I NEED HELP lol. I am using type 1 white portland cement, play sand in the box,extra course water softener salt, and crushed coral and something else I forget the name but its a mixture of shells because I cant find oyster shell anywhere.I have tried several times but nothing comes out like yours.Its winter in texas but has only been getting down to the 40's(dont know if this effects anything).I let my rock sit for 24 hrs and it still crumbles. I have no idea what im doing wrong. please help.
listen your not getting it cure your rock in a bucket container in water for 2 weeks each day take out water put in clean water check your ph on your water make sure it drops cause if you throw that rock in just like that say bye bye to your fish do it right even when you buy live rock from your local pet store you should cure it same with drift wood
I got another question I notice you said you use... Oyster shells , cement, and salt and mix it together....and you last it in the sand to sculp...well I saw another video also that use the same thing as you but they said to add carib aragonite sand to the mixture is that right? They said they mix oyster shell,cement,aragonite sand and mix all that..then add rock salt
@hollabacknow8557 It is not needed, and it is expensive where I live. If you want to add calcium based sand then it will help a bit with adhesion. But it is not needed if you mix the cement carefully with a ratio of 1 part cement, about 0.4 - 0.5 parts water.
All I have in the tank now is the salt...and the sand nothing and I put the stuff in the tank to kill the chlorine and bad stuff in tap water..someone said after I make the rock from scratch after it hardens I can just put it in the tank and let it cycle since its no fish in it anyway is that right or wrong?
@hollabacknow8557 You want to cure the rock in fresh water. And you want to change the water out regularly until the salt content in the water evens out, or goes to zero.
Also "curing the rock" can mean two things.
1) curing cement - letting the cement harden. (which is very alkaline)
2) curing live rock - Letting good bacteria grow on it.
You need to "cure the cement" (and dissolve the salt) before you should "cure the live rock".
@hollabacknow8557 (Part 2) - When you cure the cement you want to do that in freshwater. When you cure the live rock you want to do that in salt water.
So ... You want to let the cement harden and rock salt dissolve in fresh water and you want to let good stuff grow oin your rock in salt water. So when you you go to "cure the live rock" you can do that in your new salt water tank.
(the whole curing confusion is because the English language uses the same word for both processes)
Eddie I have a question im just starting my saltwater tank from scratch..if I make the rock from scratch can I just simply put the rocks in the tank now why its nothing in there during the cycle process? Instead of soaking it in water for days?
@hollabacknow8557 I used Type I/II. Type II cement is moderately sulfate resistant, and since it will be in a salt water tank you want sulfate resistance, so make sure the cement is type I/II, type II, or Type V (high sulfate resistance). As you have probably figured out the color doesn't really matter.
totally awesome video! I am thinking hard of trying this for sure. Just set up a saltwater tank and been told that I need liverock...80 gallon tank so big bucks...This looks like my plan! Thanks for the awesome vid
A good way to semi-cure the rock is to put it in the back part of your toilet (the reservoir part) should help flush out the rock salt with each flush, put it back there for a month or so then put it in a tub with salt water for another 2 weeks and when the PH is safe throw it in the tank
haha thats sick!!! does is look decent in the tank (for display) i.e would it be good to make a large formation like an arch? and also, sorry if this has already been asked, but why do you have to add the salt to the rock?
@GRRjammm The salt makes the rock porous. Without the salt these would not have as much surface area for poo-eating bacteria to grow ... and they probably wouldn't look as cool either. I wish I could tell you how it looks in a tank, but my landlord stopped the progress on my tank, so I still have the rocks, but no tank to put them in :(
I actually test with an electronic pH probe, but the salinity of the water needs to be close to zero before we can consider removing the rock. Ideally all the salt that the water can get to should be dissolved before removing the rock from the bath. So the short answer is freshwater
Ed, when you are doing the PH water testing are you doing it with the fresh water or salt water kit? I ask being that rock salt was involved in the mixture and will leach into the water with the lime from the cement.
Great video Ed, very informative mate now i was wondering after you leave the ''Rock'' to cure, can it be used in a mature aquarium as a base for real live rock as i have approximately 25 kilograms of real live rock which could seed it? or is it best to seed it in another tank before adding? cheers for any advice offered
@spunkbobstainpants Once the cement cures, and the salinity zeros out, I would introduce the rock into your mature tank a few kilos at a time. If you have a mature tank you may as well just seed it there. I would introduce a small piece first, and wait a week or two to ensure that all your critters stay happy and that the new rock doesn't upset them, then I would introduce it at a rate of about 3 kilos per month just to stay on the safe side.
Great vid. just what I was searching for. As a means to soak and rinse the rocks could you not put pieces that will fit into the tank portion of your toilet then every time someone flushes fresh water rinses away the salt and other things like the cement leaching as it cures?
@eddiekern ive watched at least dozen of these videos and read about a dozen more forums. youre the only one who has explained the entire process, prices, location of buying the products, and successfully produced a good quality porous rock as a result. this is by far the best diy live rock demonstration on the web. thank you very much my friend
@gtileo Just make sure there are no chemicals in it, and it can be really hard to tell. All I know is that a lot of "ice melt" salt tends to have chemicals in it.
@Arteolike I know people have successfully used rite dye (fabric) however with no problems. Most cement dyes are terracotta based so it would probably be ok.
@ltkenbo I think ill stick with white Portland cement. Hey everybody, remember to use sand WITHOUT SILICATE, or you'll have HUGE air algae problems. Silicate is the shiny stuff on your hands after you pick up some sand, if the sand has that... DONT USE IT, form your rocks in ROCK SALT Also, Wash the Crushed oyster shell, it will make the rocks "whiter" and reduce ammonia.
@Arteolike Your talking about silica sand, and that's one of the biggest myths in the reef aquarium hobby which most people buy into. Silica sand does not cause algae problems. You can read about many people who use play sand in their aquarium and have no adverse effects.
@early1991baby I don't know. I had a freshwater aquarium, added sand that contained silica i had HUGE algae within a week, a month later cleaned it 100% Used gravel instead of the sand, no algae to this day.
