Silicate based sand and DIY Live Rock

Who has made Live Rock using a silcate based sand, which is the only thing available in my area? When I think about silicates, I think about diatoms and that shuts the idea off right there for me. However, I did make some DIY LR a long time ago using silicate sand, but once again, there's that word "silicate", so I never used them. Who has put these silicate rocks in their tank and what is your experience? Did you notice a diatom problem?

 

Go to a local feed store and get crushed oyster shell and a bag of aragonite sand then use white and gray Portland cement you will have some really nice looking rocks and mix the textures and cement colors up to get that natural look not all looking the same ..

When I was making the rocks I used all white and all gray then I'd mix the cements and all aquarium sand then all oyster shell then mix some at 50/50 and some at 25/50 and so on .