DIY Rock Tutorial/Info Thread (Rocks, walls, floors, etc.)

[cracker]

Hey Folks, So the ph in my curing tank is below 8.4. What do You think? I won't be using it anytime soon so I will sit for a long while more.
West 1. How is your wall doing? I had the same grey looking stuff in my cure tank as well.

 

[West1]

Hey Folks, So the ph in my curing tank is below 8.4. What do You think? I won't be using it anytime soon so I will sit for a long while more.
West 1. How is your wall doing? I had the same grey looking stuff in my cure tank as well.

PH has dropped to 8.0 within the past week. Water still gets super cloudy within 12hrs of 100% water change and still have the grey stuff floating. Nowhere near as much thank god. Im in no rush atm so I think I'll keep at the water changes for another 2 weeks.

 

[cracker]

cool !

 

[prsnlty]

It must have something to do with the foam or glue. I've never had what you're describing. I have had a light powder residue which is normal erosion from the new rock

 

[cracker]

Hello Folks, been a while since I checked in. So the pillars I made following the instructions and steps worked exactly as planned. Prob is I won't be using them to lift the rock out of the sand bed. I decided to go a different route. However these pillars can be cut into frag plugs and spacers between rocks set on rocks. Thanks so much for all I have learned over the 2 years I have been hanging out here.

 

[MarsRover]

Just wanted to post to show others who are considering trying this but are too afraid to try it today, this is easy as cake!

I did a few test pieces with grey cement last week. Really half-done tries i promise, and this is what i got:

Both casted in sand. The small one is 2:3:3 and the big one is 4:7:6 (portland:perlite:sand)
Both were casted in sand. The small one i did in a little bucket and i capped it off with the remaining mix i had to make a stand of sorts. the big one is more representative of what i'm going to need for my build.

Only recommendation i can have, unless you want smooth rock surfaces, don't pack it down too hard. The big rock i wanted to try having a flat bottom so i put the mix into the container FIRST and then i added sand around that and piled more mix, more sand more mix and finally sand on top to be able to pack the rock a little bit.

One thing i have been experiencing, and it's expected i suppose, is the small appendages of rock (a rock here or there sticking out of the mass) do break off but it doesn't hurt the look of the rock i think, if anything i think it can make it look more natural!

 

[prsnlty]

Just wanted to post to show others who are considering trying this but are too afraid to try it today, this is easy as cake!

I did a few test pieces with grey cement last week. Really half-done tries i promise, and this is what i got:

Both casted in sand. The small one is 2:3:3 and the big one is 4:7:6 (portland:perlite:sand)
Both were casted in sand. The small one i did in a little bucket and i capped it off with the remaining mix i had to make a stand of sorts. the big one is more representative of what i'm going to need for my build.

Only recommendation i can have, unless you want smooth rock surfaces, don't pack it down too hard. The big rock i wanted to try having a flat bottom so i put the mix into the container FIRST and then i added sand around that and piled more mix, more sand more mix and finally sand on top to be able to pack the rock a little bit.

One thing i have been experiencing, and it's expected i suppose, is the small appendages of rock (a rock here or there sticking out of the mass) do break off but it doesn't hurt the look of the rock i think, if anything i think it can make it look more natural!

If you want more holes in your rock(and make it a little lighter weight) you can also mix in chunks of water softener salt crystals. After it is hardened 48 hrs you melt them out in a 5g bucket of RODI water. It also creates more surface area for beneficial bacteria to grow. Only add the salt chunks after the initial mix and right before pouring the mix into your sand mold.

 

[MarsRover]

If you want more holes in your rock(and make it a little lighter weight) you can also mix in chunks of water softener salt crystals. After it is hardened 48 hrs you melt them out in a 5g bucket of RODI water. It also creates more surface area for beneficial bacteria to grow. Only add the salt chunks after the initial mix and right before pouring the mix into your sand mold.

I have been toying with the idea of using salt. curious how it affects the concrete...but i guess, the concrete doesn't really have to be structurally strong....hrmm...might have to play with this this weekend :) Defintiely need to keep doing demolition on the house, next step is moving my current tank out of the way!

 

[prsnlty]

I used salt in all of mine to get all the crevices even on the return column. The trick is not to use any of the fine powdery stuff that comes in it only the chunks. And only mix it right before you're ready to pour it. You have to make sure that your concrete is ready to pull from the sand or it can break so I always gave it a little extra time period that I would let it sit and dry at least a day before soaking it in RO/DI water to melt out the salt

 

[MarsRover]

so i'm thinking about buying this white cement from a local producer:
http://www.angelusblock.com/returns/return_detail.cfm?type=mix&return_id=97&cr=7&pr=98&nr=0

the MSDS for the white cement says "portland cement" so i'm assuming it's the right stuff.

Going today to go buy a batch and make some rocks this evening to see how it turns out. Pretty expensive, $70.80 per 94lb bag.

I'm assuming 94 lbs will be more than i need though......hopefully.....