Okay, a lot of people seem to be having the same problem: The rocks being frigile and falling apart. The solution is actually quite simple. Less water ... the cement to water ratio should be about 1 part water to 2 parts cement. Now that does NOT take into accout the water that gets sucked up into the oyster shells.
If too much water is added it severly diminishes the strength of the cured cement. So less is more when it comes to the water (so long as there is enough to hydrate the cemet)
@mellleemanager if youre going to put it in a salt water aquarium you should soak the pieces in salt water for about 30 days with one 80% water change have way through the month. if its for a freshwater aquarium do the same just with regular un-chlorinated water.
@electronkid710 I would shy away from rock melting salt because sometimes they use chemicals in it. If there are any livestock supply stores, they should be a safe bet.
It can be made without the salt, but what the salt does is make it porous so that the rock has a lot more surface area for micro-flora that breaks down fish poo. Also it offers a place for pods to go and not get eaten by the fish. If you do not use salt the water will not pass through the rock like shown in the video, it will run over the surface instead.
@eddiekern Hey, I was wondering if any of your tanks with this rock in it have a milky white wahue to the water? I just cant get the water to clear up.
@BobaJett The milky white stuff is fine particles in the pool sand (cacium based silt and clay). If the water has heavy circulation they won't settle out since the settling velocity is so slow. Is the water your working with fresh or salt?
@eddiekern Its fresh water. I let the rocks cure for several weeks in water, then I let them sit in the sun for a few days as well. I thought the filtration would clean up the water, but it hasnt.
@BobaJett Give me some background on the tank. Is it just being established, has it been around for a while? Is there anything in it yet? What kind of bottom substrate are you using? What kind of filtration do you have? I still think it is likely silt and clay that is not settling out. If that is the case, water changes would be best. Or if there is nothing in the tank yet, you could let the water sit still for a few day, that will allow the small particles to settle out.
Your landlord sucks...i mean look at the garage, it's spotless. Tell him to come to my garage,he'll appreciate yours! On making the rock live Ed, I have an established salt tank running, should I just add some of my current live to the dead rock to get it going? Cheers and keep the good info coming.
What I would do is set up a tank for the dead rock with water conditions similar to those you want the final tank to be. Doesn't have to be fancy, but the lighting, heating, and circulation should be such that you can cultivate the algae. Then add some of your live rock (and even a handful of sand) from your "cultivation tank". If you just plan on adding this rock to your established tank, cure the cement like in the vedeo and slowly add the dead rock to your tank (1 piece a week). @rogie75
Thanks alot Ed you have saved me alot of money that i would normaly spend on a peice of rock and i would rather spend money on fish and coral not stupid rock.
Ed, you are doing a great job and because of you alot of people are benefiting by making their own base rock. When you get a chance make a video with your DIY rock and show everyone the benefits.
Yes, I'm well aware of this. Thats why at the end I give the speech about turning your dead rock into live.
If I were to have named this video "DIY Dead Rock", no one in the hobby would ever find it, which would have defeated the whole purpose of creating the video. There is a reason to the name. There was going to be a part II until my lardlord put an abrupt stop to the project. When I eventually get a place of my own, I will creat the part II.
Then keep curing the rock and doing water changes. The ph will be off and the salt will be high while the rock is curing. Probably for at least a week or so, or even longer depending on how often you change the water.
The rock is where good bacteria live that processes fish poo. Otherwise your fish would poop themselves to death. Also little critters known as pods can take refuge in the rock. Pods are yummy treats to fish, and if the pods can take refuge, that means they can breed and feed your fish.
Okay, so if your having trouble with the rock holding together there's a few things I would recommend.
1) add some of the pool sand into the mix; it will strengthen it
2) more cement
3) less salt
4) be sure to let it cure while moist. The sand that you shape the rocks in should be moist, then you should put them in the curing (referring to the cement curing, not the live rock) bucket after about 24 hours. It you let them dry out in the first day they will be a bit more brittle.
Unfortunately, my second batch fell apart. I think I need to add even more cement. Or let it harden longer. I let it harden 24 hours but my sand was pretty moist.
Hi Eddie, I thought my live rock wasn't holding together but I let it sit longer and it seems that the inside of the rock is fine but the outside crumbled away. So it is actually working. I think I will add a little more cement though next time. Thanks for a wonderful informative video!
I made this with aragonite in large pieces, portland cement and rock salt in the same amounts you have listed. Unfortunately, it didn't hold together. It falls apart. I think I need to add more cement. What is your opinion?
I would add more cement, and maybe consider cutting bacok on the rock salt. When you mix it, be sure to mix the cement, water and substrate first, then at the very last moment, add and mix the rock salt (mixing just enough to distribute the salt through the mixture). That should do the trick. Let us know how it goes.
I followed your instructions and my rocks came out pretty good. They have have been in there about 3 months and there is plenty of coraline algae thats starting to grow on them. Thanks for the vid!!!!! For you guys whom are about to make your own rocks make sure you cure them for a couple weeks, I did mine for 6 weeks.
eddiekern, Your video is by far the best one I've seen on making reef rock, thank you very much. I've been thinking of doing this for a long while and you've convinced me to try. Phil
Im a bit confused. You say dont mix the rock salt, but yet you have to, to a point. Do you just add it, stir a few times and pour? Also, My last batch I used the rock salt and the next after overnite curing, the rocks fell apart in my hands. In your experience, is that too much salt/mixing, or not enough cement, or what?? Ive had plenty of non salt rocks turn out perfect, but I wanna reduce weight and have the porous rock as well.
i live in greece and i candt find rock salt...i find some salt that is not pure and it is grain size or smaller,Also has fragments or powder of salt in it likely smashed during transportation...what should i do???is there any shop that i can order rock salt?? i search the ebay but i didnt find anything....thanks you for your time...
If you can't find rock salt then I would recommend not using the salt at all. If you can't find a pure salt that is about 3-4mm in diameter or larger then I personally think that your better off not using the salt at all. Fine grain salt is not going to offer much benefit as far as porosity. If you read some of the comments for this video, some people have had some good ideas for alternatives to the rock salt.
