Doc_Polit Posted January 5, 2012 Report Share Posted January 5, 2012 Nicely done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClownLoach Posted February 28, 2012 Report Share Posted February 28, 2012 Very nice work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eugene Posted March 18, 2012 Report Share Posted March 18, 2012 How did you carve the styrofoam and what kind is it some absorb water, how did you color it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wmcinnes Posted March 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 sorry for the long time it took me to reply, I had no indication that anyone wrote on here.. Used a jigsaw to cut out the main shapes and then sanded them down to created the rounded edges. Once it was all sanded down I took a small handsaw known as a compass saw and just cut random peices off and cut deep lines into the styrofoam giving the 'rock' some imperfections. Once that was done I ran a blow torch quickly over it to make a truer look. The styrofoam was just rigid insulation I got from the local hardware store. The cement was colored with cement pigment. I used the colors buff and terra cotta and then covered them with a black pigment layer leaving some of the other colors showing to give it a realistic/dimensional look. Do not worry about browns as much because your rocks will be covered in a brown algae over time anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eugene Posted March 21, 2012 Report Share Posted March 21, 2012 (edited) So you used an actuall concrete mix tinted? does the concrete stay inert once dried?Was it 4inch thick insulation? Edited March 21, 2012 by Eugene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wmcinnes Posted March 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2012 No, the concrete was quickcrete quick setting cement http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=82206&d=1235610176&thumb=1 and the color was a powder pigment that I mixed in with the cement. i found the pigment at RONA in Edmonton. 2" thick rigid insulation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnizzle Posted April 30, 2012 Report Share Posted April 30, 2012 looks great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRER Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 How thick did you go with the quickcrete? How many coats? What was the drying like? I've seen DIY instructions that say you need to do multiple coats and you have to let the coats dry slowly by keeping them moist or you get cracks. Did you experience that? I definitely want to try something like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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