Has anyone ever used Habacrete?

[thriftyaaamom]

For future reference has anyone ever used Habacrete. If so how do you paint it and does it require any topcoat or sealant where it may come in contact with water or does it require any saltbath soaking and resoaking to balance the PH?

[froggsong]

I have not used it myself, but I think the whole point of it is that it has a neutral pH without soaking. I know there are some folks on here that have used it, hopefully they can give you better details.

[Green Ghost]

Originally Posted by thriftyaaamom

... does it require any saltbath soaking and resoaking to balance the PH?

You meant epsom salts?

[thriftyaaamom]

No, to cure the cement and to reduce the ph the cement must be soaked in salt water for quite some time and then water changes this process can take up to a month. This would be in cases where the cement would come in contact with water. Aquarium salt or water softener salt are the salts of preference.

[froggsong]

I always here of people using vinegar for that, rather than salt. This is the first time I have ever heard of using salt.

[thriftyaaamom]

While researching concrete usage, the only sites I found detailed aquarium background done in concrete. The primary curant was saltwater I did see one that called for salt and vineger. This is a very time consuming allbeit neccessary step, and if I were to be building a larger enclosure for our CWDs I would not have the space to do this soaking step. I am not happy with coating the cement with epoxy resin as it is shiney. But the cost of Habbacrete is very high so perhaps it doesn't require this step, and this is what you are paying for.

[Green Ghost]

Originally Posted by thriftyaaamom

... But the cost of Habbacrete is very high so perhaps it doesn't require this step, and this is what you are paying for.

Exactly.

My word to the wise would be to never ever use salt in a viv. Saline water will kill your plants, no doubt about that. Salt is also very difficult to get rid of entirely once a viv is contaminated with it. I'm not sure what salinity level would harm/kill an amphibian but any amount of salt cannot be good for them. Even small amounts of salt in a freshwater aquarium can be damaging. Many times I've seen entire tanks of fish die off for no obvious reason. That can happen when the tank has been used for salt water in the past. The salt stays in the seams and then when the tank is re-used again but this time for freshwater, the tank leaches the salt back out.

As far as building in cement; there are many kinds of cement out there. Different qualities and different uses. I mention this because I don't believe habacrete is absolutely necessary. You are paying for pet safe construction material and that's positive for the hobby. Personally I think it would be much more practical if you could pick it up at HD or someplace local rather than having to order online. In any case, I'd say get a good quality water test kit to test the water coming off the cement structure you've built. That's the surest way of knowing how/if your cement is cured, even habacrete.

What worked for me was painting the cement onto cut pieces of styrofoam or polystyrene that were hotglued/siliconed together to make the basic shape. I made a soupy cement mix, and after several layers it gets all coated. I'm sure I made a long post about this already, explaining exactly what I did and how to go about it. I've cured with vinegare and with water only. It didn't take me a month. About a week actually, of constant soaking. I have several fake rocks that I've made that have been in my tanks for at least 6 months now. I didn't paint mine. The way you cure them causes them to hue differently. This post is already way too long so if you want more specific info, just ask me.

[HerpInvert]

Marty has been pushing me to post comments on HabaCrete but I've held off as there has been some issues in the past with fullfilling orders, Click for more info which are finally over.

HabaCrete is a prodcut we invented that dries fast, bonds to wood, glass and rock, has a lower pH then cement products so you won't have to wash it with acid or such, does not effervences (cement/concrete leach lime over time especially in damp environments). Salt is Bad for vivariums.
HabaCrete also dries to a white color so staining or coloring (our pigments or acrylic paints (Chorma airbrush paint is the best)). It can be scuplted with a trowle (sp), cast with molds or handpacked like Mary did above. I hope to get a tutorial up here shortly to show step x step usage, or at least on my site, so you can see how to mold a real stone, make a skin, cast the HabaCrete and how to cover foam for a natural looking rock effect. I've made tree stumps, bark textures and even mudbanks that show errosion with this and since it dries fast, i can go from foam to planted vivarium in a day.
HabaCrete does not need sealing and in fact, by adding a small amount of milled peat to the dry mix, your moss will will grow on it for a more realistic effect.









HabaCrete has been used in aquariums but that's not my field so I won't speak to that. I've built many turtle exhibits, salamander displays and have never noted any issues with toxicity or any reactions, that's why I created. I mostly work with dart frogs, tarnatulas and scorpions, geckos and snakes. I've never had any problems with HabaCrete in the over 300 vivariums I've built since I sent Mary my first revised product, which I think was a year ago, when he did this one.

thanks.

[simonphelps]

where do i find habacrete

[beckdg]

you may want to try to pm herpinvert or use another product.