sal-t-dawg
Registered Nut Job
First question....How much live rock would you guys recommend having in a 72 gallon tank? Second... Wheres the best place to buy live rock? Third...... Can you make your own live rock?
live rock
- Thread starter sal-t-dawg
- Start date
Mikeyjer
New member
Re: live rock
It depends since some rocks weights more then others, but just whatever you want it to look like when your finished. I bought my rocks from different places so couldn't really recommend you a specific place. Yes you can make your own live rock! Just google it and you will see.....
It depends since some rocks weights more then others, but just whatever you want it to look like when your finished. I bought my rocks from different places so couldn't really recommend you a specific place. Yes you can make your own live rock! Just google it and you will see.....
ai-reefer
New member
The live rock that you make will never have as much diversity as real live rock. So its good to have some pieces of good live rock.
You can buy base rock and stack the good live rock on top of it and the base rock will eventually look like live rock.
In nature diversity creates stability. Almost all my live rock is uncured.
You can buy base rock and stack the good live rock on top of it and the base rock will eventually look like live rock.
In nature diversity creates stability. Almost all my live rock is uncured.
NeveSSL
Got tubes?
Just like Michael said, different types of rocks are different densities and therefore 10lbs of one may look like 5 lbs of another. However, 1x to 1.5x your gallons is generally recommended (70 to 100 lbs roughly).
A lot of people are buying base rock now and a few pieces of live rock to add to it. Probably the best place to get live rock, at least as far as price goes, is from another reefer, particularly someone who is getting out of the hobby.
You can definitely make your own, and you can even make it look like base rock with the right cement (and it will look like regular "live rock" more quickly than if it was gray). Just beware its a lengthy process to cure it with quite a bit of work involved. That being said, its also SUPER cheap! I think potentially around $0.10 per lb, depending on what all you put in it. I plan on doing at least a little bit of DIY rock for my next tank.
Brandon
A lot of people are buying base rock now and a few pieces of live rock to add to it. Probably the best place to get live rock, at least as far as price goes, is from another reefer, particularly someone who is getting out of the hobby.
You can definitely make your own, and you can even make it look like base rock with the right cement (and it will look like regular "live rock" more quickly than if it was gray). Just beware its a lengthy process to cure it with quite a bit of work involved. That being said, its also SUPER cheap! I think potentially around $0.10 per lb, depending on what all you put in it. I plan on doing at least a little bit of DIY rock for my next tank.
Brandon
sal-t-dawg
Registered Nut Job
If you ad base rock will it eventually have the same bio benefits as real live rock?
supertech99
New member
yes, i do half base rock and half lr, and all base/diy rock in the filter, i would stay away from lacerock due to its lack of poursity, i have some i dont like, and i use diy rick in my sump for filtration its very porous but kinda ugly IMO. DIY rock also takes a very long time to cook, I know some places say that you can cook it as fast as three weeks but if you test the ph like it suggested it will actually take much longer, i ran biweekly water changes and it took 3 months, plus to get my diy rock to stop leaching into the water. IMO for cost and ease, base rock is the way to go!
james3370
Premium Member
the best places for dry rock are:
* www.bulkreefsupply.com
* www.marcorocks.com
i have no experience w/ marco rock but alot of people swear by them. i know they were having a problem supply keeping up with the demand which has caused alot of bad customer opinion of them, but i think they have sorted out their supply issues.
i bought 100lbs of rock from bulkreefsupply & was EXTREMELY satisfied w/ my purchase. the rock was very pourous but not too heavy, so there was alot more of it ....the texture of it is of fossilized coral.
i ended up selling it before i used it cause i thought i was gonna have to get out of the hobby for awhile, but i kept a few smaller pieces & have used them in 2 small pico tanks along w/ some small pieces of live rock & live sand from the aquatic critter to seed the dry rock. it's coming along very nicely
i have started setting up a smaller tank, so i just ordered 30 more lbs of it for the new build & it should be here thursday
here are some pics of the 2 pico tanks. you can spot the pieces of live rock that i got from the critter to seed it, but there is already some growth popping up on the dry rock i used w/ it.
