FlyingFish65
New member
I'm starting a 75 gal reef. I've been told to "save money" and buy dry base rock and then top with more expensive live rock? Any experience with this? Also, any good LR internet vendors? Thanks.
LR question
- Thread starter FlyingFish65
- Start date
meco65
New member
That is the best way to do it as the coralin algae on the live will die any way. I would just get base rock and put some good live rock like fiji rock with some good coralin algae growth on it and all will be live in time for a lot less money. Here are some good links to some good rock.
http://hirocks.com/Our_Products.html
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=Liverock
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/scateg.cfm?pCatId=393
http://hirocks.com/Our_Products.html
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=Liverock
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/scateg.cfm?pCatId=393
Would this not defeat the object of filtration?
IMHO, if you have good mechanical filtration you can get the "cheaper" base rock and in time it will look good but I don't think that it will ever serve as a replacement for LR, due to base rock being very dense compared to LR which is full of holes for water to pass and be filtered by the bacteria within.
IMHO, if you have good mechanical filtration you can get the "cheaper" base rock and in time it will look good but I don't think that it will ever serve as a replacement for LR, due to base rock being very dense compared to LR which is full of holes for water to pass and be filtered by the bacteria within.
FlyingFish65
New member
Sounds like it is a balance of theory (live rock is best) and practicality (live rock is expensive). Is there really any difference between Pacific vs Carribean rock- except maybe weight?
FlyingFish65
New member
Also, do you mean wet base rock, or dried out reef bones you buy off the shelf?
TekCat
New member
I've heard that Carribean rock is denser, which, IMO, is not a good thing. Less denser rock => more pores => more surfaces for bacteria => more nitrifying bacteria.
SeanySean, I think that you could find pretty porous base rock. I've seen some on eBay, I think, those rocks are from Hawaii.
SeanySean, I think that you could find pretty porous base rock. I've seen some on eBay, I think, those rocks are from Hawaii.
Reef bones are different, they are the same as LR only dead and dried, however your LR will feed the bones and in time (not sure how long) but will develop into LR once again.
The key to this post is how much load you are wanting to put straight off, bones will take time to mature so have to be discredited from filtration potential. If you are backing up with mechanical, or have a low load then I personally think you should be ok.
On which is best, not sure, prices are not always the best sign of what is better, more the farming of the rock, how pretty iot looks etc, not always how porous or effective
The key to this post is how much load you are wanting to put straight off, bones will take time to mature so have to be discredited from filtration potential. If you are backing up with mechanical, or have a low load then I personally think you should be ok.
On which is best, not sure, prices are not always the best sign of what is better, more the farming of the rock, how pretty iot looks etc, not always how porous or effective
FlyingFish65
New member
What about live sand? I am planning on a 4" DSB. Should I use all aragonite? Mix with crushed coral? Buy the dry, bagged live sand or buy some out of a tank from the LFS?
TekCat
New member
I agree with SeanySean, Reef Bones are quite dense. They are quite cool looking, but that's about it. Not very good for filtration.
I can't say when base rock will get fully populated with bacteria - it depends on a few things: bio-load, water movement, etc... In any case, when seeded with LR your base rock will become LR too in no time. Coralline algae growth on base rocks takes a bit longer... ~ 6 month or so.
I can't say when base rock will get fully populated with bacteria - it depends on a few things: bio-load, water movement, etc... In any case, when seeded with LR your base rock will become LR too in no time. Coralline algae growth on base rocks takes a bit longer... ~ 6 month or so.
TekCat
New member
Don't bother with LS that is in the plastic bag, all it has - bacteria. LR will seed your sand way better than any product.
As far as DSB goes, get sand that is as fine grained as possible. Aragonite is better, but silica-based had been accepted too by some reefers. Definatelly not use crushed coral, it traps detrius.
Then get as many cups of LS from different reefers or LFSs to introduce some higher-than-bacteria live to your sand: i.e. worms, pods, etc...
hth
FlyingFish65
New member
I surfed the Hawaiian Rocks website. Is this for real? Is it really that simple? Lay down dead, dry rock (50%) and then top with good LR (other 50%), keep the bio-load low for a few months, and step back and watch?
dead beat reef
New member
cure/cook dry dead base rock is not so cheap. water changes.
smells like a sewer. after 4 or 8 weeks you have good rock
ready to go all kinds of algie (hair algie will be the first). in the
long run you might save $ with all L/R. when you order your L/R
vendors send some great rock,not so great rock and some so so
rock all in one box. use so so rock at the base and great stuff at
tha top. 75 gal. reef built on a good foundiation will last years.
smells like a sewer. after 4 or 8 weeks you have good rock
ready to go all kinds of algie (hair algie will be the first). in the
long run you might save $ with all L/R. when you order your L/R
vendors send some great rock,not so great rock and some so so
rock all in one box. use so so rock at the base and great stuff at
tha top. 75 gal. reef built on a good foundiation will last years.
