Lime Rock

tedmonds

tedmonds

New member
Is anyone using this stuff in their tank? This stuff is lying around all over the place and seems like it would make a good base rock. Obviously it would need a good cleaning and bleaching but seems like the same stuff they make florida live rock out of. Any thoughts?
 
i am planing on using it in my new 400gal that im setting up.. There is a huge area that crews just cleared and leveled out off of 82, i have been keeping a eye out for workers to ask them for some of it.. there is a crap load of it in all different sizes.. i really want to get some that has not been out of the ground to long, and had a chance to be exposed to any pesticides or fertilzers.. im still gunna power wash it all but i will feel safer that way..

jason
 
Do you have any concerns about hard water or phosphates? That seems to me to be the only possible concern.
 
not really.. like i said as long as you find some that has not been exposed to the eliments then you shouldnt have any problems.. but seeing as i can't find anyone that has actually used the stuff i really dont know for shure.. you have to remember this stuff used to be the ocean's floor at one time.. so obviously it worked for mother nature in the ocean.. the real question is will it work in a small scale ocean like ours. i really don't forsee any problems with it at all though... heck people are using lava rock, concrete (which you know has tons of chemicals in it) and tons of other types of rocks in there tanks.. im shure were not the first to think of and actually use this stuff.

jason
 
That's about what I was thinking. Hell, I think this is the rock that they use to dump in the ocean to farm florida live rock. I powerwashed some and am in the process of bleaching it. We'll see
 
i don't think its the same stuff.. the rock we find around here is pretty heavy.. the "live rock" that we buy at the lfs and online is alot more porous and light.. but then again i have not powerwashed any yet.. there is probably a couple lbs. of dirt on each one.. your gunna need to post some pictures after you get done cleaning some up... just remember that if you bleched them, i whould leave them out in the sun for a week or so to cook.. then powerwash them one more time before you introduce them to your system..

jason
 
should work, have read anecdotal whispers about it leaching PO4, but nothing direct.

I don't think it will support the same bio-load as more porous rock. The total surface area of some of the nice light LR is incredible, the chunky lime rock, while it has a few holes is pretty dense and low in total surface area.
 
It is not the same stuff as they use for aquaculred live rock. They are not allowed to use indidunous rock. The rock they use for the live rock has to be geologicaly different from the native rock to prevent people from planting 1000 pounds of rock and harvesting several tons of live rock and claiming it is the stuff they planted.

Phospate would be a concern but my guess is the rock would be ok to use, and evan if it is dense it still has very fine pores that would work as biologicaly active live rock once its well established.
All that is assuming the rock your talking about is the rock I'm thinking about, we don't seem to have the same kind of rock this far north of you.
 
I use limerock for coral frags. You want to find out what pit it came from. Ideally, you want a calcium carbonate around 90 to 95%. Youngquist is way below this. Rinker is a little low but probably ok. Westwind has nice high carbonates if you wash it. they have a lot of silica sand contamination. You will want the light porous rock. This is usually old coral. Try to avoid the very dense rock. This will have the lower calcium carbonate level and thus more room for silica, phosphates and whatever else you can think of.

As for concrete. A straight portland cement concrete (DIY) has almost no chemicals. It is rock, sand and portland cement. The stuff you buy in a mixer truck may be loaded with chemicals. FYI, portland cement is made from limestone. So....if you use limerock gravel, aragonite sand and portland cement.....you will get great base rock!

Lastly, the majority of aquaculture Florida rock comes from the Bahamas.
 
I knew someone that tried it- Rock was constantly covered in GHA, probably because it was leaching Phosphates.
I would pressure wash, soak in RO/DI, then cook with some "real" live rock for a few months before putting in my tank.

OTOH- Why don't you contact Marcorocks.com? He sells dried "Baserock" pretty cheap and the pieces are usually HUGE.

Keep us updated- I'd like to know how it works out considering all the nice rock I've dug up in the cape over the years...
 
Why would you bleach the rock? Most limerock in Lee County is from 10 to 90 feet below ground. If you are cherry picking pieces for an aquarium, they should need to be washed and then ready to go.

Right now, I have 2 five gallon buckets in my driveway. Rock has been washed and is now soaking in water. I'd be more concerned with the bleach soaking into the rock and then leaching out later than I would be with organic contaminants. Bleach won't do anything for inorganic contaminants.
 
Just thought a little bleach would take care of some of the discoloration, etc. Most of this rock is stuff that I've found laying around the neighborhood. It is a new community and possibly used to be a rock quarry of some kind. I have looked into the marco rock and will probably go in that direction but was hoping some of this stuff would work out. I'll get around to taking some picks tomorrow.
 
Beware, lots of the local rock has a high concentration of FE (iron). Given enough time it can rust out and then be fine. I also read up on the Tampa Florida live rock- they claim its localy quarried rock that is aquacultured in the Keys. go figure.
 
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