Curing cement for DIY live rocks--pH issues.

FireViper · 01/10/2019, 08:17 PM

There are a lot of great posts regarding curing DIY rocks. Some suggest curing them dry, others wet. We opted for putting our DIY rocks into a 10 gallon aquarium with a heater and a power head. After a few days, no more crud is coming off the rocks and the water is crystal clear. The rocks have been in the tank for a couple weeks now. . . .

Here's the issue. Curing cement drives up the pH of the water and allegedly when, after lots of water changes, it remains below 8 it should be okay for the next step. Unfortunately, our tap water has a pH of 9.3, both self tested and per our water districts website. Using our tap water, the pH will never get below 9.3.

Any thoughts on how to know when our rocks might be ready?

Thanks!

FireViper · 01/10/2019, 08:31 PM

and another beginner question. Will adding the gunk from the skimmer, when the rocks have the right pH, help the rock develop into live rock?

OldReefGuy · 01/10/2019, 09:05 PM

you should cure your rock in RO/DI water. Its going to take you forever now to get rid of that phosphate thats leached into your rock. What cement did you use BTW? and I wouldnt add any gunk from the skimmer into your main tank...but a small piece of LR from LFS/fellow reefer and eventually, all the rock will become live.

FireViper · 01/10/2019, 09:42 PM

portland type II plus crushed aragonite and sand. . . .

DougSupreme · 01/12/2019, 01:57 PM

definitely RO water near the end

Daddi0 · 01/12/2019, 02:11 PM

I have heard of people putting cement items in the toilet tank to leach. Every time you flush, the item gets fresh water.
Cheers! Mark

01/10/2019, 08:17 PM	#1
FireViper Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: San Francisco Bay Area Posts: 120	Curing cement for DIY live rocks--pH issues. There are a lot of great posts regarding curing DIY rocks. Some suggest curing them dry, others wet. We opted for putting our DIY rocks into a 10 gallon aquarium with a heater and a power head. After a few days, no more crud is coming off the rocks and the water is crystal clear. The rocks have been in the tank for a couple weeks now. . . . Here's the issue. Curing cement drives up the pH of the water and allegedly when, after lots of water changes, it remains below 8 it should be okay for the next step. Unfortunately, our tap water has a pH of 9.3, both self tested and per our water districts website. Using our tap water, the pH will never get below 9.3. Any thoughts on how to know when our rocks might be ready? Thanks!

01/12/2019, 01:57 PM	#5
DougSupreme Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,226	definitely RO water near the end __________________ Intelligence is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad Current Tank Info: 75g mixed reef

01/12/2019, 02:11 PM	#6
Daddi0 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Redwood City Posts: 1,354	I have heard of people putting cement items in the toilet tank to leach. Every time you flush, the item gets fresh water. Cheers! Mark __________________ 2x 65g displays with a 30g cryptic refugium and 30g sump - 55g reef 30g Bio-cube reef - I.M. 30g reef - 45g freshwater

01/10/2019, 08:31 PM	#2
FireViper Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: San Francisco Bay Area Posts: 120	and another beginner question. Will adding the gunk from the skimmer, when the rocks have the right pH, help the rock develop into live rock?

01/10/2019, 09:05 PM	#3
OldReefGuy Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Granada Hills Posts: 542	you should cure your rock in RO/DI water. Its going to take you forever now to get rid of that phosphate thats leached into your rock. What cement did you use BTW? and I wouldnt add any gunk from the skimmer into your main tank...but a small piece of LR from LFS/fellow reefer and eventually, all the rock will become live.

01/10/2019, 09:42 PM	#4
FireViper Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: San Francisco Bay Area Posts: 120	portland type II plus crushed aragonite and sand. . . .