* www.bulkreefsupply.com
* www.marcorocks.com
i have no experience w/ marco rock but alot of people swear by them. i know they were having a problem supply keeping up with the demand which has caused alot of bad customer opinion of them, but i think they have sorted out their supply issues.
i bought 100lbs of rock from bulkreefsupply & was EXTREMELY satisfied w/ my purchase. the rock was very pourous but not too heavy, so there was alot more of it
....the texture of it is of fossilized coral. i ended up selling it before i used it cause i thought i was gonna have to get out of the hobby for awhile, but i kept a few smaller pieces & have used them in 2 small pico tanks along w/ some small pieces of live rock & live sand from the aquatic critter to seed the dry rock. it's coming along very nicely
i have started setting up a smaller tank, so i just ordered 30 more lbs of it for the new build & it should be here thursday
here are some pics of the 2 pico tanks. you can spot the pieces of live rock that i got from the critter to seed it, but there is already some growth popping up on the dry rock i used w/ it.
sal-t-dawg
Registered Nut Job
That is some good lookin rock! Ive read about problems with leaching. Is this rock a "set it and forget it" type of rock? Or? Also is there any type of formula to figuring out how much live sand you need for a tank?
ai-reefer
New member
These will not leach. The rock above is collected from the ocean. Its just calcium carbonate.
Marco rock is excellent. The rock you are talking about is Lace rock. Some pieces of lace rock can have metals in them.
Base rock is very safe. You can have upto 100Lbs of rock in your tank. Make sure you get good pieces, that the key.
Marco rock is excellent. The rock you are talking about is Lace rock. Some pieces of lace rock can have metals in them.
Base rock is very safe. You can have upto 100Lbs of rock in your tank. Make sure you get good pieces, that the key.
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I've got a DIY project going in the garage. Will let you all know how it turns out. The plan is to cast a whole bunch of rocks and cure them in a tank heavily seeded with LR.
I got the cement and rock salt, the biggest issue for me is finding non-silica based sand outside of the LFS. I'm going to try to find crushed oyster shells tomorrow.
I got the cement and rock salt, the biggest issue for me is finding non-silica based sand outside of the LFS. I'm going to try to find crushed oyster shells tomorrow.
sandalscout
New member
cczarnik, I'm prepping for my live rock build soon, and I've just about given up on finding affordable non-silica rock, I will most likely be using standard white sand for both making and molding my rock. I have read several people doing the same, and not experiencing any of the problems that others said that they would have. I suspect that the rock doesn't buffer as well, but with oyster shell mixed in, this might help that.
BTW, I found my oyster shell at the local co-op, they called it Pullet. Apparently it's also called Hen Grit. I paid $6 for a 40lb bag.
BTW, I found my oyster shell at the local co-op, they called it Pullet. Apparently it's also called Hen Grit. I paid $6 for a 40lb bag.
TitansFan
Active member
sal-t-dawg: sorry i got off your topic. To answer your questions. I have never gone by a pound per gallon rule. I choose rock that I like the shape of. Most of my rock is from people breaking down tanks. Rock differs in its density so togo by a pound per gallon can be hard. I fill the tank to my liking.
The best place to buy it in my opinion is people breaking down tanks. Often you can get it for $2 a pound vs $6 a pound at a lfs. If money wasn't so much a concern though I would have had sean at emerald bay order me all marshal island rock. I have a few pieces of it from him an its wonderful rock.
I do like getting live rock in person as you can pick out the shapes you want. Some of my rock has come from Fins and Emerald Bay. In my 150 gallon tank I have probably around 150 lbs of live rock. Most of it is your regular ole fiji rock.
As far as sand. Reefcentral has a calculator for the amount of sand needed. I would just buy dry sand. Then have a few members here bring you a cup of live sand to a meeting and add it to your tank. You will have live sand in no time.
BTW welcome to another spring hill reefer!
The best place to buy it in my opinion is people breaking down tanks. Often you can get it for $2 a pound vs $6 a pound at a lfs. If money wasn't so much a concern though I would have had sean at emerald bay order me all marshal island rock. I have a few pieces of it from him an its wonderful rock.
I do like getting live rock in person as you can pick out the shapes you want. Some of my rock has come from Fins and Emerald Bay. In my 150 gallon tank I have probably around 150 lbs of live rock. Most of it is your regular ole fiji rock.
As far as sand. Reefcentral has a calculator for the amount of sand needed. I would just buy dry sand. Then have a few members here bring you a cup of live sand to a meeting and add it to your tank. You will have live sand in no time.
BTW welcome to another spring hill reefer!
ai-reefer
New member
What else would i be talking about here? we're not discussing the Africa's Serengeti lol
You might be mistaking abundance with variation. Sure base rock will be abundant in life but they will lack variation in species which we refer to as diversity.
Biodiversity is basically the variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, the variety of life. Specifically diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems.
Why is biodiversity important?
Biodiversity allows the environment to adapt to changing conditions.
All species are an integral part of their ecosystem by performing specific functions that are often essential to their ecosystems.
Capture and store energy
Produce organic material
Decompose organic material
Cycle water and nutrients
Control erosion or pests
Help regulate climate and atmospheric gases
Diversity creates stability. Thats the reason why i prefer buying uncured live rock and live sand from different places reather than having mostly base rock and cured live rock.
If you are still unclear i can go into much more detail.
