Proper way to cure Cement/Lime ?

[Aqua Splendor]

Hello,
I'm doing an aquascape, I started with Stone Fix from AF and finished with Quikrete Portland Cement Type 10.

My question is: What is the best way to cure those cement?
Air?
Freshwater?
Saltwater?
Oven?

Both are based on portland cement but they have a different recipe so I assume the cure time/type probably varies.

 

[Dburr1014]

Fresh water if your using a lot of it. It will leech for a month or two.
Or is this just for binding rocks together?
The problem is the ph will go really high. I made rocks and left them in a creek behind the house for 2 months. Dipped in rodi for a day and good to go.

 

[Garf]

Hello,
I'm doing an aquascape, I started with Stone Fix from AF and finished with Quikrete Portland Cement Type 10.

My question is: What is the best way to cure those cement?
Air?
Freshwater?
Saltwater?
Oven?

Both are based on portland cement but they have a different recipe so I assume the cure time/type probably varies.

Don’t know what the “best” way is but I cured mine for 4 weeks in RODI, changing the water a few times a week. I figured this would prevent tap water phosphate binding to the dry rock. However, I ended up dosing phosphate to the the tank anyhow so tap water could have been fine. Took the whole 4 weeks before the pH became acceptable.

 

[Aqua Splendor]

Fresh water if your using a lot of it. It will leech for a month or two.
Or is this just for binding rocks together?
The problem is the ph will go really high. I made rocks and left them in a creek behind the house for 2 months. Dipped in rodi for a day and good to go.

Why freshwater? I was also thinking to use RODI, I wonder about ion "connectivity".

Don’t know what the “best” way is but I cured mine for 4 weeks in RODI, changing the water a few times a week. I figured this would prevent tap water phosphate binding to the dry rock. However, I ended up dosing phosphate to the the tank anyhow so tap water could have been fine. Took the whole 4 weeks before the pH became acceptable.

Yeah, I figure out about the pH thing, calcium hydroxide... but I wonder: Your pH went from what to what. 20 year ago I didn't use a pH monitor to see the difference.
I thought about stopping my kalkwasser (compensate with another dosing) and using the benefit of the "curing", I'm just unsure how much it will fluctuate which depends on the amount the user uses with portland cement.

But I'm very curious about "what is best", and especially the oven intrigues me since there's a certain amount of lime inside of the cement. I don't know if @Randy Holmes-Farley could share a hint?

 

[Dburr1014]

Why freshwater? I was also thinking to use RODI, I wonder about ion "connectivity".


Yeah, I figure out about the pH thing, calcium hydroxide... but I wonder: Your pH went from what to what. 20 year ago I didn't use a pH monitor to see the difference.
I thought about stopping my kalkwasser (compensate with another dosing) and using the benefit of the "curing", I'm just unsure how much it will fluctuate which depends on the amount the user uses with portland cement.

But I'm very curious about "what is best", and especially the oven intrigues me since there's a certain amount of lime inside of the cement. I don't know if @Randy Holmes-Farley could share a hint?

Why waste rodi or salt when you are really just trying to leech out the high ph. Fresh water does it too.

 

[Piscans]

if i were you, id return the cement and just use ca glue and sand or cigarette filters, but if you already did it, id probably throw the rocks in a stream.

 

[Aqua Splendor]

Why waste rodi or salt when you are really just trying to leech out the high ph. Fresh water does it too.

For salt, I would use the water that I throw away after a water change. For RoDi, it's an interrogation, I wonder how the reaction goes, is it stronger or weaker, I don't know, it's nearly just H2O with Ion/anion and probably looking to "attach" to something. Is air better than water? Be or not to be, - Yoda


It's a small tank anyway, 120L.
As for now, I want to let the cement cure in the air, then will put it in water with a pump, I like the idea of using used salt water. I'm not in a rush anyway, I'm simply looking for scientific answers to understand the reaction of different components.

 

[Kerbash]

For salt, I would use the water that I throw away after a water change. For RoDi, it's an interrogation, I wonder how the reaction goes, is it stronger or weaker, I don't know, it's nearly just H2O with Ion/anion and probably looking to "attach" to something. Is air better than water? Be or not to be, - Yoda


It's a small tank anyway, 120L.
As for now, I want to let the cement cure in the air, then will put it in water with a pump, I like the idea of using used salt water. I'm not in a rush anyway, I'm simply looking for scientific answers to understand the reaction of different components.

I think trying to cure it in saltwater is going to be slower than freshwater, since saltwater will take less hydroxide out of the water, since there is already some in there before it gets saturated. Need randy to confirm XD

 

[Garf]

I'm simply looking for scientific answers to understand the reaction of different components.

If you use saltwater I think you'll get magnesium precipitating onto or around the morter. If that's good or bad or indifferent, I couldn't tell you for certain. My morter developed a sheen, even with curing in RODI (looked like glass for months).

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I was also thinking to use RODI, I wonder about ion "connectivity".

What do you mean?

Most people have cured in fresh water. I don't actually know what scenario cures fastest (from a reefing perspective), but keeping the pH from rising too much will likely help).

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I think trying to cure it in saltwater is going to be slower than freshwater, since saltwater will take less hydroxide out of the water, since there is already some in there before it gets saturated. Need randy to confirm XD

I'm not sure that is true.

pH will rise faster in RO/DI since it is unbuffered, and if pH is high enough, that may deter "curing".

 

[Enchanted Reefs]

I used cement as well for my aqua scape. I cured it in freshwater. At first I changed the water every few days and after a few times I let it sit in freshwater for a week before changing it.