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DIY Rock - August 29th Meeting

Discussion in 'Des Moines & Ames Region' started by Armydog, Aug 18, 2015.

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  1. Aug 23, 2015 #21
    Bud West Des Moines, IA

    Bud Loves Bacon Website Team Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member Vendor

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    Yup, if you want to swap any frags, you can arrange that via PM etc. Getting together for a meeting doesn't mean you can't do other things as well!
     
  2. Aug 23, 2015 #22
    tangers Ankeny

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    Britt and I should be there
     
  3. Aug 24, 2015 #23
    adampottebaum

    adampottebaum Experienced Reefkeeper

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    I should be there!

    What kind of beer does everyone drink? :)
     
  4. Aug 24, 2015 #24
    Armydog

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    Any will work for me lol
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 24, 2015
  5. Aug 25, 2015 #25
    Dendro Saint Charles, IA

    Dendro

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    I have a commitment in the morning so something in the afternoon would work for me.
     
  6. Aug 25, 2015 #26
    wouldtick waukee

    wouldtick Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    Wish there was a "dont like" button but am glad you still have a job
     
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  7. Aug 26, 2015 #27
    Bud West Des Moines, IA

    Bud Loves Bacon Website Team Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member Vendor

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    There is an addon for that...:)
     
  8. Aug 26, 2015 #28
    wouldtick waukee

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    Ha!
     
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  9. Aug 28, 2015 #29
    Bud West Des Moines, IA

    Bud Loves Bacon Website Team Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member Vendor

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    Alrighty, I'm rounding up the supplies for this event. What we're planning on doing is making one decent sized rock to show everyone the process, and then we'll have some smaller containers for a few people to make one they can take home (container and all)

    Just wanting to verify who is coming: based on the replies in this thread, here is what I have:

    Me
    @Armydog@Armydog
    @FFrost@FFrost
    @wouldtick@wouldtick
    @tangers@tangers
    @adampottebaum@adampottebaum

    Did I miss anyone, or is anyone now unable to make it?

    Here's the process we're going to be following if anyone is interested

    Creating Your Own Live Rock (Full Article) | Saltwater & Reef | Feature Articles | TFH Magazine®

    Here's the Burlington event recently, I spoke with @FishBrain@FishBrain and @yankieman@yankieman today so we're good to go as far as the details go on how to do it. This will be a first for me but it sounds pretty easy (and cheap)
     
  10. Aug 28, 2015 #30
    wouldtick waukee

    wouldtick Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    Im still attending
     
  11. Aug 28, 2015 #31
    FFrost Adel

    FFrost

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    I'll be there.
     
  12. Aug 28, 2015 #32
    tangers Ankeny

    tangers Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    Something came up and we won't be able to make it now... :(
     
  13. Aug 28, 2015 #33
    Armydog

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    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 24, 2015
  14. Aug 28, 2015 #34
    nanotank10 West Des Moines

    nanotank10

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    I will also be in attendance
     
  15. Aug 28, 2015 #35
    adampottebaum

    adampottebaum Experienced Reefkeeper

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    I will be there.

    Also, my mom's an art teacher so she hooked me up with a bunch of 12"x12" acrylic pieces, some 1/4" and some 1/8". Bud, you should bring your acrylic gear and while the rock is curing/drying you could do a quick acrylic demo. Maybe someone could use a 12x12x12 pico? Otherwise I'll just donate it to the club and you can all use it another time. I thought I'd find something to use them on but they're still sitting on the garage floor where they were a few months ago...
     
  16. Aug 28, 2015 #36
    Bud West Des Moines, IA

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    It's a good thought, but building a tank that holds water isn't something you can do without edge prep and the right building surfaces. I would be bringing a whole tote worth of stuff.
    --- Auto-Merged, Aug 28, 2015 ---
    I had just enough time tonight to go buy all the materials for the rock. Sorry
     
  17. Aug 28, 2015 #37
    Armydog

    Armydog Expert Reefkeeper

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    Your a pro Bud you can do it
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 24, 2015
  18. Aug 29, 2015 #38
    Bud West Des Moines, IA

    Bud Loves Bacon Website Team Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member Vendor

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    Thanks everyone for making it to the meeting! It was nice to hang out and visit. The DIY Rock is a pretty fun project, and very easy.

    Pics from the meeting are in this album

    DSM/Ames DIY Rock 2015-08-29

    Here's a run down

    Portland Cement from Menards, 100lb bag for $10

    Crushed Oyster Shells from Des Moines Feed Supply (south of AE) 50lb bag for $11

    Sand from Menards, 50lb bag for $2.50. Also I brought some fine quartz sand, which is a 50lb bag for $5 at Menards. You can use just about any sand, this is used to form the mold for the rock so it just gets thrown away or re-used.


    Mix up Portland Cement to a thick soup consitency, add Oyster shells and sand, adjust thickness with some water, add rock salt (a lot of rock salt). We mixed up the perfect amount for the meeting, only about 2 or 3 gallons worth - maybe about 1/8 of the raw material purchased


    We used small 14qt containers to make the molds with the sand (wetted down)







     
  19. Aug 29, 2015 #39
    Bud West Des Moines, IA

    Bud Loves Bacon Website Team Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member Vendor

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    Scoop the mixture into the mold. This stuff sets up really slow so you have a lot of time. Some of us added rock salt to the mold surface before pouring the mix in so that it dissolves away and leaves a more random texture, then added to the top of the pour afterward for same reason.

    This one is mine, after the initial pour I covered it up with sand and made 5 "leg holes" with more sand and poured in more mix...should be cool.
    @adampottebaum@adampottebaum covered his up with sand before I took a pic
    @FFrost@FFrost's mold

    @Armydog@Armydog, @SGM@SGM (Stuart Meyers -> merged old account) @adampottebaum@adampottebaum

    @nanotank10@nanotank10, @wouldtick@wouldtick, @FFrost@FFrost
     
  20. Aug 29, 2015 #40
    AndrewAcropora Iowa City

    AndrewAcropora

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    Super cool! Now do something like this closer to home :D
     
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