DIY rock using old sand/crushed coral mix?

Do y'all think it would be ok if I rinse the old sand from the 55 and used it to make new rock? It's sand and crushed coral mixed, with the majority being crushed coral. Also, do you think it would hasten or lengthen curing time?

 

Do you mean rinse and mix that old sand in with some cement to make your own rock?

 

You should be fine in doing that. i forget what the mixture of sand to crushed coral was. been a while since i made any. but as long as you have a good bit of coral in there it should be fine. as far as curing, i dont believe it will effect the curing time. If i remember correctly the Cement will produce a chemical that greatly increases your PH levels, it took mine a while to get all that leeched out. Keep good flow on it and you should be good.

I've read that some people go chunk them in a local creek or stream and let them sit for a few weeks and come back and grab them and they are fully cured out. depending on where you live though that might be kinda scary if there is a bunch of crap commin down that creek from the city.

 

yep. I still have half a tub of crushed coral, to use as the forms(molds) from the last batch of rock I made and adding the sand/cc mix to the portland cement.

 

yep...I know where the poopie pond starts in this small town. Definitely go up stream....... not a whole lot above that part.... not sure if I would do that anyway, fresh water parasites and stuff vs. saltwater....

the last couple of pieces I made cure in about 8 weeks. I left them in about 10 weeks though... one of them has a lot of coralline on it too

 

Linda, never have done that before. Might be a good idea? Maybe someone that has done it before can tell you. I don't want to steer you in the wrong direction.
If you don't use it for making rock, you can save the aragonite sand to put into a refugium.

 

Should work just fine as others have said.

If you do not already know, rock salt or water softener salt mixed in is a great way to make a nice porous rock. The salt should dissolve out with the leeching process.

 

Ooo now that is something i never thought about. Great idea!

 

i have heard of people going as far as using the plastic shavings from drilling hard plastic as way to make it porous. i was just going to start the proccess of making my own

 

Actually, I just remembered seeing this:

http://www.3reef.com/forums/aquatic-art-technologies/live-rock-live-sand-sale-50069.html

Why make your own when you can buy cured liverock covered in coralline for $2.50/lb?
I'll be picking some of it up for sure, and so will at least one other guy I know up here.