Mobile Bay Reef Keepers

Hello again all. As I stated in an earlier thread, I'm experimenting with making my own reef rock using cement, crushed oyster shell, sand, pvc, and just about anything else I think might work and is would be reef safe...I've been doing so for several weeks now and although I agree bought LR would be a more natural and preferred method to use to those who can afford it, the rocks that I am making I must say are looking pretty good and through trial and error using diff methods and techniqes are getting better with every batch...Hey completely understood that some or all of u wouldnt put cement rock in your already establisbed reef tank (hell I cant say I would either), but for someone who is just starting out or is establisbing a new tank, it seems worthy of investigating...The reason I'm writing this is to ask you guys if you would be interested in seeing some of them (out of curiosity) at the meeting on the 12th...Even my first batch is still curing, but I would be glad to take a few pieces out to show everyone if interested...LMK

Heck yeah.... bring some we have been talking about making some since we started in reefing about 4 years ago never ventured into but would love to see some up close and get some ideas.

Yeah I'd love to take a look.

Mike has had a look at the chunk I had outback. I consider it pretty much worthless because it's not porous at all, no matter what you do to put holes in it. The chunk in my backyard was HEAVY.

PS, I have a 50 lb. bag of crushed oyster and a 50 lb. bag of playsand for whoever wants it.

I've got some old limestone rock that use to be live rock I think at one time because it has shells and fossels in it. It's pretty porous. I got it up in monroe county. It's really easy to find and looks just like live rock. I'm going to use it as base rock in my new tank. If you want i'll bring some to the meeting for you to look at. I can tell you a few places to get it also. One reason that I think it's old live rock is because you can find sand dollars, shark teeth and some pretty cool fossilized shell in that area. I'll try to go outside and take a picture to post.

Yeah, bring it next weekend, I would like to see it! I can turn a dead rock into live, teeming, rock that's purple in about two months flat

This is one piece I have, it weighs about 15-20 pounds.

If you look close you can see fossels in that piece.

thats cool man..i wonder if i could get a piece of that to try out

I've got a wheel cart load outside and I also have a lot of it sitting in a big holding tank. I'll bring a few pieces. I took a chisel and hammer and busted some of the larger pieces up. Some pieces are better than others. I should have a good bit left over after I get my tank set up. I'll let everybody know so they can get the left overs.

This has interested me since people started doing it. I am dreaming up ways to make the rock more porous. There has got to be a way to do that. Also alot of people grind up PVS with a stone grinding wheel and deposit the peices on the exterior rock. The plastic on the outside makes the coralline go nuts.

I'd love to try a chunk of that rock; can you bring a selection to the next meeting on the 12th?

I'll bring you some.