Thoughts?

 

[prsnlty]

so i'm thinking about buying this white cement from a local producer:
http://www.angelusblock.com/returns/return_detail.cfm?type=mix&return_id=97&cr=7&pr=98&nr=0

the MSDS for the white cement says "portland cement" so i'm assuming it's the right stuff.

Going today to go buy a batch and make some rocks this evening to see how it turns out. Pretty expensive, $70.80 per 94lb bag.

I'm assuming 94 lbs will be more than i need though......hopefully.....

Thoughts?

Yes way more lol. I paid $21 for a 94lb bag of white Portland

 

[West1]

so i'm thinking about buying this white cement from a local producer:
http://www.angelusblock.com/returns/return_detail.cfm?type=mix&return_id=97&cr=7&pr=98&nr=0

the MSDS for the white cement says "portland cement" so i'm assuming it's the right stuff.

Going today to go buy a batch and make some rocks this evening to see how it turns out. Pretty expensive, $70.80 per 94lb bag.

I'm assuming 94 lbs will be more than i need though......hopefully.....

Thoughts?

Do what I did.
Go to Home Depot and check real good at the bags of Portland II cement (if I recall its Type II), look for a damaged bag that you can carry out or put in a plastic bag. They should give it to you for .52 cents (unless it has a tiny hole, then they will just mark off a %)
Yes, 52 cents!
No contractor will buy a damaged bag but a DIYer will :)

 

[MarsRover]

Yes way more lol. I paid $21 for a 94lb bag of white Portland

Do what I did.
Go to Home Depot and check real good at the bags of Portland II cement (if I recall its Type II), look for a damaged bag that you can carry out or put in a plastic bag. They should give it to you for .52 cents (unless it has a tiny hole, then they will just mark off a %)
Yes, 52 cents!
No contractor will buy a damaged bag but a DIYer will :)

Thanks guys/gals!!!! Just now reading this after going to the producer. I heard the lady over the phone incorrectly!!! It was $17!!!

For any angelinos out there reading this, Angelus Block Inc. Is the company I purchased from. Very cool place in sun valley and they have several other locations as well! Homedepot is farther than this place for me and it sounds like as good or better a deal!

 

[prsnlty]

Thanks guys/gals!!!! Just now reading this after going to the producer. I heard the lady over the phone incorrectly!!! It was $17!!!

For any angelinos out there reading this, Angelus Block Inc. Is the company I purchased from. Very cool place in sun valley and they have several other locations as well! Homedepot is farther than this place for me and it sounds like as good or better a deal!

That's great news! I have to travel an hour to get my hands on it LOL. But at least it's possible to do :D

 

[MarsRover]

Didn't do rocks this weekend :( instead I almost finished the walls in my house!!!

 

[prsnlty]

Didn't do rocks this weekend :( instead I almost finished the walls in my house!!!

Just keep in mind it could take 2 months to cure them.

That is also good progress!

 

[MarsRover]

Question: has anyone here tried using marine buffer (like superbuffer) to accelerate the "Kuring" process? I wonder how much, if anything, this will compromise the rock. Granted, this rock isn't going to be structural rock like it would be out of water..... but still curious.

I wonder what @Randy Holmes-Farley knows about this. I know that accelerating certain chemical processes can severely change the physical mechanical properties of materials in certain cases. Will using a superbuffer to "kure" the rock faster?

 

[TherealplexiG]

Will using a superbuffer to "kure" the rock faster?

In concrete industry its known as admixture, not certain what types of chemicals it may have. Not a necessity to use IMO...

 

[prsnlty]

Question: has anyone here tried using marine buffer (like superbuffer) to accelerate the "Kuring" process? I wonder how much, if anything, this will compromise the rock. Granted, this rock isn't going to be structural rock like it would be out of water..... but still curious.

I wonder what @Randy Holmes-Farley knows about this. I know that accelerating certain chemical processes can severely change the physical mechanical properties of materials in certain cases. Will using a superbuffer to "kure" the rock faster?

There is a saying in reefing, nothing good happens fast only bad. That being said I wouldn't use it. Concrete has a average ph of 10-11. It needs to naturally leach (Which is the kuring process) to fall to 8.4 and stay there. Buffers are only temporary anyway. If you place your kuring rock container (tank, trash can ect) outside in the shade and change the water every day or two, it'll kure faster.

 

[MarsRover]

Sorry, i should have been more specific. I did NOT mean to mix the superbuffer powder into the dry mix of portland etc....

What i ment was, in the Kuring tank, i could dissolve superbuffer into the RO/DI water.

Simple principle of diffusion: Fick's Law shows that the larger the gradient, the greater the flux. This is also likely why agitation of the water (using a circulation pump in the container) during Kuring is found to be "preferred". The buffer will serve to maintain the liquid's pH to the ideal 8, and the higher pH cement will leech faster because the water isn't being allowed to increase pH (by virtue of the buffer) as leeching occurs, thus maintaining the gradient.