Live rock... from a jar in science class.

[Casket_Case]

So, I was talking to a science teacher at my school the other day and noticed she had a jar full of marine specimens. Deceased of course. And she said I could check it out... there was pincushion urchins, marine hermit crabs, mermaid’s fans, sand sifting starfish, and some type of skeleton building coral. And this coral skeleton is absolutely beautiful.
I want to put it in my tank. I think it’d look stellar and since it’s Floridian it’d definitely fit the desired aesthetic of my aquarium.
I asked where she got the jar. But she said she didn’t collect the specimens. It’s been at the school when she came. It seems to be a couple decades old judging by the jar and the dust on it. I haven’t bothered to open the jar, but if I do and don’t smell any chemicals (which I don’t believe were used) you guys think it’d be okay to throw in after soaking?

 

[Casket_Case]

I’ll post pictures later when I get home

 

[homer1475]

Most science stuff in a jar like that is kept in formaldehyde. I would check to make sure.

 

[brandon429]

We need to turn that jar into a full reef -for- the science class. Lps and sps etc. see if she will buy a light and we build the jar into a live reef

this will be fun because on first intro, nobody except readers here believes it can even be done. Surprise at the reveal is the fun part then when it stays alive for years thats secondarily fun

 

[Timfish]

If it's been sitting any any kind of preservative that long it's going to be very difficult to remove all of it from all the pores in the skeleton. I would try to identify the species first. Here's a link to the Australlia Coral database, keep in mind may may not have been collected locally. Also, once it's in a reef system you're going to have algae and stuff growing on it and endoliths dissolving it so it's not going to to stay pretty very long.

 

[Casket_Case]

Most science stuff in a jar like that is kept in formaldehyde. I would check to make sure.

They’re dried sorry didn’t specify

 

[Casket_Case]

We need to turn that jar into a full reef -for- the science class. Lps and sps etc. see if she will buy a light and we build the jar into a live reef

this will be fun because on first intro, nobody except readers here believes it can even be done. Surprise at the reveal is the fun part then when it stays alive for years thats secondarily fun

I would definitely do that but I’m not sure she’d be up for it. My Biology teacher is up for it she’s got a grant for an aquarium but is waiting until the new building where her classroom will be is built.

 

[Casket_Case]

If it's been sitting any any kind of preservative that long it's going to be very difficult to remove all of it from all the pores in the skeleton. I would try to identify the species first. Here's a link to the Australlia Coral database, keep in mind may may not have been collected locally. Also, once it's in a reef system you're going to have algae and stuff growing on it and endoliths dissolving it so it's not going to to stay pretty very long.

It’s dried, I’m really pretty sure the species is native to Florida though

 

[Casket_Case]

(Sorry for lighting, it’s 22:00 so there’s no daylight XD) I think it’d be some pretty cool looking pieces of live rock and it’d add a lot of depth and intricacy to the tank. As I said they’re all dry, but they’ve been sitting for ages inside the jar... I’m not sure if that would affect anything but y’know. Should I let it soak and see what happens? Or keep it in the jar?

 

[Timfish]

Personally I would keep it in the jar. It's illegal to collect or import Caribbean corals so while your skeleton probably doesn't have much monitary value it is something you can't replace easily. Something similar could be made out of sand and white masonry or portland cement.

 

[Casket_Case]

Personally I would keep it in the jar. It's illegal to collect or import Caribbean corals so while your skeleton probably doesn't have much monitary value it is something you can't replace easily. Something similar could be made out of sand and white masonry or portland cement.

How is that done with the cement?

 

[Timfish]

How is that done with the cement?

Do a search for "DIY sand mold for concrete". Use a fine aragonite sand and a thin concrete mix for pouring. It will take a little practice but you can make complex figures with multiple castings to join smaller detailed castings into a larger more complex casting