New Home made fountain *new pics*

[Karbon]

Hi there, I'm an airbrush artist and i'm building myself a custom rock waterfall/cove and I was wondering if there's any kind of paint i can dust these rocks with and maybe cover up some of the glue before sealing it off so its not so brightly white.

[Karbon]

on a side question is it okay to use a cement on the rock to glue it together, i want something totally bonded

[Guest]

If you're using cement for a waterfall feature, you're probably going to want to take the same precautions as people who make cement liverock for marine aquariums.

DIY Cement Live Rock

It is critically important that live rock is properly cured or be prepared for big problems and death. The cement in your new live rock can raise the PH in and aquarium to dangerous levels. Cure rock for at least 6-8 weeks or more until the measured PH has stabilized.

The most important step after creating your rock is preparing it for use by curing. This is different than curing natural live rock. With natural live rock the curing process takes place in seawater. When die off on natural live rock has ended and ammonia and nitrate have stabilized natural live rock is cured. When curing your home made live rock PH is the measurement that needs to stabilize.

To cure your new rock fill a container with tap water and completely submerge rock to soak. Change the water in your container at least twice a week. Use a PH test kit to verify that rocks are cured before adding to aquarium. After 5 weeks completely drain any water in container the rocks are curing in. measure the PH of your tap water and record it. Fill the container back up and let the rocks sit in still stagnant water for one week. At the end of the week measure the PH of the water in your live rock container. If PH has risen at all repeat this process each week until ph readings are the same.

Basically you're probably going to want to cure it so that it doesn't add cement additives to your crabs' water that alters its pH, and probably its toxicity.

[aquav]

The guy that built my water dragon tank, painted the back and side walls, as well as the pond. Afterwards, he covered everything with fiberglass, which has worked really well.

[Karbon]

well I got some cement its a quick setting anchoring cement. Looks like sand when its dried. Says no special curing is required.

[aquav]

That should look really cool, post pics when you are done.

[Karbon]

here's what i've got done so far.

The cement is working pretty good great holdability
http://picasaweb.google.ca/KarbonXIII/C ... directlink

[sugarselections]

Wow! That's fantastic.

[Karbon]

Well I think I'm done with the landscaping part aside from the water system I just dont think I can stop adding and adding so I need to cut myself off.

This is what I managed to come up with in the end for more pictures visit http://picasaweb.google.ca/KarbonXIII/C ... irectlink#







Only problem is under the sink the water didnt flow off the edge of the pool like i wanted it to and i'm wondering if anyone out there knows of any tricks to manipulate waterflow.

As it is it gets to the end and then curls under and back inside will the crabs like a cove like area thats got water dripping everywhere?

[suebee]

Your a great artist, I love it. Maybe if you put a few stones at the edge the water will have to go up before it goes over and will fall properly. I would first set something heavy there to see if it works. Make the top like a shallow pool that flows over. I have a water fall for my gold fish and i took a look at that to see what made it fall over and not go under and from looking at it I think that is what does it. Each level is like a little pool with edging that makes it fall over. Hope it works our for you! I love it!

[tlivs]

wow thats cool

haha i saw the timmy's cup and was like oh this guy is from canada then i saw the k-rock mug and thought oh he is from edmonton! small world

[Karbon]

Haha guilty as charged.

Seems there's a few Edmontonians and close surrounding area dwellers crabbing it up.

I can see how a lip would do that it would cause more gravity on the falling water i'm gonna play with a couple different things. i really like the flat edge in the front gives it that borderless pool look but i may have to make some alterations. If not the crabs will have a nice wet dripping cave to hang out in which i'm not sure they'd mind.

[littleraindrop87]

that is SOOO awesome!!!

how did you make it? is the whole thing made of cement?

and i was just wondering where does the water all collect in?

i can't wait to it in your tank! great job!!!

[Karbon]

Its not all concrete its only "welded" together with quick drying cement just made small batches of it and applied it to the cracks in between the rocks i bought from the pet store here, they have a nice section of bins for terrarium rock all sorts of kinds.

As for the water collecting, i'm still working on it. I had a vision of how it would work but so far its not working exactly the way i want but I'll get it lol.

[littleraindrop87]

i think i can imagine what you want. maybe instead of making a lid at the edge upwards, you could have the lid 'downwards' to make the water cascade down instead of dripping into the cave? Not sure if you understood that :S

i still cant wait to see it in action though. looks like the perfect waterfall for the crabs. XD