Step 3: Allow proper concrete curing time...
Concrete creation is generally not advised in temperatures exceeding _____ or under _______. Work in the shade if you simply cannot resist a Summer project.
CONSIDER A WATER BATH - Concrete is not as easy as mixing, setting and forgetting. It requires a period of time to harden, or 'cure'. Unfortunately, concrete is notorious for setting before the ingredients have had a chance to bond as securely as they could have. The result of a rushed concrete job is cracking, weakened durability and a crumbled project. I allow my projects to remain in the mold for a minimum of 24 hours, longer for thicker items, then carefully remove, and gently set the item into a deep bath of water for a minimum of one week. Okay, fine, I admit it, I stuff them into pond plant containers and sometimes in with the Koi, who is going to know? Often I submerge the entire project to avoid any damage. DON'T rush it, don't be impatient. The reward to patience is well worth it. A week. I mean it!
Many people also merely cover their projects with wet burlap (thanks, Cyoung13) or plastic wrap and such. Unfortunately I've never used such methods, so I cannot speak for them, but they are equally wonderful methods of preventing your project from drying out too quickly.
For those who simply haven't the time or the means to ensure your project stays moist, you might consider an acrylic concrete cure & seal, available in most home improvement centers in liquid form. Brush, roll or spray this formula onto freshly set (not freshly poured) concrete. Look for the deep yellow jug with green and black labeling in the concrete section. This product can be used on recent projects, or even existing concrete.
http://www.quikrete.com/ProductLines/ConcreteSealer.asp
CONSIDER A WATER BATH - Concrete is not as easy as mixing, setting and forgetting. It requires a period of time to harden, or 'cure'. Unfortunately, concrete is notorious for setting before the ingredients have had a chance to bond as securely as they could have. The result of a rushed concrete job is cracking, weakened durability and a crumbled project. I allow my projects to remain in the mold for a minimum of 24 hours, longer for thicker items, then carefully remove, and gently set the item into a deep bath of water for a minimum of one week. Okay, fine, I admit it, I stuff them into pond plant containers and sometimes in with the Koi, who is going to know? Often I submerge the entire project to avoid any damage. DON'T rush it, don't be impatient. The reward to patience is well worth it. A week. I mean it!
Many people also merely cover their projects with wet burlap (thanks, Cyoung13) or plastic wrap and such. Unfortunately I've never used such methods, so I cannot speak for them, but they are equally wonderful methods of preventing your project from drying out too quickly.
For those who simply haven't the time or the means to ensure your project stays moist, you might consider an acrylic concrete cure & seal, available in most home improvement centers in liquid form. Brush, roll or spray this formula onto freshly set (not freshly poured) concrete. Look for the deep yellow jug with green and black labeling in the concrete section. This product can be used on recent projects, or even existing concrete.
http://www.quikrete.com/ProductLines/ConcreteSealer.asp
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I will probably make me some here in a few weeks when I have the spair cash to grab a damaged bag of quickcrete at lowes. (They sell damaged bags at greatly reduced prices here at the local one.)
I do want to point out that you might want to reconsider sticking the cureing product in with your Koi. Cureing concrete wreaks havoc on PH levels in the water. I suspect your pond is large enough to absorb the PH swings with out really messing with the PH in the pond. But if you put something really large in there to cure it might just be bad enough to damage the pond.
I have done some of the DIY hydrolic concrete and styrafoam backgrounds in a few of my fish tanks. (They look marvelous from the get go, more so when they are covered in growth, and weigh next to nothing) The cure time for them to stop effecting the PH levels was well in excess of a month. Most people that do 'oystercrete' for marine aquariums cure it for several months with daily/weekly water changes.
All that being said one of the most clever ideas I saw for that kind of cureing was to simply load the items in the tank of your toilet. So the water gets changed every time you flush the toliet. The water changes help speed the curing process apperently.
Any way thanks for the great information and keep tinkering away!
- Clark
(Frequently Z-man12 around the net)
My sincere apologies, I tend to forget about the comments section, and I really do need to check on them more often. Thank you so much for the wonderful compliments! I actually haven't tried hypertufa, though it sure looks fun! Yep, that was me and the tires. That seems like soooo long ago. Hope you will give these a try, and definitely hope you will share. :-)
Oh and I don't know if you have seen it or not by hydrolic concrete is a very fine premix. If some one is looking for something fine and smooth I think it would be excelent.