Home Made Reef Rock, worth the time?

[uhgster1]

I’m going to be upgrading to a 150 gallon and have been researching online and YouTube. Anyone here make their own here? It looks tempting but I’m wondering if it will work as good. Any pictures of an established tank would be appreciated!

 

[Silent]

I would say not worth it. You really should let it cure for months and do many water changes.

 

[uhgster1]

I would say not worth it. You really should let it cure for months and do many water changes.

Did you try it in your tank?

 

[Nick063]

I’m going to be upgrading to a 150 gallon and have been researching online and YouTube. Anyone here make their own here? It looks tempting but I’m wondering if it will work as good. Any pictures of an established tank would be appreciated!

Are you talking like macro rocks?

 

[User1]

There are a few DIY videos out there that show how to make unique aqua scape using dry rock. There are also some good DIY videos showing how to make wall back plates using rubble and other rocks. And there are also DIY videos on using specific cement and mortar to build your own rocks.

So yes, it can be done. Worth the time? That is really up to the hobbyist and how much they have. Most important if they get enjoyment out of it. It is a hobby so yes, for some it is worth the time. It also functions similar to dry rock and later in life live rock.

Remember dry rock - example pukani - will take years to fully mature. Creating rock using cement and mortar will be similar. This is not to distract or sway you not to by any means, no. It is to make sure one is aware that using or starting from dry rock is like a fine bottle of wine.

Buy two bottles. Drink one with a nice dinner. You will say hmmm....this was a good wine that paired well with dinner. That second bottle? Tag it for 5 years later and store it in your wine cellar or wine fridge. Make that same dinner and open that bottle of wine that aged 5 years longer and now you will say hmmm....this is an excellent bottle of wine.

There is a difference and dry rock gets better with age because it takes time for the bacteria and mother nature to do her job. But is it worth it or the time? While I have personally never done it I do see the value. And this is from someone coming from using 170 lbs of dry pukani.

All the best.

 

[uhgster1]

There are a few DIY videos out there that show how to make unique aqua scape using dry rock. There are also some good DIY videos showing how to make wall back plates using rubble and other rocks. And there are also DIY videos on using specific cement and mortar to build your own rocks.

So yes, it can be done. Worth the time? That is really up to the hobbyist and how much they have. Most important if they get enjoyment out of it. It is a hobby so yes, for some it is worth the time. It also functions similar to dry rock and later in life live rock.

Remember dry rock - example pukani - will take years to fully mature. Creating rock using cement and mortar will be similar. This is not to distract or sway you not to by any means, no. It is to make sure one is aware that using or starting from dry rock is like a fine bottle of wine.

Buy two bottles. Drink one with a nice dinner. You will say hmmm....this was a good wine that paired well with dinner. That second bottle? Tag it for 5 years later and store it in your wine cellar or wine fridge. Make that same dinner and open that bottle of wine that aged 5 years longer and now you will say hmmm....this is an excellent bottle of wine.

There is a difference and dry rock gets better with age because it takes time for the bacteria and mother nature to do her job. But is it worth it or the time? While I have personally never done it I do see the value. And this is from someone coming from using 170 lbs of dry pukani.

All the best.

Thank you so much. I’ve been musing about it. I know that the maturing process from a biological standpoint takes time. What I’m really wondering about is how long before it is safe to actually use in an aquarium from a chemical standpoint. I’m thinking along the lines of rocks with six to seven inch thickness. I’ve demolished years old concrete and still see uncured cement in the center of sections. That’s why I was wondering if anyone has made their own and experienced problems with their water chemistry afterwards (if they stayed in the hobby).

 

[sfin52]

@Eagle_Steve and @Paul B Make thier own.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

@Eagle_Steve and @Paul B Make thier own.

I make my own rock as @sfin52 mentioned.

The thickness you are making would need to be really porous to cure completely. The trick with that is poke holes in it once it starts to set and to use a white tile grout and crushed coral/oyster shell mix. Most white tile grout cures at 10 for ph, is very porous in itself and mixes “hot” as floors cannot wait that long to be walked on. There are some grouts that mix at 8-9, and those can be had a specialty tile stores and the grout is used for swimming pools. This is what I prefer.

I just got done making a batch and the ph is right at 9 a few days after making. There is a large rock I plan to smash up, as I have never had issues after a 3 week cure and it is always cured and hardened. This is using tile grout that cures at about 9-9.5.

Here is the rock I made. It will be very porous due to all of the crushed water softener salt added to the mix.

