And so my liverock project begins!

[Dallas]

I just picked up the cement, oyster shell, and sand to start my homeade liverock, I will post on my updated and hopefully with pictures.:King:

[Dallas]

UPDATE: Alright, a large triangular table and a small boomarang shaped branch are in the mold, I will post pictures when they come out:dude:

[sphelps]

I think the best rock comes from mostly the cement and "rock salt". It makes a really porus rock which is the most important part.

[sphelps]

and remember to cure that rock, the cement has a PH of 12+ so you'll have to soak it in fresh water for a few weeks or even months changing the water as much as possible. Once the PH of the water settles close to 7 you're good.

Using your toilet tank can help, also people have used different types of acids to speed the process, probably vinager is the best.

[Dallas]

Yah i know, it sais six weeks on everything iv read, or just until the PH is safe for the tank, im gonna try to pull em out of the mold later so youll all get to see how the first big rock turned out.

[Dallas]

UPDATE: The left tabletop and a small boomerang type arch are dry and out of the mold successfully, the right tabletop and a large cave are now in the mold, I will post pictures as soon as I get a hold of my buddies camera. hopefully later tonight. Heres a word of advice, When attemping to mix the mold, where rubber gloves, after a hour of mixing oyster shells cuz you and it hurts.:thumbup:

[tcharger67]

if you rinse it with your garbage salt water that you take from your water changes, it contains nitrate and will begin the denitrating process in the rock, as well as it has free floating organisms in it, and works really well for getting your rock to the condition of the display tank its eventually going to be added too, plus the water is going in the garbage anyways, why not it sit cure your rock first.

[sphelps]

if you rinse it with your garbage salt water that you take from your water changes, it contains nitrate and will begin the denitrating process in the rock, as well as it has free floating organisms in it, and works really well for getting your rock to the condition of the display tank its eventually going to be added too, plus the water is going in the garbage anyways, why not it sit cure your rock first.

First off how often are you changing water in your tank, not daily or probably not even weekly and definatly not the amount you need to with the DIY rock. And if the bacteria has nothing to feed on or goes dry or is submersed in fresh water it will die.
Second, denitrifying bateria requires a low oxygen enviroment, transfering water with nitrate will have no effect except storing nutrients into the fresh rock.
Third, free floating organisms? you mean bateria, that's basically all that will be floating around in the water all the bugs will stick to surfaces such as rock and substrate.
I see where you're going with this idea but it really serves no purpose and would be a waste of time. It would however be wise to soak the rock in saltwater for a while after the PH cure to "salt" cure the rock. However I would use fresh saltwater unless the used stuff had very low nutrients.

[Dallas]

I hardly need to do many water changes, mabey 1 or 2 gallons ever week and a half two weeks, not nearly enough to cure all the rock in.

Update: A left table and a large cave will be coming out of the mold later today and also, I get to set up my tank today, i talked to my Dad and he said that it turns out that the tank won't be in the way for the renovations their doing.:party:
Is there anything you guys can recomend me to put in the tank to help start the cycle, I've heard of raw shrimp, whast from another tank, or even human urine.

[sphelps]

Dallas you can speed up the cycle with some sand from another established reef tank as well as some cured live rock from another tank. Bacteria needs something to grow on so make sure your sand is put in right away as well as much rock as possible. If you can't put in the rock right away use lots of bio-media to get the tank setup but be sure to remove it once all your rock is in place and has fully cured in your tank.

For the bacteria to start growing you'll need to feed it with something. Some people use hardy fish like damsels and others just through some fish food in the tank. You'll probably get the best results by dumping some skimmate from another tank in, or you can also use pure ammonia. But don't pee in your tank, that's nasty!

Any pictures of that rock yet?

[Dallas]

Alright, thanks for the advice, I wasn't gonna pee in my tank, don't worry, i just read it somewhere, im gonna go pull the second table and the cave out of the mold now, Ill post pics as soon as I can get a hold of a digital camera.

[Dallas]

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i11/skuller1989/dallasfishstuff001.jpg
the internet is down in my area so im on a friends computer
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i11/skuller1989/dallasfishstuff009.jpg
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i11/skuller1989/dallasfishstuff012.jpg
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i11/skuller1989/dallasfishstuff003.jpg

[sphelps]

Dallas dump that rock and start a new batch and use rock salt, it will disolve during the curing time and make the rock porous. That rock is not porous enough for salt, it will just create surface area for algae and have no benifit for the tank.

[cary Henderson]

personally i have to disagree with the rock salt idea....
it first weakens the live rock...salt and cement are bad for each other (funny on a topic like this but none the less true)
and it also makes it harder to properly cure.. since the water will be constanly saturated with salt..
cement cures better/faster in fresh water it lets the extra elements leech out...
if you want porous rock mix it 5-1 with very warm water.. and mist with very warm water when it is in the mould...this will create and seal in lots of bubbles in the mix to add to the natural pourous shells...
cure with a bubble stone(co2 would be optimumand faster but expensive)
till ph hits 8.4 and stays there after a complete water change next day..mine took 6 weeks.--4 fresh water 2 salt..
mine kept spiking for a couple days..
the epsom salt/ rock salt cure sounds good i'll be trying it next time..
i'm about to make some (tonga branches) tonite..
yours looks okay. for first time batch ..
keep it up...