Looking for rock

[RFL]

I need to get about 50lbs of LR for a new tank. I've used sand from a well cycled tank (almost 30lbs) and a few pieces of LR, so I already have a limited bacteria supply. What is everyone's opinion on the best rock and source?

 

[poke75]

Prater has some dry rock. It will turn purple and be live in no time.

I have done the same thing and in the past, it usually only takes about 6 weeks before the rock starts getting the purple lived in look.

 

[ReeferRyan]

I have about 20 lbs of live rock. The pieces are roughly 3-4 lbs each. Let me know if you want any

 

[Prater]

RFL,

I have the dry base rock. Its $1 per pound if you are interested.

 

[RFL]

PM's sent.

Is all rock created equal?
I see the debates about Fiji, Tonga, Lalo etc. Which gives the best filtering potential and looks?

 

[ReeferRyan]

As far as I know, the porosity is what matters. IME the Fiji rock tends to be a lot more porous than Tonga.

 

[Prater]

You also have phosphates in the rock. Bahama has the least, but is no longer available. The base rock i have is around 13ppm. Fiji is around 35Ppm.

 

[ReeferRyan]

What do you mean phosphates in the rock? Is that if you buy it new and is shipped to you rather quickly after it is harvested? I have almost all fiji and my PO4 reads 0, but I have had my rock for over a year

 

[Prater]

It is in the chemical makeup of the rock, not just the life on the outside. Here is a link to an article about coral rock.

http://www.reeferrocks.com/liverock/history.htm

From the site:
"One of the unsubstantiated criticisms Florida aquacultured live rock was that it contains too much phosphate. Phosphate in a reef tank will cause unwanted algae to grow, which can overgrow living corals or die and crush destroying the balance of the reef tank. Table 1 shows that Miami (12.5 ppm) and Bahama (5 ppm) limestone both contain less phosphate than wild collected Fiji (37.5 ppm) live rock. Florida aquacultured live rock has 1/3 the phosphate level of Fiji rock."

 

[ReeferRyan]

Interesting. Didn't know that. After a while it would have to go away without a source of nutrients though, right? Even if the rock somehow has phophates within it, if my readings are 0 and I have no nuisance algae, I am happy and I like the way Fiji rock looks

 

[papagimp]

Learn something new everyday, I'm glad you mentioned the phosphate in rock thingie, I'll have to look more into that.

 

[VCoo71]

kinda reminds me of the S-15 salt study...or was that the S-51 study?

but anyways.......

charlie

 

[SeanF]

Ok here is something to bend your mind around. Is it possible that because of how porous the fiji rock is that it naturally can absorb more phosphates from the water than the Florida Rock? Maybe the reason why people have the complaints about the Florida rock growing algae is because it is not as able to absorb the same levels of phosphate as the Fiji rock? Just something to ponder. From what I understand never having been there Fiji has some gloriously clear water and this may be because of the rocks ability to absorb and process nutrients from the water.

 

[Prater]

Sean,

I have been to Fiji diving and its clarity is no different with the same conditions as Florida or Cozumel. The clearest water I have ever dove was in the Coral Sea about 400 miles out from Cairns, Australia.

 

[Russ Braaten]

"400 miles out from Cairns, Australia"

...and I thought the 2 mile swim of La Jolla California was a long swim with dive gear!

 

[Prater]

Russ, my arms and legs sure were tired after that swim...LOL

I was on a livaboard motorsailer for a week. There were 6 divers and 5 crew on that trip. It was a blast.

 

[SeanF]

Well that is good to know I have just heard so much about the water clarity in Fiji. Guess that blows my theory out of the water. Must be all of the west coast people out here that talk about it since our water clarity is not good.

 

[Prater]

I think weather and current have more affect on Clarity than anything else.

I was in Cozumel diving, on my second dive of the day we started with 200 to 300 feet of visibility. After about twenty minutes into the dive a thunderstorm developed and the current changed. the Vis went to 10 feet so we all grouped together and ascended to the surface with a safety stop. A few hours later the Vis was back to what we stared with.