Hey Ed. Great idea using the rock salt. I would like to attempt to make an entire wall (for the sides of a 92 gallon corner). See any reason why this wouldn't work (other than weight). Each wall would be about 24" x 32". I also would like to embed some PVC pipe in it, for current. Do you think it would hold together long enough to get it in the tank or will it need some reinforcement? If anyone has an thoughts I would love to hear them.
Hey guys, I was wondering whether there is a cement dye on the market that I could used to make live rock... There are plenty of dyes but some of them are very toxic...
I have no idea. I would be inclined to suggest food coloring, but even then reef critters could be sensitive to it. All-in-all I would be inclined no ti use dye.
Sure, just be sure to pick a calcium based sand like the pool sand, and not a silica based sand like "play sand" or tube sand. If you use sand, the texture of the rock will be different. Try it and see how you like it.
The crushed oyster shells are fed to chickens as a cheap calcium supplement. I found mine at an animal feed store. I don't have the brand name of the ones I bought.
thanks for the info ,i finally found some oyster shell so i used it and it came out pretty good. maybe i will post a second vid on how it came out with the shell insted of the gravel
Sorry it has been so long since I have posted a comment, school, work, and junk has kept me pretty busy.
so bad news ... my landlord put a stop to all my aquarium related activities. So for I won;t be able to turn the base rock live for a while. But PLEASE keep posting to let me know how things are going and to suggest any improvements.
I cannot get my cement to harden what so ever! I put 3 cups oyster shell, 1 cup cement, I mix those two things then I add the rock salt last right before I put it in my sand molds, I do not however cover the cement because I dont think that does anything. Please help.
You didn't metion adding water to the mix. You want to add water until the mix has the consistancy of oyster shells in yogurt. If your still having trouble please continue to post.
Aww come on Ed im not retarded lol. Lately I have just been adding 5 parts crushed oyster shells with 1 part cement and messing around with how much water to add and those batches have been coming out alright. I couldn't for the life of me get the rocks with the salt to harden up at all.
Hahaha sorry, I work in tech support so sometimes I just assume the worst. I would play around a little more with the amount of water, and be sure to add the rock salt last, after eveything else has been mixed thoroughly. After you add the rock salt mix it as little as possible. Maybe even add less water and see what happens. Or maybe your rock salt is dissolving too quickly. All could be factors.
I have actually doing without the salt, I just use 5 parts oyster shells to 1 part cement and watch the amount of water I put in and its been coming out great.
I had one batch do the same Lova. They just fell apart. That particular batch I crused up my salt pellets and I think that was the mistake. Try adding less salt & make sure its very coarse & not powdery. try adding a bit more cement as well.
For large holes I would recommend making two rocks, one with a cavity on the bottom and another with a cavity on the top using the sand mold process.
For smaller holes I have heard of people Making "rock salt lumps". I would do it by dunking a handfull of rock salt in water, and putting the dampend salt into a bowl with a paper towel under it, and letting it dry. If you put that ball in the prepared mix when you put it in the mold, you should get a pretty cool cave.
Actually, i ran across something I thought might work. Instead of rock salt, I got a 50lb bag of rock salt pellets. Theyre about the size of marbles. Im gonna give it a try and see how they turn out.
I sure do. You want water flow to help dissolve as much of the rock salt as possible in the shortest amount of time. I'm cheap so I do it with airstones. A better way would be a powerhead, but he airstones work just fine.
Sorry I was wokring on it and my landlord forbid anything related to my tank in progress. But hopefully some of the people wh ohave posted here will let us know how it goes.
I let them cure for about a month. But if you change the water religiously and have goo circulation I'm sure you can speed up that process. Just watch for the salinity to hit very close to zero and for the pH to stabalize.
That would work just fine, it is all a matter of preference. Personally I would probably add a little bit more cement in the next batch I make. I would probably increse the ratio of cemet by about 20%
omgosh. The salt makes it Pourus with holes everywhere, thats why he rinses for a week. The salt breaks down on the inside and makes a ton of nooks and crannys for homes. Dude this is awesome!!!
I"m with spanky on this one, you could end up with iron based rocks in the gravel or even worse, gravel rich in copper. If you know that it is a clean Calcium based rock you'll probably be okay, but good luck finding that.
You have to watch though because when doing this for a large display you will be holding up all the rock above it as well.
The Oyster shells and portland should be enough, for a less shelly surface mix in some medium or large grain sand as well. The Oyster shell rock is light enough and porous enough to mimic live rock while still maintaining structural integrity.
Yes admittedly the salt is bad for the cement. Ultimately this will not matter because all the rock really has to do is support its own weight underwater.
This risk with the salt is more with weakening the cement/aggregate bond. While it makes the rock porous, it is horrible from a strength standpoint. There are better options.
The rock is plenty porous for the rock salt to disolve. Esp if you let it cure for 4+ weeks. Besides, even if and oz of rock salt disolved in your tank 1) it would disolve very slowly ... like rock salt. 2) Salt would assumulate more quicly on the side of the sump than any disolving rock salt.
unless you get millions of pins and stabb the not yet set rock you cant..using salt Always the risk of the rock breaking giving out trapped salt into the tank.. tut tut..
hey bro, ive made some diy rocks, and im in the curing process right now, and i tested for pH, but they dont match. its been curing for around 5-6 weeks now. the ph isnt even remotely close to each other. my tap is around 6.4-6.6, and my rocks water is around 7.6. is there a possibility that the ph is so high becuase i have a powerhead in there, and it aggitates the surface? please let me know...
The only problem is the salt actually hurts the chemical reaction the portland cement uses to set up. Making the bond weaker actually. Which is very unfortunate because the salt is so good at making it porous.
I live in London and i have been searching for rock salt but i cant find any. i just wanted to know what it is usually used for? is it the salt that you use to melt snow?
excellent video!!! 100% great and informative....hope you will continue to make and upload more videos of your rock and aquarium startup process!! youtube is defiantly a better place with you here!!
I NEED HELP lol. I am using type 1 white portland cement, play sand in the box,extra course water softener salt, and crushed coral and something else I forget the name but its a mixture of shells because I cant find oyster shell anywhere.I have tried several times but nothing comes out like yours.Its winter in texas but has only been getting down to the 40's(dont know if this effects anything).I let my rock sit for 24 hrs and it still crumbles. I have no idea what im doing wrong. please help.
