How to Make Nano Reef Rock

http://www.ipsf.com We demonstrate how to make Aragocrete reef rock for the 10-gallon Nano Lagoon reef tank. The same process is used to make rock for larger tanks.

Aragocrete was first developed by LeRoy Headlee and his staff at the Geothermal Aquaculture Research Foundation (garf.org) in Boise, Idaho. We gratefully acknowledge their pioneering work in the formulation and demonstration of Aragocrete technology.

The basic formula for making reef rock is 1-2-3: one part Portland cement, 2 parts coral sand and 3 parts 3/4" coral aggregate. If you don't have coral aggregate, use Portland cement and coral sand in a ratio of 1 part cement to 4 parts sand. Mix the dry ingredients with a shovel in a wheelbarrow, then add water carefully, mixing as you go, to achieve a "dry" stiff mixture with no standing water.

Next use a small spade or mason's trowel to drop the mixture into a sandbox or suitable container (such as a big basin or cardboard box) which has been filled with sand. Use a piece of #4 rebar, a big screwdriver or a mason's pointing tool to add features and holes to the mixture and to shape it while it is still workable.

Pieces of rock destined for the 10-gallon Nano Lagoon tank should be no bigger than your outstretched hand.

Let the rock sculptures dry for at least 24 hours. Next, place them into a plastic trash bin filled with aerated seawater. Let them age for a month or more before using them in a saltwater aquarium.

Making your own Aragocrete reef rock locally helps reduce damage to natural coral reefs in tropical island nations. It also eliminates the alarming dieoff of reef invertebrates which occurs every time wild live rock is shipped to distant markets, such as those in America and Europe.

Please use only captive-bred organisms in your reef aquarium.

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Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• nano lagoon
• ipsf.com
• Indo-Pacific Sea Farms
• Aragocrete
• live rock
• reef rock
• reef tank
• nano reef tank
• Gerald
• Heslinga

[lmposible]

Do You guys let the ph drop from the cement before you sell it/use it?

[ipsfdotcom]

@lmposible Yes, in the video and in the "more info" section we talk about aging the new rock for a month. This is long enough to cure it and leech out anything that might raise the pH.

[ipsfdotcom]

@lmposible Yes of course:-)

[ipsfdotcom]

The rock remains intact while curing. It should not break off or become soft. It behaves like concrete.

[leeandstacie]

Hi

Not sure if I am missing something but how do you make this rock into living rock?

Thanks

[ipsfdotcom]

@leeandstacie See our video on Growing Great Coralline Algae. The dead base rock needs to be seeded with coralline spores and given time to develop a nice covering of living coralline, as shown in the video.

[kimikozembower]

informative video

[TheIllusionistGuy]

is there anyway to speed up the ageing process? I've heard of adding vinegar or something about an acid wash.. Also is there any other method to making reef for aquarium, such as the stryofoam and grout method one would use for a dry terrarium? Thanks:)

[dalpiero]

hey, just one question...

I need to put rock salt also? our not???

ALOHA,

surf é vida!

[lesterclaypool1]

@GeraldHeslinga yes check out my friend dick at tropicorium , hes been doing the same ,for a very long time he got a much better seletion of tri dacs and corals than i do , he was the first guy to ship corals in vermiculite ,,, peace oh and i used straight white vinegar to add to the soaking solution to help modifie the ph of my rock ,,, only as a first step

[GeraldHeslinga]

@lesterclaypool1 Thanks for the great letter! You have discovered how to start an ecosystem the natural way. Introduce some very simple organisms and let nature take its course. Wonderful results, all it takes is patience.

[GeraldHeslinga]

<<----<< Click to see some cool giant clam farming videos!

[lesterclaypool1]

i love it i ve been doing my own type of thing like this since the eightys ,,, i first put tanks out side with covers and skimm and filled them old waste water fro,m my tanks and pet shop , well in no time calerpas were going insane , then the realy wonderful stuff started happening , thing i did know i introduced , some via brine shrimp some ???? but things started growing , any ways cheers and thanks , p. s. that was in canada so theres no excuse for any one south of me to not do it