Before I wipe this tank out…is Sakrete hydraulic cement reef safe?

[Gregg @ ADP]

I typically use Quikrete Hydraulic cement, but Lowes only had Sakrete hydraulic. I figured ‘How different could it possibly be?’, but once I opened it and saw the blend, it looks like the blend has some additional compound in it…looks like small white flakes that comprise about 1% of the cement. Once water is added, they dissolve. I’m rusty on my cement/mortar chemistry, so maybe it’s just helping to drive the reaction?

I use Quikrete all the time and have never had an issue. Once wet, the Sakrete looks, feels, and behaves like Quikrete.

Just wondering if anybody has ever had an issue using it. I’m letting it cure for a few days, so I haven’t put the tank in jeopardy…yet.

Thanks.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I typically use Quikrete Hydraulic cement, but Lowes only had Sakrete hydraulic. I figured ‘How different could it possibly be?’, but once I opened it and saw the blend, it looks like the blend has some additional compound in it…looks like small white flakes that comprise about 1% of the cement. Once water is added, they dissolve. I’m rusty on my cement/mortar chemistry, so maybe it’s just helping to drive the reaction?

I use Quikrete all the time and have never had an issue. Once wet, the Sakrete looks, feels, and behaves like Quikrete.

Just wondering if anybody has ever had an issue using it. I’m letting it cure for a few days, so I haven’t put the tank in jeopardy…yet.

Thanks.

It is not. I remember a few years back someone having a huge loss from something leeching into tank from this material

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

It is not. I remember a few years back someone having a huge loss from something leeching into tank from this material

Do you recall how much was used?

I’ve got about 3-4lbs of it for a rock-wall going into a 500gal system. It would be totally cured by the time it goes into the tank, if that makes any difference.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Do you recall how much was used?

I’ve got about 3-4lbs of it for a rock-wall going into a 500gal system. It would be totally cured by the time it goes into the tank, if that makes any difference.

I don’t

 

[Dburr1014]

I typically use Quikrete Hydraulic cement, but Lowes only had Sakrete hydraulic. I figured ‘How different could it possibly be?’, but once I opened it and saw the blend, it looks like the blend has some additional compound in it…looks like small white flakes that comprise about 1% of the cement. Once water is added, they dissolve. I’m rusty on my cement/mortar chemistry, so maybe it’s just helping to drive the reaction?

I use Quikrete all the time and have never had an issue. Once wet, the Sakrete looks, feels, and behaves like Quikrete.

Just wondering if anybody has ever had an issue using it. I’m letting it cure for a few days, so I haven’t put the tank in jeopardy…yet.

Thanks.

I'm not sure what the difference is but, any cement will be at a very high ph of not cured over several weeks.
I used Portland cement in the past and threw it in a stream behind my house for a couple months to cure it.
If doing it in a bucket, you will have to change the water several times.
I would think once cured it wouldn't leach anything.
But I'm not totally sure either.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

Well, definitely don’t use Sakrete in an aquarium.

In one of my rare moments of not being a moron, I decided to cure the wall in a 45gal bucket. Part of it fell apart as soon as I picked it up to put it in the bucket . Then I checked on it the next day, and there was a ‘weirdness’ to the water that I can’t really explain…there was clearly something else in the water that was not biological coming off the live rock I used. As I was pumping the water into the sink (using a sump pump that leaks a little electricity), I could feel the juice when the water ran over a small cut on my finger. Definitely some extra dissolved solids in the water.

Then I picked it up to examine it, and another big chunk fell off. I decided to just scrap the whole wall piece, including all live rock used. Definitely don’t want to take a chance.

So I’m now remaking it with Quikrete hydraulic cement, which I’ve used for years and know I can trust.

To put it on the official record, DO NOT USE SAKRETE HYDRAULIC CEMENT.