Lava rock?

[johno4]

I know most people suggest filling the sump with liverock to act as a bioligical filrtation. I know most people will fill with base rock and then seed it with liverock. Since lava rock is pourous and cheap could you use it as base rock? Would it be similar to using liverock base rock?

 

[Andrew]

From what I have heard, lavarock isn't good to add to a saltwater tank. Never looked into it much since I think it's ugly.

 

[AIMFish]

Being cheap, I had over 100lbs. of it left over and one 75 is "all Lava". Some people don't like the look, as mentioned, but it does work. Oh and for clarification, it's the burgundy lava rock, some carved pieces, not the black molten looking type.

 

[johno4]

Im not worried about the look b/c I want to add it to the sump for biological benefits. As long as it works with no ill effects.

 

[Fishstax]

I have heard lava rock is high in phosphate.

 

[Bri Guy]

Rinse it, then soak it for awhile and then test the water to see what is in there.
My $.02

 

[johno4]

Has anyone else used it in a fish only application with success?

 

[mhj1580]

I have some in my tank and it is full of life now ( It went in the sump in may) I read no phosphates/copper in the water. It also seams to have more pods then the live rock in my tank.

 

[reefdood]

The piece of rock above the yellow polyps and bubble coral is lavarock. It had turnerd colors and was all covered with coraline and corals. Was about a year in the tank when I snapped that pic. FWIW

 

[johno4]

So it can be done with no ill effects

 

[reefdood]

I dunno, I had one football size piece of man made red lava among about 100lbs. or more of real LR in a 90gal. tank. I didn't notice any effects.

 

[johno4]

Anyone else with experience/ideas/knowledge?

 

[Atomahawk]

I have seen plenty of tanks with lava rock and to be honest every one them looked ugly. Most of them eventually became encrusted with hair algae within a few months and corraline algae takes forever to grow on it. Now granted most of these tanks were mostly fish tanks and maybe the water conditions were not up to snuff so that certainly woudn't help. Also I found that the pores being very large on the stuff accumalated a lot of organic matter inside it creating a nutrient sink ( probably the cause of the hair algae)

I think it comes down to how much is used versus live rock or base rock and of course what kind of tank one is setting up.

 

[addicted_2_reef]

I put about 50 lbs of Lava rock in a 75 gal tank. After about a month the phospates where off the charts. It could have been from something else but, once it was removed after about 3 months and a lot if water changes it was down. it was a FOWLR tank and I was going to put some LR on top of the Lava.

If your only going to add a small amount I guess you could get away with it but why take the chance..

 

[AIMFish]

Oh, my tank is not just Lava rock, I meant it as that was the main rock, the base. I have a mixed reef (LPS, zoas, mushrooms, softies, and 3 SPS)