DIY liverock question

[ltkenbo]

I am in the process of making my own liverock using the 3:2:1 parts of crushed oyster shells, rock salt and white portland cement. Anyways, I am using some mixer sand (like sand that is often used for cement mixing) from lowes as a mold bed, you know where I dig out holes and then drop my mixture into there and let it harden. I am very pleased with the results so far (with the exception of my very first batch lol) I have gotten pretty good at making interesting shapes that look good.

Anyways, the only problem is I was wondering if there was a method to keep the sand from sticking to the cement, because after it hardens the surface of the back side has sand stuck to it.

 

[bjohanson1234]

I dont think there is a way, Will it brush off with a stiff bristled brush after the mixture cures?

 

[ltkenbo]

Hmm good idea, I'll try that. I just thought what if I sprayed the molds with pam? Probably a bad idea, or I could just line them with paper maybe??

 

[bjohanson1234]

I think if you lined it with paper, you would lose alot of texture on your rock. As for the pam, I would be worried about the oils getting in the tank.

 

[ltkenbo]

Yeah possibly, of course i will be curing the rock for 2 months, and changing out the water often (about oils). I'll just try the bristle brush.

 

[phuture1]

any pics of those rocks Itkenbo? i've always wanted to try this DIY project.

 

[ltkenbo]

Yeah I'll take some pics tomorrow when its light out again cause right now I have the first batch curing outside in the front yard sitting in a container of water. I'll probably make another batch or two. I'm pretty pleased with the results.

 

[phuture1]

sounds good. looking forward to them.

 

[ltkenbo]

As you can see some of them have sand stuck to them:

 

[bjohanson1234]

Looks good!!!!

Once the coraline grows on it, you wont even notice the sand.

 

[wontonflip]

Nice pieces, kenbo!

I've made my rocks, too. I learned that the ones that I made porous w/ salt are not as strong as ones w/o. So I make some w/o salt, use those as the base, and put the more porous ones on top. So I'll have less chance of an avalanche.

 

[phuture1]

+1 Bj.. those are some nice lookin rocks.

 

[dcantucson]

Great looking rocks! They look heavy???

 

[ltkenbo]

Nope not very heavy at all. Good suggestion wontonflip, I'll do that with the rocks.

 

[dcantucson]

I was thinking of your sand sticking issue and thought what if you lined the sand hole with plastic food wrap? It's thin so you would still get the important texture but it would keep the sand from sticking. Just an idea for you. Don't know if it will work, but...

 

[ltkenbo]

Thanks! I'll try it :-)

 

[Mandarin66]

that container look like mines :D btw nice rocks did you use the cement from lowes? if not where you got it from?

 

[ltkenbo]

No Lowes only had grey portland cement. I got a giant bag of white portland cement (90lbs.) from a company here in Cookeville called "Builders supply company" but I had to drive all the way out to the other side of town to their brick yard to get it cause there is not much demand for it. Paid $20 for the whole bag, more than enough to make live rock for me and for 20 of my friends if I needed too haha.

 

[Firemedic1081]

Its been a while since this thread was started so hopefully you have already figured it out. What if you lined the hole with more oyster shells? Then it wouldn"t really matter if they stuck to it.