1aPPro 3 weeks ago
listen your not getting it cure your rock in a bucket container in water for 2 weeks each day take out water put in clean water check your ph on your water make sure it drops cause if you throw that rock in just like that say bye bye to your fish do it right even when you buy live rock from your local pet store you should cure it same with drift wood
mar123430 1 month ago
thank you this looks so nice
unlockwall 2 months ago in playlist unlockwall's favorites
How do I seed the rock?
Asianleful 3 months ago
I got another question I notice you said you use... Oyster shells , cement, and salt and mix it together....and you last it in the sand to sculp...well I saw another video also that use the same thing as you but they said to add carib aragonite sand to the mixture is that right? They said they mix oyster shell,cement,aragonite sand and mix all that..then add rock salt
hollabacknow8557 3 months ago
@hollabacknow8557 It is not needed, and it is expensive where I live. If you want to add calcium based sand then it will help a bit with adhesion. But it is not needed if you mix the cement carefully with a ratio of 1 part cement, about 0.4 - 0.5 parts water.
eddiekern 3 months ago
All I have in the tank now is the salt...and the sand nothing and I put the stuff in the tank to kill the chlorine and bad stuff in tap water..someone said after I make the rock from scratch after it hardens I can just put it in the tank and let it cycle since its no fish in it anyway is that right or wrong?
hollabacknow8557 3 months ago
@hollabacknow8557 You want to cure the rock in fresh water. And you want to change the water out regularly until the salt content in the water evens out, or goes to zero.
Also "curing the rock" can mean two things.
1) curing cement - letting the cement harden. (which is very alkaline)
2) curing live rock - Letting good bacteria grow on it.
You need to "cure the cement" (and dissolve the salt) before you should "cure the live rock".
eddiekern 3 months ago
@hollabacknow8557 (Part 2) - When you cure the cement you want to do that in freshwater. When you cure the live rock you want to do that in salt water.
So ... You want to let the cement harden and rock salt dissolve in fresh water and you want to let good stuff grow oin your rock in salt water. So when you you go to "cure the live rock" you can do that in your new salt water tank.
(the whole curing confusion is because the English language uses the same word for both processes)
eddiekern 3 months ago
Eddie I have a question im just starting my saltwater tank from scratch..if I make the rock from scratch can I just simply put the rocks in the tank now why its nothing in there during the cycle process? Instead of soaking it in water for days?
hollabacknow8557 3 months ago
are you saying you can use white portland #1 to do this or does it have to be hydraulic cement?
hollabacknow8557 3 months ago
@hollabacknow8557 I used Type I/II. Type II cement is moderately sulfate resistant, and since it will be in a salt water tank you want sulfate resistance, so make sure the cement is type I/II, type II, or Type V (high sulfate resistance). As you have probably figured out the color doesn't really matter.
eddiekern 3 months ago
totally awesome video! I am thinking hard of trying this for sure. Just set up a saltwater tank and been told that I need liverock...80 gallon tank so big bucks...This looks like my plan! Thanks for the awesome vid
woodentoolcompany 4 months ago
A good way to semi-cure the rock is to put it in the back part of your toilet (the reservoir part) should help flush out the rock salt with each flush, put it back there for a month or so then put it in a tub with salt water for another 2 weeks and when the PH is safe throw it in the tank
acidlittle 5 months ago
Pretty nice...Do you experience any algae growth or any bad things once the rock is in the tank?
moneymarkj 5 months ago
can someone please tell me what they mea with curing something you made yourself? like just washing it off, or what?
barrowscasper12 5 months ago
you used white cement.. why the rock is grey? :s
xen552 5 months ago
@xen552 Because even white cement is pretty grey when it is wet.
eddiekern 5 months ago
i will buy the rock from you man how much you looking for and how many pounds do u have ?
MasterTechRepair 8 months ago
haha thats sick!!! does is look decent in the tank (for display) i.e would it be good to make a large formation like an arch? and also, sorry if this has already been asked, but why do you have to add the salt to the rock?
GRRjammm 8 months ago
@GRRjammm The salt makes the rock porous. Without the salt these would not have as much surface area for poo-eating bacteria to grow ... and they probably wouldn't look as cool either. I wish I could tell you how it looks in a tank, but my landlord stopped the progress on my tank, so I still have the rocks, but no tank to put them in :(
eddiekern 8 months ago
this is really cool.. thanks for the idea. perhaps i will try it one day when i need lots and lots of rocks.
UstadZed 8 months ago
I actually test with an electronic pH probe, but the salinity of the water needs to be close to zero before we can consider removing the rock. Ideally all the salt that the water can get to should be dissolved before removing the rock from the bath. So the short answer is freshwater
eddiekern 9 months ago
Ed, when you are doing the PH water testing are you doing it with the fresh water or salt water kit? I ask being that rock salt was involved in the mixture and will leach into the water with the lime from the cement.
1babelove 9 months ago
Nice vid but please can you make a1 on how to make the rock live it sounds really hard
Sharpcp02 9 months ago
Great video Ed, very informative mate now i was wondering after you leave the ''Rock'' to cure, can it be used in a mature aquarium as a base for real live rock as i have approximately 25 kilograms of real live rock which could seed it? or is it best to seed it in another tank before adding? cheers for any advice offered
spunkbobstainpants 9 months ago
@spunkbobstainpants Once the cement cures, and the salinity zeros out, I would introduce the rock into your mature tank a few kilos at a time. If you have a mature tank you may as well just seed it there. I would introduce a small piece first, and wait a week or two to ensure that all your critters stay happy and that the new rock doesn't upset them, then I would introduce it at a rate of about 3 kilos per month just to stay on the safe side.
eddiekern 9 months ago
@eddiekern cheers bud
spunkbobstainpants 9 months ago
Kool Idea ... I think I am gonna try this !!!
ukeka 9 months ago
@oakwoodk8 ,,, I did and it looks great!
