Artificial Rock

[Cave Dweller]

While browsing a few sites for pricing on live/dry rock, a few sites came up about those making their own pieces of "rock" using reef sand and concrete mixes. With two larger tanks in the works (reef and FOWLR), I would like to have some slightly larger rocks or maybe even custom shapes etc. Most sites talk about properly sterilizing and curing the rocks and such as well.

Has anyone ever actually tried doing this or any opinions on actually using them in tanks? Is it even worth it?

 

[fishman1069]

I did it a few years back. I actually bought a plan off ebay for $5, which was a mistake but I was a total noob back then. I used white portland cement, aragonit sand and magnesium chloride(ice melt). I really dont remember the ratios but I mixed it all up. I made a mold outta some old, damp reef salt that I got with the purchase of my tank and the big water softener salt crystals. I then poured the mix in, making all sorts of shapes. Then it came to the curing time. Thats where I got all screwed up. It took me almost a year of doing ro water changes on 10 buckets of rock! I kept testing the pH and it was always off the charts! When I finally set my tank up, I started adding pieces slowly and never had a problem. Since then there has been tons off break thrus with it. Alot of the dry rock you see nowadays is homemade. There are videos on you tube and several people on here that has sucsses with it. Hit up peteyboyny. Hes in the process of making some crazy looking rock and his curing time is way less then mine was! HTH

 

[Cave Dweller]

I just figured how bad could it honestly be, besides a bit messy and time consuming to cure them properly, to get custom shapes or just flat out larger structures. Hell even thought that if it worked well to find a way to poke holes in the top and have them almost like the frag plug rocks.

 

[fishman1069]

It definitley works! And in my opinion its worth it! I was just telling you my experience with it. Pm my buddy peteyboyny. Hes doin it and its coming out great! Hes a good guy and dosent mind sharing his experience with it

 

[Cave Dweller]

Will do! Hey I'm here for info and well, there is little that hasn't at least been tried once here. Thanks for the intel and well if I give it a shot I'll try to post a kind of DIY here.

 

[Jzhou]

Use quikcrete crush coral and epsom salt, use abut half the water amount the bag instructions tells you to and you'll be able to mold the shape you want, after that is done cure it in a large trash can filled with water to disolve the salt, change all the water once every other day.

 

[JimmyR1rider]

I used this in my new tank- the RSM250 I have cycling now. If you look at the thread you'll see it. Its pretty nice stuff:

http://www.pacificeastaquaculture.com/Real-Reef-Live-Rock-Prodview.html

 

[Paul B]

About a third of my rock I built and it is hollow. Each piece costs about $2.00.
I collected the rest of my real rock but I keep replacing it with home made rock because I like it better.

That piece is in here below the back of the bottle

Stands for the reef

Mandarin is on a fake rock

Much of it is fake

 

[Cave Dweller]

That looks pretty good. I am curious however how you made them hollow...:scratchch

 

[rbtwo4]

thats nice Paul wouldve never guessed it.

 

[Paul B]

Here are some skeletons. They are PVC pipe covered in cement. Thats about it

This is a support for my rockwork. You can't see it in the tank, but it keeps everything off the gravel

This is it completed.

 

[reefer4eva]

I know this is an old thread but..nice work Paul b!

 

[vio]

I used this in my new tank- the RSM250 I have cycling now. If you look at the thread you'll see it. Its pretty nice stuff:

http://www.pacificeastaquaculture.com/Real-Reef-Live-Rock-Prodview.html

+1 , i will replace all my rocks, to much.......new thinks come out every year, from my Fiji.