DIY agrocrete recipes

[reefscape boy]

Hi Dakar, the plate-like parts were made using a mould, the rest was made by hand ( using rubber gloves )

A good starting point for a formula is grit sand building sand.I have alsoused rock wool insulation, like what is used in houses. This allows you to get good texture and shapes! I also used to use rubber moulds to cast coral and clams to add to the effect.

[reefscape boy]

A concrete clam

[dakar]

Too cool! I can hear the hamsters gearing up on their little wheels now for all the DIY'rs. Thanks for the great ideas!

[dakar]

More Pics of some excellent examples of agocrete rocks made by
reefscape boy; (thanks for sharing them and some of your secrets!!)

[dakar]

More Agrocrete rocks by reefscape boy, if these pics don't inspire some portland being whipped around I don't know what will

[Limpit]

WOW, talk about great looking ho-made rock. I have been getting a little bit better but want to cure my first attemps to see if I am going to make more.
As of now it has only been fresh water curing for 4 days so it will be awile before it goes in any tank here. I have noticed that the water that the rock is curring in gets sort of a slimey feeling on your skin. I wonder what that is all about?

[dakar]

Do you have a powerhead or something in the curing vat to keep the water moving around? That slime is likely from the sand in your mix, either that or the rediculously high PH levels doing something.... none of my test kits go higher than 12 on the PH scale, and my curing vat stays way over that for at least the first month or so.
I do get a little of the slimy crud with the crushed oyster shell/sand mix... but changing the water out at least weekly and that crud will start diminishing as time goes by.

Those pieces by reefscape boy are just plain fantastic... going to try my hand at some much more detailed pieces like that here shortly. Especially intergrating the 'shelves' into some larger pieces. That and I want to try the inflated latex glove trick to make some 'cave' pieces. So far no luck with the sand mixtures, last two batches just crumbled apart (guess I shorted the portland in the mix).... so I'll stick with my oyster shell/saltrock recipe.

[Limpit]

I have a power head running in the vat and i have been changing out maybe 50% of the water every couple of days or so.
I have had great success with the plain sand method to build caves and tunnels in the rock that I have made.
I have found the best results for me are:
5 parts reef grade sand mixed with Punka shell
1 1/4 part Portland
Seems like the rock stays together quite well with this mix.
Is it possible that the salt you are adding is weakening the cement? Just a thought.

[Whoyah]

Has anyone tried large chunks of ice or maybe pieces of supered toasted bread to make caves and such? Just a thought. Both woulddesolve leaving a cavity. I have nevered tried making home made LR but it looks really cool.

[dakar]

Is it possible that the salt you are adding is weakening the cement? Just a thought.

I think I just hosed up the recipie, not enough portland. Mostly I use the rocksalt on the outside side surfaces to create nooks and crannies as it dilsolves away later.

Has anyone tried large chunks of ice or maybe pieces of supered toasted bread to make caves and such? Just a thought. Both would desolve leaving a cavity. I have nevered tried making home made LR but it looks really cool.

Never tried ice, think it would likely melt before it could set up, the toasted bread might work. Big pasta noodles do work well though, they pretty much disolve away to nithing during the curing bath leaving nice caves and such.

Whoyah you gotta give it a shot, with a bit of practice you can create anything...geez look at the examples above. Some of the best things happen by accident. But the coolest part is watching it liven up after you add it to the tank, all of the stuff I made last year is just covered in coraline and corals now....

I'll have to dig up some before and current pics. Mayhaps I'll photo-document the next run. I'm getting the itch again hee hee