1babelove 10 months ago
crushed coral is like 10x the price
GaryHouserMusic 11 months ago
Great vid. just what I was searching for. As a means to soak and rinse the rocks could you not put pieces that will fit into the tank portion of your toilet then every time someone flushes fresh water rinses away the salt and other things like the cement leaching as it cures?
folkiethirteen 11 months ago 2
@folkiethirteen That sounds like a great idea
eddiekern 11 months ago
@eddiekern ive watched at least dozen of these videos and read about a dozen more forums. youre the only one who has explained the entire process, prices, location of buying the products, and successfully produced a good quality porous rock as a result. this is by far the best diy live rock demonstration on the web. thank you very much my friend
aeropostalbaby1 9 months ago
you think water softener salt would work the saem as rock salt?
gtileo 1 year ago
@gtileo Just make sure there are no chemicals in it, and it can be really hard to tell. All I know is that a lot of "ice melt" salt tends to have chemicals in it.
eddiekern 1 year ago
could only find a gray portland cement without a # designator. Do you know if this type would have any adverse affects on my tank?
johnvanevera 1 year ago
I could only find a gray portland cement without a # designator. Do you know if this type would have any adverse affects on my tank?
johnvanevera 1 year ago
@johnvanevera ....No you just have to make sure that you check your ph levels to make sure that they are normal levels
1babelove 10 months ago
I could only find a gray portland cement, with no # on it. It's a fine sand type, just wondering if it will have any affect on the ph.
johnvanevera 1 year ago
Can i use a cement dye? I am planning on leaning outside in a tub water for like 3-5 months... then cure it in saltwater for like 2 -3 months.
Arteolike 1 year ago
@Arteolike I don't know what they use to make cement dye, but I personally would shy away from using dye.
eddiekern 1 year ago
@Arteolike I know people have successfully used rite dye (fabric) however with no problems. Most cement dyes are terracotta based so it would probably be ok.
ltkenbo 1 year ago
@ltkenbo I think ill stick with white Portland cement. Hey everybody, remember to use sand WITHOUT SILICATE, or you'll have HUGE air algae problems. Silicate is the shiny stuff on your hands after you pick up some sand, if the sand has that... DONT USE IT, form your rocks in ROCK SALT Also, Wash the Crushed oyster shell, it will make the rocks "whiter" and reduce ammonia.
Arteolike 1 year ago
@Arteolike Your talking about silica sand, and that's one of the biggest myths in the reef aquarium hobby which most people buy into. Silica sand does not cause algae problems. You can read about many people who use play sand in their aquarium and have no adverse effects.
early1991baby 1 year ago
@early1991baby I don't know. I had a freshwater aquarium, added sand that contained silica i had HUGE algae within a week, a month later cleaned it 100% Used gravel instead of the sand, no algae to this day.
Arteolike 1 year ago
Okay, a lot of people seem to be having the same problem: The rocks being frigile and falling apart. The solution is actually quite simple. Less water ... the cement to water ratio should be about 1 part water to 2 parts cement. Now that does NOT take into accout the water that gets sucked up into the oyster shells.
If too much water is added it severly diminishes the strength of the cured cement. So less is more when it comes to the water (so long as there is enough to hydrate the cemet)
eddiekern 1 year ago
Quickrete works just fine
mellleemanager 1 year ago
How long do I have to cure this rock before I put it in an established reef aquarium?
mellleemanager 1 year ago
@mellleemanager if youre going to put it in a salt water aquarium you should soak the pieces in salt water for about 30 days with one 80% water change have way through the month. if its for a freshwater aquarium do the same just with regular un-chlorinated water.
BullockDesignConcept 1 year ago
can i use any cement than portland cement as i cant get any portland cement can u mail me plz
MrFlamingdragons 1 year ago
i cant find rock salt anywhere. all i can get is like the ice melting salt. is that ok or is there any online source for it.
electronkid710 1 year ago
@electronkid710 I would shy away from rock melting salt because sometimes they use chemicals in it. If there are any livestock supply stores, they should be a safe bet.
eddiekern 1 year ago
@electronkid710 you can get rock salt at any grocery store I use it for making ice cream
miles8775 1 year ago
Ed, just out of curiosity...can it be made without the rock salt and what is the purpose of it? Thanks
rogie75 1 year ago
It can be made without the salt, but what the salt does is make it porous so that the rock has a lot more surface area for micro-flora that breaks down fish poo. Also it offers a place for pods to go and not get eaten by the fish. If you do not use salt the water will not pass through the rock like shown in the video, it will run over the surface instead.
@rogie75
eddiekern 1 year ago
@eddiekern Hey, I was wondering if any of your tanks with this rock in it have a milky white wahue to the water? I just cant get the water to clear up.
BobaJett 1 year ago
@BobaJett The milky white stuff is fine particles in the pool sand (cacium based silt and clay). If the water has heavy circulation they won't settle out since the settling velocity is so slow. Is the water your working with fresh or salt?
eddiekern 1 year ago
@eddiekern Its fresh water. I let the rocks cure for several weeks in water, then I let them sit in the sun for a few days as well. I thought the filtration would clean up the water, but it hasnt.
BobaJett 1 year ago
@BobaJett Give me some background on the tank. Is it just being established, has it been around for a while? Is there anything in it yet? What kind of bottom substrate are you using? What kind of filtration do you have? I still think it is likely silt and clay that is not settling out. If that is the case, water changes would be best. Or if there is nothing in the tank yet, you could let the water sit still for a few day, that will allow the small particles to settle out.
eddiekern 1 year ago
Cheers Ed, will do. Thanks for the advice, looking forward to more videos.
rogie75 1 year ago
I'm working on a DIY vivarium video. I bought a new camera for the purpose of making higher quality vids. So keep an eye out for it :)
@rogie75
eddiekern 1 year ago
Comment removed
rogie75 1 year ago
Your landlord sucks...i mean look at the garage, it's spotless. Tell him to come to my garage,he'll appreciate yours! On making the rock live Ed, I have an established salt tank running, should I just add some of my current live to the dead rock to get it going? Cheers and keep the good info coming.
rogie75 1 year ago
What I would do is set up a tank for the dead rock with water conditions similar to those you want the final tank to be. Doesn't have to be fancy, but the lighting, heating, and circulation should be such that you can cultivate the algae. Then add some of your live rock (and even a handful of sand) from your "cultivation tank". If you just plan on adding this rock to your established tank, cure the cement like in the vedeo and slowly add the dead rock to your tank (1 piece a week). @rogie75
eddiekern 1 year ago
It can house bactaria. Just be sure to seed it, which is somthing I don't cover in the video :)
@xbk62x
eddiekern 1 year ago
Hi Ed, Great vid. I'm having trouble understanding where you said you got the oyster shells from. I definately doing this project. Thanks
Matheis93 1 year ago
An animal feed store. They are fed to chickens to make the egg shells hard.
