questions about sakrete

I have never made crappie structure before. I am thinking about making some flower pot bamboo buckets. I plan on putting about 4 to 5 pieces of 6 foot or so boo in them and putting some sakrete in the pot for weight. The cheap sakrete is 4 dollars for 80 pounds or the fast setting is like 5 dollars for 50 pounds. How long does it take for the slow setting to cure? Can I do it one morning and then drop it that night like 12 hours later? If I had 20 pounds per pot do you think it would stay put on the bottom in current? I also thought about doing it in some half cinder blocks and pouring sakrete in the hole. How do I need to mix the secrete do I just pour it in and add water?

Definitely wouldn't put them in current. I have put similar ones in a lake and sometimes they move just from the waves. If you mix the crete up right 12 hrs should be plenty of time no matter which one you use.

Setting time can vary with temps , better wait 24 hours and longer in cold weather.:twocents

all my local areas have current. I thought about putting them in areas where the current is not as strong in the deep parts of coves however when it floods and the water gets up the current is bad everywhere. Also so many bass fisherman beat up the good cover placing areas. I guess it will be trial and error

If I may `suggest`, take 2 pieces of thicker boo about 3` long and tie them together in the center with weed eater line and set them side. Make your attractors and let the cement set. Spread the 2 tied thicker pieces of boo to 90 degrees and work them into the cemented stalks, eventually resting them on the lip of the container. Tie them in least 2 places to the upright stalks with more weed eater line. Even if snagged, they cannot fall completely over assuming they land on a relatively flat bottom...the boo is buoyant enough to help keep them at least partially upright with the spreaders in place...

Lowellhunter thanks for the idea I was sort of thinking something similar to that but was going to attatch something to bottom of pot instead. I think your idea will be better and cheaper. Might do both and then maybe current wont be able to drag it much on bottom either if it catches something.

These types of projects have been successfully used. We would recommend using the Sakrete Fast Setting Concrete Mix, as it will gain stronger psi in just a few days. We would recommend mixing the material before placement as you can control the amount of water in the mix. In these types of projects, a sufficiently wetted out material without overwatering is best, as it will ultimately be surrounded by water. The less water the material has to loose in those first three days the better.

You want to make sure the mix is on the stiff and thick side rather than loose and overwatered. It would be best for the stability of the concrete to wait 3 days if possible. The longer the material is allowed to cure before being submerge the more successful the material will perform long term. If the material is submerged before it reaches a substantial psi, the material can become brittle and soft the longer it takes on water. By waiting the 3 days, the material will have a psi of 2500 anything less than that will not be any stronger than a mortar mix. This is why we would strongly recommend a 3 day at the minimum before completely submerging the material.
Check out Sakrete.com / In the Community section for successful projects of this type.

The Sakrete Team

Sakrete Team, would you be interested in sponsering a 1,000 attractor project ? The "Friends of CJ Bown Reservoir are privately funding the on going effort at Buck Creek State Park in Ohio the last 6 yrs; to date we have placed 3,000+ fish attractors with the official permission of the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Ohio Dept of Natural Resources, The Ohio Dept of Parks, and the Park`s Maintainance Dept. We did not use 1 penny of tax payer monies to do this. We also did our 1st cement rubble based block and red 10 hole brick "experiement". Check out "Ice fish Ohio"> Lakes>CJ Brown Reservoir> thread "GPS Fish Attractor Locations #1, #2, #3, and so on and so on..." Also, it was on the North American Fishing Club website> States> Ohio> Fish Attractor Locations #1, #2, #3, and so on and so on..." They are VERY long lists...Lastly, look at Ohio Game Fishing> Regional Fishing Reports> SW Ohio> CJ Brown Water Temperatures...We are currently conspiring....uh, "planning" on a rather large series of "splashes" for next yr of a smorgas board of different types of cover as well as just sheer numbers including 5 more rubble based block and brick piles...Thank You for your time !

If you recommend 3 days wait then there should be no sense in buying the more expensive fast setting type in my opinion. The cheaper regular strong setting should be just as good.

I would definetely give it more than 12 hours and I would plan on it weighing more than 20 lbs. The boo will easily move around with only 20 lbs of weight in the bucket. We will use rocks taht we pick up around the property to add more weight to the buckets. Just mix them in while pouring the concrete and they will add weight and take up space in the bucket. In like for my bucket to weigh 40-50 lbs. If you drill holes ineach section of boo they will sink easier but that is alot of drilling.

callshy I wanted to put like crossbars in hopes that it would not move as much and put several together in hopes that they supported each other. I have nobody to help me and I can not safely lift those heavy buckets. I might try a few small ones and see how they do and if it does not work I will try my best somehow to do some heavier ones.

IF you use the flower pot, flip it over. The wider the base, the less likely it will land upside down, and the less likely it will roll over in current.

One last thing, 80 pounds is not light and is easy to handle on-shore. Tossing it over the side of the boat can lead to injuries if not done safely.

And please WEAR your PFD...

If you are on a budget? id do like I did when I made anchors out of 3gal size black plastic nursery pots, went to the local Lowes and asked if they would discount any broken bags of concrete mix? I think I payed like 4$ for a mostly full bag and bought a few 3/8" eye bolts and poured 3 hill billy anchors!

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Originally Posted by Tom 513

If you are on a budget? id do like I did when I made anchors out of 3gal size black plastic nursery pots, went to the local Lowes and asked if they would discount any broken bags of concrete mix? I think I payed like 4$ for a mostly full bag and bought a few 3/8" eye bolts and poured 3 hill billy anchors!

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Here busted quickcrete usually goes for about a buck each. I find if I use screws or nails to attach cover to buckets and fill with free rocks it works fine in most cases.