen:

 

[project5k]

when you say its going up, where did it start, and where are you now?

 

[wontonflip]

When I first change out the water, it starts at around 7.8 ph...after 24 hours, it's around 8.8 (or higher...my color chart doesn't go past)

So it's clearly not done curing. I just have to be patient and keep up w/ changing the water. I might switch to changing it out twice a day.

 

[project5k]

yea, when i do mine, the water in the bins gets changed 4 times a day for 30 days... i would suggest getting yourself a garden hose timer... the one i have i got from home depot, and i think i gave like 25 or 30 bucks for it. electronic, and totally programmable... i just set it to come on for 5 min at 12 midnight, 6am 12noon 6pm.

in the future, after i get my rodi set up, i'll be doing my cureing in that water.. rather than the tap water i have been using... even tho it didnt seem to matter...

the other thing that i'm seriously looking at doing is building myself a curing table.. basically it'd just be a 2x4 structure, about 2 feey wide, 8 feet long, and maybe a foot deep,(just shy of 120 gallons) fill that with rodi water, and then circulate it, and change a % every so often.. but i would have some mad flow in that table.. i have a 300gpm pump i could use, cept its a cast iron body pump and therefore would defeat the point of the rodi water, so i may just use one of the big harbor freight pumps, like i'm using for my return pump now....

the other great thing about having a flow table is that i can allways use if for rc boat testing and flow studies(all id have to have is some black lights and some flourescent die) hehehe

 

[wontonflip]

LOL.....way to find multiple uses for your water :) I can't do the garden hose timer since I'm curing it a plastic tub in my basement bathtub. It's too cold outside already.

 

[project5k]

so get an adapter and come off the shower head connection, one that goes from the NPT threads to 3/4 garden hose connection, then the timer, then a short hose... tadaaaaa

 

[bwaller76]

ok so one more capt retardo question...I have about 100 lbs of crushed coral...think i could use that in this mix? I am so gonna try this. There has been so much information and now it all comes together looking so simple w00t!

:bowdown::bounce:

 

[bigploch]

I am gonna resurrect this thread. Any updates from people on this? I am thinking about doing this in the spring. I have 2 buckets of small rocks that aren't real useful for aquascaping that I want to use for arches. I am going to use the mix to bond them together. I am going to use a combo of crushed oyster shells, rock salt, white portland cement, and some aragonite.