@Matheis93
eddiekern 1 year ago
wait the salinity should be 0? what if i have a saltwater tank should i use the saltwater parameters?
electronkid710 1 year ago
The salitiy should be zero in the freshwater you cure the cement in. You need to cure the cement before seeding and "curing" the rock for a tank.
@electronkid710
eddiekern 1 year ago
Thanks alot Ed you have saved me alot of money that i would normaly spend on a peice of rock and i would rather spend money on fish and coral not stupid rock.
ohmunchies 1 year ago
do you have pictures of what it looks like in your tank?
lexandra101 1 year ago
Unfortunately my landlord put a stop to my tanks progress, so until I get my degree and move out, the rock cannot come to life ...
@lexandra101
eddiekern 1 year ago
Greetings Ed. Thank you for your video. Live rock is very expensive in denmark, so this really helped me out. Keep it coming :-)
pblomgren 1 year ago
Ed, you are doing a great job and because of you alot of people are benefiting by making their own base rock. When you get a chance make a video with your DIY rock and show everyone the benefits.
danielbui23 1 year ago
you made dead rock not live rock
progression101 1 year ago
Yes, I'm well aware of this. Thats why at the end I give the speech about turning your dead rock into live.
If I were to have named this video "DIY Dead Rock", no one in the hobby would ever find it, which would have defeated the whole purpose of creating the video. There is a reason to the name. There was going to be a part II until my lardlord put an abrupt stop to the project. When I eventually get a place of my own, I will creat the part II.
@progression101
eddiekern 1 year ago
@eddiekern bacteria alone don't make it live rock. Real live rock has 90% more stuff that this doesnt. Unless you drop it in a reef for a few years.
progression101 1 year ago
what if the PH is off and the salt is high? start over?
lilalancarey 1 year ago
Then keep curing the rock and doing water changes. The ph will be off and the salt will be high while the rock is curing. Probably for at least a week or so, or even longer depending on how often you change the water.
@lilalancarey
eddiekern 1 year ago
why is it good for the rock to be porous?
fryedrice945 1 year ago
The rock is where good bacteria live that processes fish poo. Otherwise your fish would poop themselves to death. Also little critters known as pods can take refuge in the rock. Pods are yummy treats to fish, and if the pods can take refuge, that means they can breed and feed your fish.
@fryedrice945
eddiekern 1 year ago
Kinda looks better then the real thing.
abaneyone 1 year ago
Can You Cure Rocks Stacked On Top Of Other Rocks?
lmposible 1 year ago
I cured the rocks on top of each other.
@lmposible
eddiekern 1 year ago
Okay, so if your having trouble with the rock holding together there's a few things I would recommend.
1) add some of the pool sand into the mix; it will strengthen it
2) more cement
3) less salt
4) be sure to let it cure while moist. The sand that you shape the rocks in should be moist, then you should put them in the curing (referring to the cement curing, not the live rock) bucket after about 24 hours. It you let them dry out in the first day they will be a bit more brittle.
eddiekern 1 year ago
I'm having same problem...rock holds together but crumbles if tapped lightly with another piece
br0ken68 1 year ago
Unfortunately, my second batch fell apart. I think I need to add even more cement. Or let it harden longer. I let it harden 24 hours but my sand was pretty moist.
mstinkagain 1 year ago
Hi Eddie, I thought my live rock wasn't holding together but I let it sit longer and it seems that the inside of the rock is fine but the outside crumbled away. So it is actually working. I think I will add a little more cement though next time. Thanks for a wonderful informative video!
mstinkagain 1 year ago
Thanks for the suggestion Ed. I did mix the salt in last but I will use less salt and more cement and get back to you with the results.
mstinkagain 1 year ago
I made this with aragonite in large pieces, portland cement and rock salt in the same amounts you have listed. Unfortunately, it didn't hold together. It falls apart. I think I need to add more cement. What is your opinion?
mstinkagain 1 year ago
I would add more cement, and maybe consider cutting bacok on the rock salt. When you mix it, be sure to mix the cement, water and substrate first, then at the very last moment, add and mix the rock salt (mixing just enough to distribute the salt through the mixture). That should do the trick. Let us know how it goes.
eddiekern 1 year ago
I followed your instructions and my rocks came out pretty good. They have have been in there about 3 months and there is plenty of coraline algae thats starting to grow on them. Thanks for the vid!!!!! For you guys whom are about to make your own rocks make sure you cure them for a couple weeks, I did mine for 6 weeks.
THANK AGAIN
download1923 1 year ago
great video. thanks for making it and posting.
frankkarma 1 year ago
eddiekern, Your video is by far the best one I've seen on making reef rock, thank you very much. I've been thinking of doing this for a long while and you've convinced me to try. Phil
phil47952 1 year ago
Im a bit confused. You say dont mix the rock salt, but yet you have to, to a point. Do you just add it, stir a few times and pour? Also, My last batch I used the rock salt and the next after overnite curing, the rocks fell apart in my hands. In your experience, is that too much salt/mixing, or not enough cement, or what?? Ive had plenty of non salt rocks turn out perfect, but I wanna reduce weight and have the porous rock as well.
BobaJett 1 year ago
thanks ed, followed your video and ended up with some great pieces!
alohakepeli 1 year ago
i live in greece and i candt find rock salt...i find some salt that is not pure and it is grain size or smaller,Also has fragments or powder of salt in it likely smashed during transportation...what should i do???is there any shop that i can order rock salt?? i search the ebay but i didnt find anything....thanks you for your time...
