freshwater live rock?

[Fromthelbc]

hey guys, i had a quick question, if i make salt water live rock, but then put it into freshwater, would it work the same way?

 

[mgamer20o0]

as in making the rock and putting it in fw not being live? wont hurt anything just make sure you use material that wont raise the ph.

 

[Fromthelbc]

well, i was going to just make the same stuff from the DIY live rock thread in the DIY forum, but put it in freshwater, and im also going to get the rock ready for planting into it, if possible, if this will even work...

 

[Lonewolfblue]

No, it won't work the same way. Anything that was living in the live rock in salt water will die off in the freshwater. There is no such thing as FW live rock.

 

[happygirl65]

Although if it is very porous the beneficial bacteria will colonize it like it does with everything else.

 

[thincat]

The only problem with the DIY rock is that it will shoot your freshwater PH through the roof. Portland cement has lots of lime in it and that will raise your PH beyond fresh water limit. Some Rift Valley fish might like it...

 

[fishmonkey]

it wont work

 

[CaptainAhab]

You can make anything 'live'. The term simply means that bacteria have colonized the item and can be used as a mean of primary or supplemental filtration. The bacteria strains between salt and fresh water are different so you can't swap them back and forth. Since many in the saltwater hobby use live rock and a skimmer as their only source of filtration much emphasis is placed on the product.

Using that definition, ANYTHING you put in your freshwater tank is going to become 'live' ..errr... eventually have bacteria on it that aides in filtration. The more porous the item the more 'live' it is. You could have live gravel, live driftwood, live oranments, live bubble wands.. and on and on.

Don't get caught up in the catchy phrases. Just find something you like, make sure it won't drive your water parameters crazy (ph, hardness, etc) and go for it.

You'll still need a regular filter for mechanical filtration to take place and that's where most of the highly porous material ends up thus that's where a good amount of your bacteria end up as well.

Just don't over analyze it.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

You can make anything 'live'. The term simply means that bacteria have colonized the item and can be used as a mean of primary or supplemental filtration. The bacteria strains between salt and fresh water are different so you can't swap them back and forth. Since many in the saltwater hobby use live rock and a skimmer as their only source of filtration much emphasis is placed on the product.

Yes, bacteria does live on the rocks as well, but in SW, I do believe the reason it's called Live Rock is because it's more than just bacteria that live on the rocks.

 

[mgamer20o0]

he said he wants to make his own rock like the diy rock thread.

The only problem with the DIY rock is that it will shoot your freshwater PH through the roof. Portland cement has lots of lime in it and that will raise your PH beyond fresh water limit. Some Rift Valley fish might like it...

this is the answer he is looking for. i wasnt sure what effects what ever material they use would have.

 

[CaptainAhab]

Yes, bacteria does live on the rocks as well, but in SW, I do believe the reason it's called Live Rock is because it's more than just bacteria that live on the rocks.

Nope... rock becomes 'live" by cycling it. The critters that hitchhike along are a bonus. If you make yours from base rock you need to buy the critters.

RE Mg: if that is indeed the question then it can't be answered with listing what he/she plans on putting in the mixture

 

[FishEggs]

you could add peat moss like they do for garden planters to help counter act the ph spike. Got me thinking of making some myself now. here's a how to link on the subject. it's called hypertufa

 

[mgamer20o0]

Nope... rock becomes 'live" by cycling it. The critters that hitchhike along are a bonus. If you make yours from base rock you need to buy the critters.

RE Mg: if that is indeed the question then it can't be answered with listing what he/she plans on putting in the mixture

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f20/diy-live-rock-115686.html

i think thats the thread he was talking about.