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base rock to live rock.


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  1. #1
    CR Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    warren, mi
    Posts
    1

    Default base rock to live rock.

    hey guy's I'm just starting my 75gal and have one question. live rock is very expensive and looking to have just as many pounds of it in my tank. I've read somewhere that you can put dead base rock and then live rock and the base will eventually become live. to save a couple hundred dollars is this a good idea. Ty for anyone help..

  2. #2
    harmanrk - Reefkeeper CR Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Lansing MI
    Posts
    253

    Default

    Using LR, to 'seed' base rock will work, but their are things to be considered:

    The base rock, must be the correct kind of rock (porous) to allow the micro-organisms to colonize it.

    Also, as the rock, matures, you will get increased performance from the rock, at assisting with the nitrogen cycle. If you do not seed with enough LR to begin with, it may take several weeks, or even a few months for the colonies to grow, and catch up, with your tanks bio-load. I would recommend no less that a 50/50 mix at the start.

    This same process can be used with sand as well. If you start with mostly dry sand, and add some live sand, in a few weeks, your entire sand bed will be 'Live'. You may also consider visiting multiple local fish stores, and buying a cup, of live sand from each, to get a more diverse collection of critters in you live sand.

    Robert

  3. #3
    peregrinus - Reefkeeper Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    utah
    Posts
    416

    Default

    i do this all the time with the base rock works well just give it a bit of time to seed it..
    Quantum mechanics the dreams stuff is made of.

    150 started 8/12/06
    57 gal started 8/12/08

  4. #4
    CR Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Milwaukee, WI
    Posts
    30

    Default

    Where do you find the base rock?

  5. #5
    harmanrk - Reefkeeper CR Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Lansing MI
    Posts
    253

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by mtodd001
    Where do you find the base rock?
    My LFS, has several large boulders of base rock, stacked in a corner, dry. While the LR sales for between 4.99 and 12.99 a pound depending on type and condition, the dry rock is like 1.00 per pound.

    the 12.99 stuff, is rock that has come out of established tanks, and most pieces contain several polyps, or colonies on them.

    Robert

  6. #6
    Whoyah - Reefkeeper CR Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Grants Pass, OR
    Posts
    1,267

    Default

    http://www.reeferrocks.com/

    Davejnz shared this site with me last night. He recommended them.

  7. #7
    dakar - Reefkeeper CR Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    NOLA
    Posts
    4,336
    First Name
    Dave

    Default

    Check around your LFS's for a rock type called Tufa Chips.... it's so porous you can litterly run water through it. Light and airy, sells for $1.50 a pound or so... you get a lot of rock and tons of surface area to establish bacteria colonies in very small amounts of weight.

    We've got well over 150lbs of it in our tanks. With a fair amount of live rock and a few months you can't tell what was live or base without smashing it to see the interior.

    Before putting any base rock in your tank make sure it gets a real good scrubbing and a shot with a power washer if you have access to one.
    Every electronic device is manufactured with smoke stored deep inside... only a true genius can find a way to set it free.

  8. #8
    hummer - Reefkeeper CR Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    seneca ,IL
    Posts
    1,044

    Default

    will the base rock ever be alive all the way through
    :: hummer :nemo

  9. #9
    Reptoreef - Reefkeeper CR Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Brigham City, Utah
    Posts
    2,530

    Default

    Yep... in fact the majority of life will be deep within the pores, however, it will be more bacteria than anything which is great due to it be denitifying bacteria and such. BTW, here in Utah is a large natural resourse for natural base rock and oolitic sand... all free.
    There's nowhere else I'ld rather be... unless, of course, you're buying

  10. #10
    graphixx - Reefkeeper CR Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Idaho
    Posts
    2,785
    First Name
    Greg

    Default

    yup everything stated above is true true true!!! give base rock a few months and you will not be able to tell the diff. I am doing that with my new tank. I have 400 or so lbs of base rock that is going in and about 100 lbs of LR. I mean you will be able to tell the first few months but after that it all pretty much looks the same.
    fulltankshot 1 - base rock to live rock.

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