Experience with MMLR

[ReeferRob]

Anyone out there have any experience with MMLR (man made live rock) in any of their tanks?

Recently had a particular piece designed for me, but I am very hesitant to put it in my DT.

It is a reputable person, with a proven track record with making and using MMLR with no issues. Yet I am still a bit worried. It was kept in the makers tank for I believe three weeks. I have had the piece in my frag tank since the swap.

Every thing seems okay with it. The water tests out good. pH slightly low like a .1 or .2 low but thats it.

I have great faith in the maker, I guess I just need some assurance that everything will be fine with no problems.

[speedstar]

I know many tanks that are 100% man made, running with no problems. I myself have only made custom rocks to use as frag plug holders. Never in the display.

[ReeferMike]

do you know what he made it out of?

[ReeferRob]

I believe, but not certain or on measurements, Portland, crushed coral, salt and sand.

[speedstar]

I believe, but not certain or on measurements, Portland, crushed coral, salt and sand.

Normal mix sounds good to me, that is what i use aswell.

[ReeferRob]

Should I wait to see all visible salt dissolve first? I still see a very little bit.

[speedstar]

Should I wait to see all visible salt dissolve first? I still see a very little bit.


i'd cycle it alot longer if you see salt. I thought usually you super heated the rock to melt out all the salt.

[jojo22]

How long in the QT tank, if more than a week or so go for it. If not I would hold tight just to make sure it stays good.

[ReeferRob]

i'd cycle it alot longer if you see salt. I thought usually you super heated the rock to melt out all the salt.

Care to elaborate speed?

[jojo22]

Depending on the size of rock I usually either put it in a tub and cycle the water daily (or more) or for small pieces I put them in the toilet tank that way they get fresh water every flush (with 5 kids that is quite often). But it you see salt (not where the salt use to be) then you have a ways to go, but it in a tub and heat the water to 90 degrees, it will speed up the salt dissolving process.

[ReeferRob]

After more closely examining the rock I decided I was going to supper heat the rock to cook off the rest of the salt.

I don't want a big salinity spike in the DT over time as it dissolves.

I've had it in a 5 gallon bucket of salt at 90 degrees with a small power head for about 24 hours now. I have slowly watched the salinity of the water in the bucket climb over this time period. Nothing wild but small incriments.

Previous to that it was in the makers DT for three weeks and my own frag tank for one.

Im going to keep it in the bucket for another 12 hours or so, then put it back into the frag tank (which doesn't have any corals in it yet) for a few days before I put it in the DT.

Any one else have any thoughts they want to share?

[ReeferRob]

Just checked salinity, which was stable all night. I believe all salt is now dissolved. Putting back in frag tank tonight after work.

[Wy Renegade]

How is this working for you Rob? My current 65gal DT is all man-made rock and while I like it, I saw some issues with the maturation process that I never saw with true LR. Its taken about two years for my tank to reach the point where I feel like it is truly a mature tank.

[ReeferRob]

Working wonderfully! Coraline incrusted and blends in nicely. Can't even tell it MMLR!
There is one issue if noticed and that is sponges grow on the rock like crazy??

[lemonyx]

I would put it in a tub of saltwater - after a WC and after a day or two do some test's the usual stuff. I made some rock for my first tank and soaked it a lot. Did a WC twice a week with a powerhead for circulation Took about 60 days to finish cycling. Once the coraline algae took over, couldn't tell the difference but since I made it and oput it in the tank, I knew what pieces they were.

Real LR is easier to cycle IMO - too much trouble to make and cycle for me.

[cmpenney]

There was no salt actually used in the making of that rock ReeferBob. Salt in the mix only actually weakens the final product. The only time to use salt is for making very tight channels through the rock where it can be hard to get sand out of.

The rock was actually in freshwater changed almost daily for three weeks and then in my tank for almost another 2.

BTW. My tank is one of those out there with 100% MMLR.

[ReeferRob]

Just so everyone is clear check the dates on the posts. This rock has been in the tank from pretty much the beginning. And its not going anywhere!!!

[cmpenney]

Sorry. I just saw this come up in the new posts and missed that there was a second page :(

I thought you had this rock still sitting in your frag tank all this time! I guess I need to pay better attention, huh...

[Wy Renegade]

Just so everyone is clear check the dates on the posts. This rock has been in the tank from pretty much the beginning. And its not going anywhere!!!

LOL, sorry Rob, what a trouble-maker I am! Glad to hear yours is doing well. How about a current picture of the man-made LR piece?

[ReeferRob]

Working on it!! Tank is going through some changes, construction, growth. Plus my buddy decided to lend someone his camera tonight:doh::doh::doh::mouth_zipped: tank needed to be clean anyway.

But ya, love the piece totally rocks! LOL

[cmpenney]

The two biggest pluses to MMLR are cost about .15/lb using the recipe I use and freedom.

It's nice to be able to make rock that fit's your exact needs rather than trying to figure out how to use the pieces you have in your tank. It also allows you to build any structure you can imagine.