DIY live rock !!!

[jtbadco]

Hey Gang,...In anticipation of my next SW set-up I have decided to make most of the LR myself.

I am in the process of thinking up the shapes I will start with, then I will create the molds from styrofoam. Does anyone know what kind of glue I can use to bond layers of styrofoam together that wont melt it?

I have been researching different DIY live rock recipes and I was wondering if anyone on the forum has made their own live rock and what recipes and molding techniques you used???

If anyone has any pics or good site recommendations please toss them out.

Thanx
Blaine

[Reefer Rob]

My last tank was about 1/2 DIY rock. Molded in crushed coral/sand. I'd never do it again, too much of a PTA and it took forever to cure. This time I went with Marco Rocks, so much easier, and nice porous rock.

[Brandon5555]

Heres what I do for mine, 1 part portland white cement, 3 parts crushed oyster shells (get it from a UFA or place like it), and 1-2 pars coarse rock salt. Dont ad to much water, make it really thick. Then get wet sand, dig your molds, pour in the mix, then throw some sand over top. Wait 24 hours. Then your good. Let it sit in diluted in vinegar, then put it in salt water.

[wingedfish]

I used the garden to make my molds. Make whatever you can think up in the dirt. I pushed a cup into the dirt in three places in a triangle and poured my mix over it. Now I have a shelf on a legs that I pile all my other rocks on. It's fun but agreed its a PITA to cure. Took a few weeks in a garbage can with daily water changes that can go longer as it ages. I would do it again but chuck them in a large body of water to cure.

[jtbadco]

I was considering using dirt or sand for molds but I would like to save and reuse the molds so I decided on styrofoam blocks. I will use blocks around 1'x1', then make the negative molds. I will use plastic bags filled with newspaper for the inner forms so I can make caves and tunnels, etc

[argan]

I used crushed oyster shell and large grain sand and crushed coral.
Also mixed in the 1"-3" softener salt pellets for added porosity.

then i molded the wet stuff in rubbermaid bins, using a reverse layering tecnique until the piece was big enough. you dig a shape and put some wet stuff, then pack it with dry stuff a bit, but connect more wet stuff as you build up around it. Kind of making it upside down.

worked really well, but curing is the key. If you have a big wash bin sink it helps, or cure small pieces in a toilet tank.

Also i only added one or two pieces to my already established tank at a time,
adding some every week.

Everything grew on it and i still have a bunch of dry pieces, i made so much.

There are pictures in my build thread on page 2.

[argan]

Oh don't forget, the oyster shells are sharp! And don't make the pieces too big or you will regret it. (this is how i got some good small pieces)

[chandigz]

Here is a link to some I did. http://www.viaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?3567-DIY-rock