Carib sea arches. Concrete covered in aragonite??

[Tommy's Reef]

I broke an arch to scape with but it looks like concrete in the middle??
What do yall think? I'm upset.

 

[Tommy's Reef]

Wow rinsed the rock in a bucket and the water turned purple!! #caribsea

 

[fishybizzness]

That looks like emarco aqua scape cement. I believe they used smaller pieces and cement them together to form the arches and shapes then apply the purple coat

 

[Spieg]

Yah, looks like fake rock to me... what were you expecting to see?

 

[rtparty]

They are man made rock. No secret there

 

[Tommy's Reef]

They claim no cement!

 

[Tommy's Reef]

Its probably a reef safe type cement, but its advertised as all aragonite. Just didn't expect it

 

[Tommy's Reef]

That looks like emarco aqua scape cement. I believe they used smaller pieces and cement them together to form the arches and shapes then apply the purple coat

I'm good with the emarco cement, I know they make alot though I hope there not cutting corners and using something crazy

 

[mottomegl]

I bought arches from them back in November and when i cut it i saw the same thing had no issues in my tank they just taking little pieces and put them together to form bigger pieces

 

[Tommy's Reef]

Good to know thanks. My concern was if they coat it to protect cement from leaching.

 

[polyppal]

All of the fake rocks are some form of reef-safe cement. other than using natural rock, idk how they would form a structure otherwise...

They would no doubt use a concrete that doesn't adversely affect your tank. Its not the same type of cement you'd pick up at Home Depot

 

[AZMSGT]

Where do they claim no cement?

BRS web site says:

CaribSea LifeRock is made of an aragonitic base rock, instead of the typical cement used by many other artificial rock creators. Every rock contains a network of micro and macro pores that intertwine within the rocks internal structure creating the perfect environment for natural nitrifying bacteria. LifeRock is manmade and does not affect our natural resources, making it the perfect option for all marine fish, invertebrates, and corals.

Carbisea says:

LifeRock™ begins as a sunlit piece of Pleistocene era seafloor thriving with living creatures. Over the next 100 millennia and the retreat of the ocean, this ancient piece of seafloor, now well inland, has formed a pure, aragonite-bearing rock. This clean base rock is 97% calcium carbonate with minor and trace elements such as strontium, magnesium, and barium. This base has an amazing 50% void space which will provide residence for billions of water-purifying bacteria. LifeRock™ is infused with bacteria using AragAlive™ technology which results in a reduction of traditional cycling times. Each piece of LifeRock™ has multiple engineered aragonite coatings that not only maintain the extensive macro-and micro- porosity but yield the soft muted colors of a living reef. LifeRock™ is a superior rock of true marine origin without hitchhikers, organics, or algae. No curing is required. With LifeRock™ you will get the look of an established reef from Day 1.

Carbisea never says what they are made of.

it’s fake rock, what do you expect them to be made of?

 

[Tommy's Reef]

Where do they claim no cement?

BRS web site says:

CaribSea LifeRock is made of an aragonitic base rock, instead of the typical cement used by many other artificial rock creators. Every rock contains a network of micro and macro pores that intertwine within the rocks internal structure creating the perfect environment for natural nitrifying bacteria. LifeRock is manmade and does not affect our natural resources, making it the perfect option for all marine fish, invertebrates, and corals.

Carbisea says:

LifeRock™ begins as a sunlit piece of Pleistocene era seafloor thriving with living creatures. Over the next 100 millennia and the retreat of the ocean, this ancient piece of seafloor, now well inland, has formed a pure, aragonite-bearing rock. This clean base rock is 97% calcium carbonate with minor and trace elements such as strontium, magnesium, and barium. This base has an amazing 50% void space which will provide residence for billions of water-purifying bacteria. LifeRock™ is infused with bacteria using AragAlive™ technology which results in a reduction of traditional cycling times. Each piece of LifeRock™ has multiple engineered aragonite coatings that not only maintain the extensive macro-and micro- porosity but yield the soft muted colors of a living reef. LifeRock™ is a superior rock of true marine origin without hitchhikers, organics, or algae. No curing is required. With LifeRock™ you will get the look of an established reef from Day 1.

Carbisea never says what they are made of.

it’s fake rock, what do you expect them to be made of?

You answered your own question in the first paragraph (CaribSea LifeRock is made of an aragonitic base rock, instead of the typical cement used by many other artificial rock creators.)

 

[Tommy's Reef]

When cracked open it looks like concrete, which has a mixture of cement the 2 words are some times used interchangeably.
I was just getting peoples insight on the look of the cement

 

[reefiniteasy]

You answered your own question in the first paragraph (CaribSea LifeRock is made of an aragonitic base rock, instead of the typical cement used by many other artificial rock creators.)

That doesn’t say no cement. It’s saying the base is an aragonitic base rock and not cement. Doesn’t say they don’t use cement.

 

[reefiniteasy]

I use LifeRock. It’s great!

 

[Weasel1960]

Read @AZMSGT descriptions again....truth in advertising? When I read the BRS description it clearly discusses cement. When you read the very flowery Carribsea description it clearly states “starts as...” the whole thing would lead you to believe it is a “rock”. IMO they likely crush the aragonite and use it in a cement based slurry of some kind.

 

[Weasel1960]

To be clear on definitions. Cement is the powder used in the mix with water and different forms of aggregate. Concrete is the end result after the chemical process cooks it and it hardens.

Yes they are often used interchangeably.

 

[Tommy's Reef]

Read @AZMSGT descriptions again....truth in advertising? When I read the BRS description it clearly discusses cement. When you read the very flowery Carribsea description it clearly states “starts as...” the whole thing would lead you to believe it is a “rock”. IMO they likely crush the aragonite and use it in a cement based slurry of some kind.

Right it leads you to feel like its all rock.
Especially if you read Jake adams write up on reef builders. Its a little confusing but I get it.

 

[Tommy's Reef]

Was just throwed off when opening it up to see something other than all aragonite.