DimitrisIkarian 1 year ago
If you can't find rock salt then I would recommend not using the salt at all. If you can't find a pure salt that is about 3-4mm in diameter or larger then I personally think that your better off not using the salt at all. Fine grain salt is not going to offer much benefit as far as porosity. If you read some of the comments for this video, some people have had some good ideas for alternatives to the rock salt.
eddiekern 1 year ago
@DimitrisIkarian brother im Turkish you can buy rock salt from here its really cheap !
baracuda3133 1 year ago
thank u mate! but how can i order it ???
DimitrisIkarian 1 year ago
Hey,
How long did it take for the rock to cure? How many days and how many water changes?
Thanks!
Ciaglewruchu 1 year ago
I cured mine for a solid month changing the water once a day for the first week, and about every other day after that.
eddiekern 1 year ago
did you change only like 1/2 the water or all of the water when you change it
dylandabomb230 1 year ago
About 80% water change
eddiekern 1 year ago
what does the rock salt do
dylandabomb230 1 year ago
It makes the rock more porous, and gives good bacteria places to grow.
eddiekern 1 year ago
Please upload more videos of your live rock in your aquarium!!!!
nick360700 1 year ago
Comment removed
masafa1990 1 year ago
Hey Ed. Great idea using the rock salt. I would like to attempt to make an entire wall (for the sides of a 92 gallon corner). See any reason why this wouldn't work (other than weight). Each wall would be about 24" x 32". I also would like to embed some PVC pipe in it, for current. Do you think it would hold together long enough to get it in the tank or will it need some reinforcement? If anyone has an thoughts I would love to hear them.
kvblakely 2 years ago
Hey guys, I was wondering whether there is a cement dye on the market that I could used to make live rock... There are plenty of dyes but some of them are very toxic...
Ed, are you familiar with any?
Thanks for your help!
Ciaglewruchu 2 years ago
I have no idea. I would be inclined to suggest food coloring, but even then reef critters could be sensitive to it. All-in-all I would be inclined no ti use dye.
eddiekern 2 years ago
can you use sand instead of cruched oyster shells
MrDouglasmako 2 years ago
Sure, just be sure to pick a calcium based sand like the pool sand, and not a silica based sand like "play sand" or tube sand. If you use sand, the texture of the rock will be different. Try it and see how you like it.
eddiekern 2 years ago
can you use solar salt?
tonydatiga96 2 years ago
I'm not really sure what solar salt is, but I played it safe and got my salt at the animal feed store because I know that it was chemical free.
eddiekern 2 years ago
I am trying to find crushed oyster shells and can't find them anywhere...
Where did you buy them? Do you still have the bag and the distributor's company name???
Ciaglewruchu 2 years ago
The crushed oyster shells are fed to chickens as a cheap calcium supplement. I found mine at an animal feed store. I don't have the brand name of the ones I bought.
eddiekern 2 years ago
I don't know why but my rocks came out gray just like the color of the cement.... Can you help???
Ciaglewruchu 2 years ago
Sadly, even with the white cement they still look pretty gray when wet. If you let them dry out for a few days they turn white.
eddiekern 2 years ago
works for me thanks
showtime302 2 years ago
thanks for the info ,i finally found some oyster shell so i used it and it came out pretty good. maybe i will post a second vid on how it came out with the shell insted of the gravel
M0Etivation 2 years ago
Sorry it has been so long since I have posted a comment, school, work, and junk has kept me pretty busy.
so bad news ... my landlord put a stop to all my aquarium related activities. So for I won;t be able to turn the base rock live for a while. But PLEASE keep posting to let me know how things are going and to suggest any improvements.
eddiekern 2 years ago
I cannot get my cement to harden what so ever! I put 3 cups oyster shell, 1 cup cement, I mix those two things then I add the rock salt last right before I put it in my sand molds, I do not however cover the cement because I dont think that does anything. Please help.
GermanLova 2 years ago
You didn't metion adding water to the mix. You want to add water until the mix has the consistancy of oyster shells in yogurt. If your still having trouble please continue to post.
eddiekern 2 years ago
Aww come on Ed im not retarded lol. Lately I have just been adding 5 parts crushed oyster shells with 1 part cement and messing around with how much water to add and those batches have been coming out alright. I couldn't for the life of me get the rocks with the salt to harden up at all.
GermanLova 2 years ago
Hahaha sorry, I work in tech support so sometimes I just assume the worst. I would play around a little more with the amount of water, and be sure to add the rock salt last, after eveything else has been mixed thoroughly. After you add the rock salt mix it as little as possible. Maybe even add less water and see what happens. Or maybe your rock salt is dissolving too quickly. All could be factors.
eddiekern 2 years ago
I have actually doing without the salt, I just use 5 parts oyster shells to 1 part cement and watch the amount of water I put in and its been coming out great.
GermanLova 2 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
I don't know why but my rocks came out gray just like the color of the cement.... Can you help???
Ciaglewruchu 2 years ago
I had one batch do the same Lova. They just fell apart. That particular batch I crused up my salt pellets and I think that was the mistake. Try adding less salt & make sure its very coarse & not powdery. try adding a bit more cement as well.
BobaJett 2 years ago
Thanks for the great video. I just have one question about the white pool sand you used. Can you use it as your live sand in aquariums?
gpro76rmp 2 years ago
I was planning on it. That being said you would need to clean it, which will probably take many many hours.
eddiekern 2 years ago
Is there another matreial you could use to create larger holes? I want to create rocks for Cichlids since holey rock is so damn expensive.
Lancero1013 2 years ago
For large holes I would recommend making two rocks, one with a cavity on the bottom and another with a cavity on the top using the sand mold process.
For smaller holes I have heard of people Making "rock salt lumps". I would do it by dunking a handfull of rock salt in water, and putting the dampend salt into a bowl with a paper towel under it, and letting it dry. If you put that ball in the prepared mix when you put it in the mold, you should get a pretty cool cave.
eddiekern 2 years ago
Actually, i ran across something I thought might work. Instead of rock salt, I got a 50lb bag of rock salt pellets. Theyre about the size of marbles. Im gonna give it a try and see how they turn out.