 

[uhgster1]

I make my own rock as @sfin52 mentioned.

The thickness you are making would need to be really porous to cure completely. The trick with that is poke holes in it once it starts to set and to use a white tile grout and crushed coral/oyster shell mix. Most white tile grout cures at 10 for ph, is very porous in itself and mixes “hot” as floors cannot wait that long to be walked on. There are some grouts that mix at 8-9, and those can be had a specialty tile stores and the grout is used for swimming pools. This is what I prefer.

I just got done making a batch and the ph is right at 9 a few days after making. There is a large rock I plan to smash up, as I have never had issues after a 3 week cure and it is always cured and hardened. This is using tile grout that cures at about 9-9.5.

Here is the rock I made. It will be very porous due to all of the crushed water softener salt added to the mix.

Thanks! So it’s not leaching chemicals but alkalinity? How long does it take to finish curing? How old is the oldest batch of rocks in your aquarium? Is it cheaper than just buying the rock? Sorry for the interrogation, just picking your brain as much as I can. Thanks again. Any pics in the aquarium?

 

[Eagle_Steve]

No worries.

It makes the ph of the rodi water rise.

Oyster shell may leech a little po4, but that’s where a good soak in vinegar then sw with some po4 minus comes in. I don’t do this, as I don’t mind a little po4. Typically the rock I have made increases po4 from 0.03 to .08 or so.

Most of the rock I have made takes about 3-4 weeks to cure using the lower ph grout. I always make a few fat blobs of rock thicker then the rest, as in use them as rubble for frags. At about 3 weeks, I bust one up and check it. If it isn’t cured, throw it back in and do another one a week later.

My oldest rock 30+ years old lol. My 180 is mostly diy rock that is 3-4 years old and it is doing great. When I rescaped about 4 months ago, I busted one up some to build an arch and it was full of tiny pods, brittle stars and sponges. It was also fully cured.

As for cost, it comes out to .40 cents a pound or so. The biggest thing is the wait, but to me it’s worth it, as I make shapes I want.

Here is a fts of the 180. There is 6” behind the rock for fish to swim and the only way I was able to to do this easily is with diy rock. Made edges of rock flat so the could be glued/epoxy together.


Tank before the rescape and about a month after combining a 45 and 90 into this tank. Basically a rock wall with 1/2 diy and half KP.

Sept 2020

Tank after the rescape. Has 3 arches and is still about 1/2 and half, I think. Once it’s in there a few months with real live rock, it’s hard to tell lol. Crappy pic as t5s and mh are both on and my phone hates blue+ bulbs lol.

Nov. 2020

 

[uhgster1]

No worries.

It makes the ph of the rodi water rise.

Oyster shell may leech a little po4, but that’s where a good soak in vinegar then sw with some po4 minus comes in. I don’t do this, as I don’t mind a little po4. Typically the rock I have made increases po4 from 0.03 to .08 or so.

Most of the rock I have made takes about 3-4 weeks to cure using the lower ph grout. I always make a few fat blobs of rock thicker then the rest, as in use them as rubble for frags. At about 3 weeks, I bust one up and check it. If it isn’t cured, throw it back in and do another one a week later.

My oldest rock 30+ years old lol. My 180 is mostly diy rock that is 3-4 years old and it is doing great. When I rescaped about 4 months ago, I busted one up some to build an arch and it was full of tiny pods, brittle stars and sponges. It was also fully cured.

As for cost, it comes out to .40 cents a pound or so. The biggest thing is the wait, but to me it’s worth it, as I make shapes I want.

Here is a fts of the 180. There is 6” behind the rock for fish to swim and the only way I was able to to do this easily is with diy rock. Made edges of rock flat so the could be glued/epoxy together.


Tank before the rescape and about a month after combining a 45 and 90 into this tank. Basically a rock wall with 1/2 diy and half KP.

Sept 2020

Tank after the rescape. Has 3 arches and is still about 1/2 and half, I think. Once it’s in there a few months with real live rock, it’s hard to tell lol. Crappy pic as t5s and mh are both on and my phone hates blue+ bulbs lol.

Nov. 2020

Thank you so much!!! I really appreciate you taking the time!

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Thank you so much!!! I really appreciate you taking the time!

Not a problem.

 

[Viperdragon]

@Eagle_Steve may I ask what kinda grout you use? To keep the ph low. I made my own rock over 15 years ago and used cement and crushed oyster. But took forever to get ph down. Looking to make some more but has been a min.