Baserock

[LegoZ81]

There is absolutely no way I'm shelling out tons of money on a bunch of liverock for this tank so I have taken up a search for some cheap baserock.
I have a possible hook up that I could get a substatintial amount of rock from for pretty cheap but what do i need to look for?
Does it just need to be limestone?

Also where are some good sources for base rock?

I found rock in town called "Honey Comb" at Pet Supply on Linden, it's only 1.49/lb would this be suitable?

Reefer rocks once shipped for 200lbs ends up being ~ 2.11/lb.

Lace Rock in town is 1.79/lb

 

[DKKA]

The 'Lace Rock' I bought once was a blackish lava rock and it wasn't suitable because it actually floated.

I've used red lava rock as base, but it takes a long time to look remotely natural.

Is Honey Comb the same as Tufa? If so, then it should be okay.

You might be okay with limestone from a Garden shop, but I don't know if I'd feel comfortable using it. Also, that stuff is so dense that even if it is half the price of LR, you'll probably need twice as much.

Now that the weather is warming up you can do std shipping from Premium which will cut down the cost of going all LR substantially.

Oh, there's also the option of using cynder blocks as a base and cover it with LR. An extended soak with numerous water changes would be called for in case of ph spikes, and possible pesticides. It sounds a little scary, but others have done it with success.

Dan

 

[seldon]

Another ive looked at and has some decent prices is:

http://hirocks.com/Our_Products.html

Check them out, but I doubt you need as much as their "large quantities". They have different sizes also.

Seldon

 

[LegoZ81]

Honey Comb is not the same as Tufa, unfortunately:
here is a pic of rock that is VERY simular to what is in town

from: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/tx_holey_rock.php

Hi-rocks is (for 240lbs) 1.53/lb shipped for their "BEST" rock($367.2 total) this is a viable option, however; I have heard bad things about recent shipments from Hi-Rocks that has worried me and makes me wonder whether or not I should buy from them.

Has anyone around here ordered from them (Hi-Rocks) before or had a recent order arrive from them?



Thanks!

 

[Benny Z]

i think i'm just going to make some rock out of aragocrete, sand, and concrete salt. i've seen some pretty pretty incredible looking results lately and it will give me the flexibility to make the shapes/sizes i want.

for pennies.

 

[andycook]

I'd almost rather make my own rock than use some of those holey rocks.

I bought some rock from people leaving the hobby. Some frequently become available when spring starts keeping people away from their tanks.

 

[drew22to375]

do post to this forum and the wanted/selling forums that you are looking for LR. Thats's what I did and I had tons of offers from people selling their LR real cheap. I got 200lbs for $2/pound.

Drew.

 

[shay2005]

I tryed the make your own with little success. Then buy the time the rock cured then got wet again it became very brittle. We came up with some nice shapes but I was afraid to use it.
Then you also have to take the chance that the mix you use does not leach out somthing that may kill off your tank.

 

[andycook]

Then Drew's suggestion is a good one or be patient and wait for someone leaving the hobby or who bought more than then can use.

 

[Sloeber]

epon has bought from hirocks before, and from what i remember he was real happy. he also makes his own LR and again, is happy with the end result. check with him.

HTH

 

[Horace]

Here you go guys...Reef Bones.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7733281114&category=3212

 

[LegoZ81]

reefbones once shipped from the ebay auction (41 bux per 40 pounds) come out to be 2.46/lb = 492.05 for 200 lbs

 

[andycook]

For $500 you can make a lot of rock yourself.

 

[lglamb]

Probably too late now, for a while Premium had some
boxes of ... ... ok, I don't remember, pretty cheap. This
was a few weeks ago. They were over stock, just no
room for them and had to leave them in the boxes.

 

[jeyes1]

this is what i bought for my 75.not bad for around 1.00 per pound and shipping is around 1.00 per pound.http://cgi.ebay.com/BASE-ROCK-60LBS-Our-Best_W0QQitemZ7747525313QQcategoryZ20757QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Benny Z]

this is the best diy rock i've seen yet...

his recipe:

1 part very thick portland cement
5 parts oyster shells
0 parts sand (yep, no sand)
2 parts plastic shavings

i stopped by tractor supply co today and picked up a 50 lbs bag of crushed oyster shells. i might try making some this weekend. anyone have any pvc shavings by chance? i think i'll also throw some cement salt in the mix to get some extra pores.

 

[LegoZ81]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6860970#post6860970 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jeyes1
this is what i bought for my 75.not bad for around 1.00 per pound and shipping is around 1.00 per pound.http://cgi.ebay.com/BASE-ROCK-60LBS-Our-Best_W0QQitemZ7747525313QQcategoryZ20757QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

60lb boxes from hirocks from their site not ebay is 1.53/lb shipped to b-n