The Puffer Forum

Ok I have a question about DIY live rock, my ingredients are:
Cement (I have a mixture that is mixed Portland cement, sand, and gravel)
Sand
and crushed oyster shells.

My question comes to the sand, what kind of sand is best to use? I've heard any "natural" sand should work. Whould a silica sand mess with my parameter too drastically. Its a fish only and live sand/rock, no corals.

silica = bad algae problems, no way around it!

OK, thanks.
I was just reading up on this on google and someone said that silica sand is similar to quartz, such as in a glass tank so it wouldn't make a differance. Are they just mistaken?

, look around reef central, silicates will cause an algea bloom, the silicates in glass are fixed and will not leech unlike sand/rock with silicates in them.

Ok, I'll find a cheap non-silica based sand. Anything else I should watch out for?

I've heard using spaghetti in your cement mix helps make it porous. Basically, you stab it through, and/or mix in, and then when it gets washed a whole lot the spaghetti will eventually wash away and leave holes going into the new "rock" for bacteria to grow on and water to flow through. Oh, and the same thing with rock salt.

-Rob

Oh yeah, I forgot that. Thanks for the reminder, I am going to do that too.

do NOT use quartz sand. it will scratch the heck out of the glass

I actually found a new way that involves no sand, just concrete and salt (and noodles if so desired). It supposedlly makes really porous rock (after you dissolve out the salt). I don't think I'll need to make any anymore though, my parents are bringing me back some rocks from Mexico. I like to think of it as my little reward for watching them go away and them leaving me with my brother and sister, haha. Thanks guys if I do make some anywawy I'll let you know how it goes.