# Hebel block waterfall



## phatty (May 5, 2013)

So I started to make a water fall yesterday out of a hebel block very easy to carve with a die grinder here some pics







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## mad_at_arms (May 5, 2013)

Thats gotta be so much more watertight and easier than foam and liquid nails.
What dimensions are the blocks? Cost?


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## Porkbones (May 5, 2013)

mad_at_arms said:


> Thats gotta be so much more watertight and easier than foam and liquid nails.
> What dimensions are the blocks? Cost?



There are all sorts of shapes and sizes. I know bunnings now sell them, not sure how much tho.will be even cheaper if they r cracked or broken.


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## phatty (May 5, 2013)

600*200*100 @ about $5 I got a damaged one for $1
I use liquid nails to get the ledges 











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## AntaresiaFreak13 (May 5, 2013)

looks great mate don't forget to show it to us once its in your setup


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## PieBald (May 5, 2013)

looks good!


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## MesseNoire (May 5, 2013)

What other properties does this material have? Will you need to seal it? How heavy is it? Would it be practical to use making a background? Does it retain heat well?


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## phatty (May 5, 2013)

To my understanding it light concrete so would retain heat well I am going to seal it but it seams to hold water in a raw finish I only left it for 10 mins tho 

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## MesseNoire (May 5, 2013)

phatty said:


> To my understanding it light concrete so would retain heat well I am going to seal it but it seams to hold water in a raw finish I only left it for 10 mins tho
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9210T using Tapatalk 2



Oh ok 
Thanks.
Doesn't concrete leak chemicals into water if left unsealed?


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## RedFox (May 5, 2013)

Seal it with pond sealer. As it is porous it is a pain to clean if it gets poo on it. 

Store Locator - Bunnings Warehouse


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## ericrs (May 5, 2013)

hebel is airated concrete. good idea. i use it at work sometimes and have never thought to use it. would be good for this smaller stuff but is still heavy if you tried to use it in a big viv. 
concrete does not leach chemicals out if not sealed either. water tanks are made from it. troughs etc. and frogs live and breed in them. thats good enough proof for me. but im not sure if hebel has additives in it or not that could affect it. but if you seal it it should be fine.


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## reptalica (May 5, 2013)

There should be a MSDS on Hebel. Maybe google it.


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## mudgudgeon (May 5, 2013)

Concrete does affect water quality, it is highly caustic, and makes water alkaline, this reduces over time (lots of time) you can't put fish into a new concrete pond without neutralising the water first, or sealing the concrete.

Also, if using a die grinder, or other power tools, use a quality dust mask, the dust can cause silicosis. nasty stuff!

Hebel is porous to an extent, it floats in water due to all the air bubbles captured in it. It looks like an Aero chocolate bar when you break it. I would seal it, I think water will eventually penetrate it.


For the OP, I would suggest you run a hose to simulate your water flow to experiment before you go too far with finish it off. Ive made a couple of water falls now, and I find water doesn't flow how we expect it too, and I've always had to tweak things a bit.


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## andynic07 (May 5, 2013)

mudgudgeon said:


> Concrete does affect water quality, it is highly caustic, and makes water alkaline, this reduces over time (lots of time) you can't put fish into a new concrete pond without neutralising the water first, or sealing the concrete.
> 
> Also, if using a die grinder, or other power tools, use a quality dust mask, the dust can cause silicosis. nasty stuff!
> 
> ...


I agree all concrete will leach an I would doubt it is watertight but think it looks great and was thinking about a similar idea with a carved arch for my enclosure.


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## congo_python (May 5, 2013)

Mudgudgeon
You beat me to it.... Hebel is band for use in many countries except here yet ? it is nasty stuff and has to be cut in a sealed room on site so other people don't breathe it in as it is carcinogenic. Really bad stuff that i would not use under any surcumstances let alone in a water source.


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## andynic07 (May 5, 2013)

congo_python said:


> Mudgudgeon
> You beat me to it.... Hebel is band for use in many countries except here yet ? it is nasty stuff and has to be cut in a sealed room on site so other people don't breathe it in as it is carcinogenic. Really bad stuff that i would not use under any surcumstances let alone in a water source.


How is it different to concrete? I may be nieve in thinking this but I was under the impression that it was aerated concrete, is ther an additive that makes it different?


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## bigjoediver (May 5, 2013)

Hebel blocks as supplied are very safe. It is the dust produced when cut etc that is a problem as it contains silicates. If you use the correct safety gear you will have no problem. Most powdered building materials contain silicates including renders and grouts. Just use good practice.


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## Porkbones (May 5, 2013)

bigjoediver said:


> Hebel blocks as supplied are very safe. It is the dust produced when cut etc that is a problem as it contains silicates. If you use the correct safety gear you will have no problem. Most powdered building materials contain silicates including renders and grouts. Just use good practice.



oh gez and here I am using it and carving,chipping,grinding and sanding it into outdoor sculptures.think I might use a dusk mask next time


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## phatty (May 5, 2013)

I was using dusk mask and safety glasses I know any dust is not the best for you I have used a hose to do some test runs and will use the pump to do a finale run before finishing I was going to seal it as I know concrete is porous not to concerned about the the chemicals leaching out as I will have a few coats on sealer 

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## mudgudgeon (May 6, 2013)

BigJoe is on the money.

Its the fine sand and cement dusts that contain silica fragments that cause problems. Once its in your lungs, it doesn't come out.


Phatty, you sound like you have it sorted. Show us the finished result, yeah.


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## Rogue5861 (May 6, 2013)

Looking good mate, fantastic idea as broken once are cheap as  Cant wait to see it finish off and in with ya critter.


Rick


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## phatty (May 11, 2013)

Well the ledges didn't glue that well so they are removed 
Here's the water test and regrind use scissors as a carving took






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## ronhalling (May 12, 2013)

MSDS for Hebel Autoclaved Aerated concrete  .................................Ron


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## DaReptileBoy (May 12, 2013)

I made a water fall for my frogs out od a universal rock background I think its made with that stuff or foam but its molded of real rocks its cool I want to get some fish for it


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## andynic07 (May 12, 2013)

ronhalling said:


> MSDS for Hebel Autoclaved Aerated concrete  .................................Ron


I thought it was the same as concrete, we use a P1 respirator at work when working with pre mixed bags of concrete where dust is produced and you could use the same with Hebel when producing dust. Well done Ron for doing the research.


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## ronhalling (May 12, 2013)

No probs bud just paying forward for help given  .....................................Ron


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## phatty (Jun 1, 2013)

After about 6 coats of pond sealer here it is








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## Rogue5861 (Jun 1, 2013)

Looks good mate, got to be happy with that.


Rick


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## bigjoediver (Jun 1, 2013)

Good work!


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