Need opinions
- Thread starter BryanJ
- Start date
Aquabucket
Premium Member
I would go with mostly dead base rock but not lace rock. You might want to look into Hirocks.com and a few others.
As far as TBSW rock, personally I would avoid it for a couple of reasons, the area its is cultured in is too high in phosphates, and there are too many unwanted hitchickers such as isopods, aiptasia and potentially harmful crabs.
What makes live rock benificial is the surface area for bacteria. With dead base rock you will have no die off and a great home for future bacteria colonies.
As far as TBSW rock, personally I would avoid it for a couple of reasons, the area its is cultured in is too high in phosphates, and there are too many unwanted hitchickers such as isopods, aiptasia and potentially harmful crabs.
What makes live rock benificial is the surface area for bacteria. With dead base rock you will have no die off and a great home for future bacteria colonies.
prugs
Moving Out
I've been looking at reef ceramics.
http://www.captiveoceans.com/mm5/me...de=CO&Product_Code=KWD24&Category_Code=Pillar
Thats just a sample of what they make. Aquarium Obsessed has better prices, but captive oceans has all the pics.
http://www.captiveoceans.com/mm5/me...de=CO&Product_Code=KWD24&Category_Code=Pillar
Thats just a sample of what they make. Aquarium Obsessed has better prices, but captive oceans has all the pics.
i have a bunch of base rock 4 sale. since u r local i could work out a great deal. check out the link to see if u are interesed..
http://cgi.ebay.com/Tufa-Rock-Reef-...yZ117437QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Tufa-Rock-Reef-...yZ117437QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I am working with ceramic myself. When you consider labor and how much it cost to ship that stuff from overseas the price is not out of whack.
IMO only, it is one of the better ways to go. The rock is very pourous. Very light and seems to be a coralline magnet. Remember you get what you pay for. Here is how far I am.
I am working on the rock for my tank and a few side projects. When thats done I am pretty sure I am done. Just very laborish.
IMO only, it is one of the better ways to go. The rock is very pourous. Very light and seems to be a coralline magnet. Remember you get what you pay for. Here is how far I am.
I am working on the rock for my tank and a few side projects. When thats done I am pretty sure I am done. Just very laborish.
I wont put tufa in my tank. I just do not like the look. Just like the aquacultured rock on the market. To blocky. But that's just me. Cheap is not better.
I didn't go with the ceramic because it's cheap. I like the look. I also like the porosity, the shapes and the way it corallines up. I also like the fact that it is inert so it has no effect on your ph.
I also chose it over liverock. After getting in thousands of pounds over the last few years I am just very leary of buying LR any more. Hitch hikers, bad algae, inconsistent quality. I had enough of it. Good liverock is getting hard to find. I have gotten good rock and bad and it is a crapshoot. I tell you nothing can destroy a tank worse than crappy liverock.
I didn't go with the ceramic because it's cheap. I like the look. I also like the porosity, the shapes and the way it corallines up. I also like the fact that it is inert so it has no effect on your ph.
I also chose it over liverock. After getting in thousands of pounds over the last few years I am just very leary of buying LR any more. Hitch hikers, bad algae, inconsistent quality. I had enough of it. Good liverock is getting hard to find. I have gotten good rock and bad and it is a crapshoot. I tell you nothing can destroy a tank worse than crappy liverock.
why do u say "I wont put tufa in my tank. I just do not like the look"
The tufa I get is not the generic size you get in the pet stores I get it in 8ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚Â-36ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ in size what ever I order. It is easy to shape and corallines up very fast.
Or is it your own personal preference ?
here r some pics of my 155. i have 300-350 lbs. of tufa.
http://thereeftank.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70538
The tufa I get is not the generic size you get in the pet stores I get it in 8ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚Â-36ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ in size what ever I order. It is easy to shape and corallines up very fast.
Or is it your own personal preference ?
here r some pics of my 155. i have 300-350 lbs. of tufa.
http://thereeftank.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70538
Yes, my own personal preference. I just do not like the look at all. Those big pieces in your tank just look out of place to me.
I am not saying your tank is ugly, just doesn't look natural or right to me. But to each his own. You like it thats all that should matter. You may think my tank will look ugly but if I like it that is all that matters. We all have a different taste. I like the open look with flatter pieces.
I myself would rather pay $5 a pound for the ceramic from the above websites than $1.00 a pound for something I don't like the look of. Even if both work equally well.
The only reason I am doing my own ceramic is because I want this tank to be unique. And the pride factor of doing it all myself. I have no desire to drop $30,000 on the tank, equipment and livestock only to skimp on the rock. I could have gotten top of the line premium liverock for less than what I am spending on my ceramics but I just think what I am doing will be better for me.
I am not saying your tank is ugly, just doesn't look natural or right to me. But to each his own. You like it thats all that should matter. You may think my tank will look ugly but if I like it that is all that matters. We all have a different taste. I like the open look with flatter pieces.
I myself would rather pay $5 a pound for the ceramic from the above websites than $1.00 a pound for something I don't like the look of. Even if both work equally well.
The only reason I am doing my own ceramic is because I want this tank to be unique. And the pride factor of doing it all myself. I have no desire to drop $30,000 on the tank, equipment and livestock only to skimp on the rock. I could have gotten top of the line premium liverock for less than what I am spending on my ceramics but I just think what I am doing will be better for me.
thefishguy3
In Memoriam
Hey, as the saying goes "the more the merrier". Join, I am sure something can always be worked out...
Scott,
Bill mentioned that he didn't think the rock boring creatures would bore too well in the ceramic rock since it is in essence "glass". Any thoughts on this. If that is true, do you find that to be any sort of negative? If it has the porosity, you'd at least get the denitrification benefits.
Steve
Bill mentioned that he didn't think the rock boring creatures would bore too well in the ceramic rock since it is in essence "glass". Any thoughts on this. If that is true, do you find that to be any sort of negative? If it has the porosity, you'd at least get the denitrification benefits.
Steve
