Reef Ceramics
- Thread starter jerryz
- Start date
mr.wilson
.Registered Member
I use a modified shotcrete on aquarium walls and over internal plumbing, but DIY, ceramic, or dead base rock make the cycling process take an extra 6 months, and never looks the same as true live rock.
You never have the same coraline growth or biodiversity with faux or dead rock. If your on a budget, you can mix and match, or add slowly as you go. There are also a few tricks you can use to make the rock go farther. You only need 1 pound per gallon.
The same is true of live rock that has been sitting in a warehouse on a skid, or in the back of a truck for weeks. Pay the extra money and get fresh live rock.
You never have the same coraline growth or biodiversity with faux or dead rock. If your on a budget, you can mix and match, or add slowly as you go. There are also a few tricks you can use to make the rock go farther. You only need 1 pound per gallon.
The same is true of live rock that has been sitting in a warehouse on a skid, or in the back of a truck for weeks. Pay the extra money and get fresh live rock.
rxx2
Active member
Here's a few pics of the Reef Ceramics. It's been about 8 months since I set up the tank. I used some live rock to fill in the front. I've heard some people say they leach phosphate, get bad algae blooms and they'll soak them for months. I cut them to size, soaked them for about 3 days and stuck them in the tank. I didn't measure PO4-- and didn't see that bad of an algae problem. I did get aptasia from the live rock I used.
I have a set of wall plates on 1/2 of my 225g tank and love them. Very sterile looking for the first few months. Once things start growing on them, you can't tell the difference. There are some German tanks that all they have are ceramics, I don't think it's a problem at all!
mr.wilson
.Registered Member
Hitchhikers are more likely to come from coral additions than live rock, as distribution and better shipping conditions guarantee more biodiversity.
The shotcrete installations I've done become covered in coraline algae in about six months, but just one type. Live rock will have at least three colours of coraline as well as countless other varieties of microfauna (probiotics). Reef ceramics are comparable to dead rock, but without the buffering capacity. Did you have a lot of diatom issues for the first few months?
Your tank looks great, but it takes longer to get there, and there are no pleasant surprises. On the positive side, there are no unpleasant surprises, other than cyanobacteria, dinoflagellates, and diatoms.
The shotcrete installations I've done become covered in coraline algae in about six months, but just one type. Live rock will have at least three colours of coraline as well as countless other varieties of microfauna (probiotics). Reef ceramics are comparable to dead rock, but without the buffering capacity. Did you have a lot of diatom issues for the first few months?
Your tank looks great, but it takes longer to get there, and there are no pleasant surprises. On the positive side, there are no unpleasant surprises, other than cyanobacteria, dinoflagellates, and diatoms.
I had heard about this ahead of time and soaked them in a drum of RO/DI water for a few months with a power head for circulation and weekly water changes. Didn't have a problem at all. I agree on them being equal to dead rock, that is why I mentioned the sterile look for a few months.
mr.wilson
.Registered Member
Before you spend a lot of money on ceramic products, you might want to explore the idea of using shotcrete. There are lots of DIY recipes and procedures here on RC.
Here are some pictures of two end panels I recently covered on a 450. Shotcrete gives you more flexibility than prefab products. I was able to hide 2" PVC intake plumbing and avoid drilling more holes in the glass.
Here are some pictures of two end panels I recently covered on a 450. Shotcrete gives you more flexibility than prefab products. I was able to hide 2" PVC intake plumbing and avoid drilling more holes in the glass.
Double-J
Premium Member
I just set up this tank a couple weeks ago using all reef ceramics with about a 100lbs of liverock in the sump to seed it a little. Granted they are still very white but with time they will be covered in coroline. I'm going thru a little diatom bloom but I'm hoping it will be done in a month or so. After using this stuff I won't use LR ever again, The amount of places to keep corals in the walls is unbelievable.
<img src= "http://www.shallowreef.com/December%2010th%2006_files/image003.jpg">
<img src= "http://www.shallowreef.com/December%2010th%2006_files/image003.jpg">
mr.wilson
.Registered Member
Even if you stick with ceramic prefab panels, shotcrete is a useful tool to join the seams.
I use a polymer modified, quick-setting concrete product by Quikrete, called "Quikwall". King cement products makes a similar one called "Plugtite", and Thora makes one called "Thorite". It's certified for use in wells and cisterns, so it's safe for aquarium use. It sets up in 2-5 minutes so you have to work fast and do small areas at a time. It cures rapidly, so there's no significant PH shift.
You can make larger "shelves" for corals if you do a second coat. I use lag bolts to make faux fossils and a machine screw to make holes for attaching corals. You can have pressure fit plug and play coral anchors with 1/8" acrylic rods, or you can imbed plastic nuts in the cement and affix a corresponding bolt to the coral. Once you get a feel for it, you can let your imagination take over.
I use a 50/50 mix of crushed oyster shell and cement mix. The oyster shell gives it more texture and strength, with less shrinkage/cracking. I find that aragonite isn't cost effective and gives a speckled white look. Oyster shell is nice medium grey. You can pick up crushed oyster shell cheap from a farm supply store as a calcium supplement for birds.
Here's a link. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=618586&perpage=25&pagenumber=2
Here's a full tank shot of the tank in the previous post.
This is a 600 gallon tank I recently completed. I use the shotcrete mix to bond live rock together as well. I get diatoms on the wall for about 6 weeks.
mr.wilson
.Registered Member
Unless your signing up for a local pottery class, there is no DIY ceramics.
http://www.captiveoceans.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=CO&Category_Code=Korallen-Welt
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