Lancero1013 2 years ago
I was wondering do you use a airstone while the rock is sitting in the water alone or after you add the live rock
dat673 2 years ago
I sure do. You want water flow to help dissolve as much of the rock salt as possible in the shortest amount of time. I'm cheap so I do it with airstones. A better way would be a powerhead, but he airstones work just fine.
eddiekern 2 years ago
Great Video.... rock looked great....
Jdbrine 2 years ago
Would be neat to see some of the cured and seeded liverock in your tank (I assume you have one)
LordoftheReef 2 years ago
Sorry I was wokring on it and my landlord forbid anything related to my tank in progress. But hopefully some of the people wh ohave posted here will let us know how it goes.
eddiekern 2 years ago
how long does it take to cure
airsoftdood54 2 years ago
I let them cure for about a month. But if you change the water religiously and have goo circulation I'm sure you can speed up that process. Just watch for the salinity to hit very close to zero and for the pH to stabalize.
eddiekern 2 years ago
Hay thanks i think y u should show a vid of you tank if you have one wich i bet you do if you are making rock for your tank...
airsoftdood54 2 years ago
how many pounds does the one that you made like a doughnut weigh?
trainkid12 2 years ago
802 grams when completely dry.
eddiekern 2 years ago
I know just add a bit more cement to make it stronger.
supersaltwaterfish 2 years ago
That would work just fine, it is all a matter of preference. Personally I would probably add a little bit more cement in the next batch I make. I would probably increse the ratio of cemet by about 20%
eddiekern 2 years ago
omgosh. The salt makes it Pourus with holes everywhere, thats why he rinses for a week. The salt breaks down on the inside and makes a ton of nooks and crannys for homes. Dude this is awesome!!!
supersaltwaterfish 2 years ago
can i use aragonite instead of crushed oysters???
DJAlexIatrou 2 years ago
Absolutely, in fact it may be better, but it will be a lot more expensive.
eddiekern 2 years ago
Then you get to wait a gajillion years for it to cure, yay! :(
mak3myda3 2 years ago
You could, but I bet it would sting. Your better off using it for other things IMO.
eddiekern 2 years ago
very cool video.5*
hotvws3 2 years ago
can you use gravel instead of shell?
M0Etivation 2 years ago
I would not use gravel as most of the time you do not know what is in it.
spankythepyro 2 years ago
I"m with spanky on this one, you could end up with iron based rocks in the gravel or even worse, gravel rich in copper. If you know that it is a clean Calcium based rock you'll probably be okay, but good luck finding that.
eddiekern 2 years ago
You have to watch though because when doing this for a large display you will be holding up all the rock above it as well.
The Oyster shells and portland should be enough, for a less shelly surface mix in some medium or large grain sand as well. The Oyster shell rock is light enough and porous enough to mimic live rock while still maintaining structural integrity.
spankythepyro 2 years ago
Yes admittedly the salt is bad for the cement. Ultimately this will not matter because all the rock really has to do is support its own weight underwater.
So what would you recommend instead?
eddiekern 2 years ago
but doesn't the rock salt make it porous which is really good. I'm guessing a tons of small shells would work maybe.
supersaltwaterfish 2 years ago
Maybe, you'll have to try it and let us know how it goes.
I suspect that they will be okay, but the rock wont be anywhere near as porous as the rock salt. But I've never tried it so I don't really know.
eddiekern 2 years ago
This risk with the salt is more with weakening the cement/aggregate bond. While it makes the rock porous, it is horrible from a strength standpoint. There are better options.
spankythepyro 2 years ago
The rock is plenty porous for the rock salt to disolve. Esp if you let it cure for 4+ weeks. Besides, even if and oz of rock salt disolved in your tank 1) it would disolve very slowly ... like rock salt. 2) Salt would assumulate more quicly on the side of the sump than any disolving rock salt.
eddiekern 2 years ago
unless you get millions of pins and stabb the not yet set rock you cant..using salt Always the risk of the rock breaking giving out trapped salt into the tank.. tut tut..
Sub7 2 years ago
does the rock salt desolve and leave the pores ?
M0Etivation 2 years ago
The pH of 7.6 should be fine. All the calcium in the rock is actually buffering the pH. Its odd that your tap is slightly acidic. But 7.6 is fine.
Rock salt in to make the rock more porous so that more micro floura can grow within the rock.
eddiekern 2 years ago
hey bro, ive made some diy rocks, and im in the curing process right now, and i tested for pH, but they dont match. its been curing for around 5-6 weeks now. the ph isnt even remotely close to each other. my tap is around 6.4-6.6, and my rocks water is around 7.6. is there a possibility that the ph is so high becuase i have a powerhead in there, and it aggitates the surface? please let me know...
CameraMan7410 2 years ago
have you change the water in the 6 weeks? every day for the first 2 weeks and then weekly with{ tap water}, into the ph get stable.let me know ?
gatocrib 2 years ago
why use rock salt?
supajuxt 2 years ago
Great video man that rock looks A+!!
AerosolRenegade 2 years ago
The only problem is the salt actually hurts the chemical reaction the portland cement uses to set up. Making the bond weaker actually. Which is very unfortunate because the salt is so good at making it porous.
spankythepyro 2 years ago
does it have to be oyster shells or can it be just like shells you would find at a beach
darkninjabros 2 years ago
fine shell grit is good also, i add some crushed coral sand to the mix aswell..
flyingSnakess 2 years ago
Is your tank solely or mainly running on live rock?
GeezIdontknowOmg 2 years ago
The rock salt here in the US is used to melt snow.
eddiekern 2 years ago
Hi,
I live in London and i have been searching for rock salt but i cant find any. i just wanted to know what it is usually used for? is it the salt that you use to melt snow?
nick360700 2 years ago
The rock is somewhat fragile. Its not going to break on its own, but a drop from 1 meter would probably break some of the larger pieces.
eddiekern 2 years ago
The big salt is probably the same as rock salt here in the US. just make sure that each grain is about 2-5mm in diameter.
I'm working on turning the dead rock into live rock right now, when I'm through with that I'll post the video.
eddiekern 2 years ago
excellent video!!! 100% great and informative....hope you will continue to make and upload more videos of your rock and aquarium startup process!! youtube is defiantly a better place with you here!!
nick360700 2 years ago