DIY MAKE YOUR OWN AQUARIUM LIVE ROCK STRUCTURES
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THE MIX
I use 4 parts crushed oyster shells to 1 part portland cement.All types of portland work,but the higher the #,the quicker it sets up.There are alot of materials that are "aquarium safe".Crushed coral,dolimite,glass, most plastics,certian gravels,etc.But there are many that are not!Becareful what you add.Some materials will alter the waters make-up enough to kill all the inhabitants.So will your un-cured rock.It's easy to cure,just takes time.
When adding water,be careful not to make it too soupy.The "mud"needs to be firm so it doesn't slide away from the form.
THE MAKE
The smaller archway in the picture is made by using a plastic 2lb. butter container.Cut a small side section off so it sit on its side.I always make sure to keep everything at least a half inch thick.For my larger archways I place plastic ties in the mud to act as "rebar".This firms up the piece.
There is a time when I make a thin spot.When constructing a hole cave,use a 1lb. plastic deli container as the form.Build your mix around it.Keep a thin spot where you want to make a hole.Carefully remove the plastic form and use a screwdriver to carefully chip away at the thin spot.Do this while your piece is still green(24-40hrs?).
The open-face cave is made from a 2lb. deli container cut in half lengthwise.It's almost as easy as the frag mounts made from styrofoam egg crates.I make larger mounts from disposiable drink containers.But any plastic cup will do.These are just a few forms I use.Your only limited by your imagination.So have fun with it!
THE CURE
You will need to soak the rock in freshwater until it's PH stable.This takes about 6-8 weeks.Change the water every 3 days and this will speed up the process.Now your project is ready to grow coralline algae and graft corals on to
Like the hobby in general,everybody has their favorite ways.Check out my diy on growing and grafting corals to your structure to see what works for me.I'm always interested in new ideas and feed-back.Pleae feel free to e-mail me.