What Do you Feel on DIY Live Rock

[416_reid]

what do you feel about making DIY live rock isn't cement posionus?

[Dripline]

Making your own rock (it's not alive until it's in your tank and has stuff growing on it) is a great idea.

The concrete is not toxic AFTER it has cured.

[416_reid]

thanks for the feedback but i got one more question would i have to cure it in a different tank then my tank with livestock???

[Dripline]

Yes! Otherwise you'll kill your livestock!

I think it takes about 6 weeks or a bit more.

[sphelps]

actually I believe curing DIY rock takes much longer, the cement has a high pH. The rock should be cured in freshwater first for several weeks even months with constant water changes until the pH of the water stays neutral. Then you can begin the 6 week cure in saltwater. Once the rock is curing in saltwater it should not have much effect on livestock unless your tank isn't cycled which is another story.

I personally don't see the gain of DIY rock, but others will say different. The way I see it is you can buy base rock for usually less than $2 per pound, plus there are many other options including ceramics and various artificial rock available for reasonable prices. I usually find DIY rock to be heavy, nonporous, and lacking in the visual appeal. However I also believe rock is rock, its the coral that matters, it's all you see in the end :biggrin-h

[Dripline]

It could very well take longer to cure...I wasn't sure without looking it up. But a lot of the guys making their own are really enjoying it...so I think it's worth it if you want to give it a shot!

[hillbillyreefer]

I've got a 4 gal pail full of stuff I made mid January or so. It was left to air dry for about a week then tossed in water to cure. I change the water every few days and it's still raising the pH. Not sure how long it's going to take to cure. If your looking for something to use quickly don't bother, if you don't care how long it takes and just want to play around and make some interesting shapes go for it. If you've got kids they sure like to help make it.

I used oyster shell, cement, water softener salt, course pickling salt, and a bit of sand in my mix. It is fairly porous, and the critters should like it.

[shroom]

As always..threads on RC can get loooong...:)

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1286738 (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1286738)

[superduperwesman]

This is one of those situations where what your time is worth to yourself comes into play. I'd way rather buy base or even live rock and go work a few extra hours All the playing around hardly seems worth it to me. I mean you'll get to say " I even made the rock" and some will be very impressed, and others will think you are crazy for wasting the time. End of the day it comes down to what kinda person you are.

Best of luck to you if you do make it... as for me... I think you're crazy

[Dripline]

Tsk...it's like any other 'craft' we do! Time-wise it might not be worth it...but then neither is knitting. I can buy a scarf a lot cheaper and faster than I can knit one...

...but I still enjoy making my own...

[hillbillyreefer]

If you got together with a few buddies, a few favorite bevies, and the kids outside and whipped up a couple hundred pounds it'd be worthwhile I think. This time of year you can let it harden up, toss it in a couple bins outside and do water changes with the garden hose, pretty simple. When reefing season, fall/winter, come around again you've got lots of rock to toss into that new system.