Lace rock in reef tank.

[ai-reefer]

I was wondering if you guys have any experience with lace rock ...its real cheap but is it safe to use in reef tank.

I got some mixed opinions so far.

Has anyone used it in the past?

 

[james3370]

i'm about to use 160lbs i got from premium aquatics....or should i say i ordered that much, but i'm not gonna use it all LOL

what i ordered is actually dry rock http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...D&Product_Code=C-00370&Category_Code=Liverock

i think it or "lace" rock either one, it would be a good idea to cure it before using it to get any die-off out of it before introducing it to the tank

anywhoo, i plan on using it on a rock wall build & kannin (the guy that did a massive one) suggested to "cook" it in a 5:1 ro/di water : vinegar tank for about a week to make sure anything left on it is dead & gone....which is precisely what i plan on doing before i start the rock structure. then i plan on soaking it in just a saltwater bath for 3-5 days after the structure is finished & the epoxy has cured on the foam

after it is in the tank, i will use several pieces of live rock i have now that has lots of life on it to seed it & the sand in the new build

 

[H@rry]

I'm using a lot of it that I got from a landscaping/nursery business. It's flat with some good shapes and holes. I picked the largest pieces I could find. I think it was less than $2/lb. Mixed it with some Fiji rock and it has since become coated with coralline. No problems after several years.

 

[commonstranger]

I used sosme of it when I first started to save some money but sold it back a while back. I had no problems with it at all but be reminded its not going to give you the filtration that live rock will. Aslong as you like it you should be good to go !

 

[Mikeyjer]

I used them for the base layer for the foundation then build my live rock on top. It works well, it's covered with coraline and feather dusters are growing on it. Been using it for years....

 

[Michael Brumit]

I have been using it for years as well. No problems.

 

[ai-reefer]

What is that orange stuff on the lace rock. I used a wirebrush and was able to get most of it of...

I have everything i need for a second tank ..a 29 gallon...im gona use as an experiment tank to try new things. Im gona use all lace rock in there+ some live rock to seed.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Mikeyjer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13886640#post13886640 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ai-reefer
What is that orange stuff on the lace rock. I used a wirebrush and was able to get most of it of...

I have everything i need for a second tank ..a 29 gallon...im gona use as an experiment tank to try new things. Im gona use all lace rock in there+ some live rock to seed.

Thanks for the replies.

You don't want to use all lace rock, you want to put mainly live rock. Just remember, lace rock will never be live! I wouldn't worry about that orange stuff, I just scrubbed it down real good and put it straight into my tank. It does not have to be cured!

 

[dborowsk]

Take it from an idiot who knows. If you are using large amounts of lace rock, then you are susceptible to a quick overgrowth of nuisance algae. Whereas live rock that has been cured has surface areas with stuff already growing on it. Dry rock is totally open range new surface area. If you load the tank too soon and get excess nutrients those new surfaces are happy places for nuisance algae in my experience. Consider scrapping some coralline algae in the tank to help colonize. Or maybe use some purple up. Mix some live rock in with the bare rock. Also, blasting powerheads at new rock until the good algae starts to grow has worked for me. My two cents.

 

[james3370]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13895860#post13895860 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dborowsk
Take it from an idiot who knows. If you are using large amounts of lace rock, then you are susceptible to a quick overgrowth of nuisance algae. Whereas live rock that has been cured has surface areas with stuff already growing on it. Dry rock is totally open range new surface area. If you load the tank too soon and get excess nutrients those new surfaces are happy places for nuisance algae in my experience. Consider scrapping some coralline algae in the tank to help colonize. Or maybe use some purple up. Mix some live rock in with the bare rock. Also, blasting powerheads at new rock until the good algae starts to grow has worked for me. My two cents.

this is going in a new build. plan is to "cook" the lace rock in a 5:1 ro/di : vinegar solution in a trash can w/ a powerhead for 5-7 days before starting the rock wall build.

then, i plan on coating the finished wall's foam in epoxy & sand & then letting that cure for a few days.

after that, i'm gonna put the finished panels in a tub of ro/di water w/ a powerhead & heater for 3-5 days w/ maybe a piece or 2 of current tank's live rock.

then & only then will it be put in the tank for the tank to start it's cycle w/ addl pieces of live rock & live sand....along w/ live sand in a 1.5-2" live sandbed in the refugium.