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Delaware Reef Club in its 5th year |
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There have been a lot of changes in reef keeping over the last 5 years and DRC is no exception. 2008 marks the 5th year that DRC continues to grow and evolve. What strikes me as most noteworthy is the free exchange of information and ideas. We have some very knowledgeable members which range form marine biologists to writers on the topic of marine aquaria. Some have moved on to be experts in their field and other stayed close to home and started businesses that cater to maintaining saltwater tanks. Now while it feels good to relish in the past we must look to enhance the experience and grow the club. This year we elected a new board to direct the future of the club. The goal of the new board is simple: Grow the clubs membership to double and enhance the experience. |
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Concrete in the Home Aquarium |
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Diy Rock
Why Make Your Own Rock?
The first mention I heard of Diy rock was in 2004 on www.3reef.com and it mentioned the use of different materials to make cheap rock. There was little information and even fewer had tried it. Most felt it was a way to beat the high price of live rock and that’s what initially drove me to it. While doing research on the new tank I was building, I decided I wanted to take as little from the ocean as possible. This Diy rock was the way to go. With the little information I found I made the first batch. Quite a bit has changed as aquarists have plenty of places to get info today. Reef Central and GARF have threads and postings on making Diy rocks however the most exotic displays are found on www.cichlid-forum.com. This article is not an original work but a compilation of what I have read and the trial and errors I have made with my own rock. I included links at the end of this article but special thanks goes to InsaneReefer's thread on RC.
Getting people to make there own live rock will reduce the burden on the diminishing natural reefs. The goal of using rock whether live or Diy is for coral display and to have a healthy and thriving population of bacteria sponges and micro fauna. Diy Rock does not work exactly like live rock does. Live rock has the benefit of boring worms and algae that have over millions of years transformed the rock to have many small cavities and capillaries for micro fauna and bacteria to colonize. Diy rock will achieve an aerobic and anerobic area because of the porosity of concrete. Over time, the depth that this process of de-nitrification will occur will increase as the presence of worms and sponges dig into the rock, but it starts right on the outer surface to a depth of ¼ inch. As for the long-term success or failure of concrete in the aquarium; public aquariums have relied on it for their displays for 30 plus years. |
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