Sump rock: Part Deux

[spinman]

Sorry to hijack the original "sump rock" thread, but it seems old threads are like old news - they die a quick death and nobody looks at them anymore.

Anyhoo, I'm considering sump rock and am wondering if it makes a difference between getting "base" rock pieces (ie., cheap) or 'live" rock pieces (ie., not cheap).

I mean why would you want nice looking coralline encrusted sump rock if it's not even seen? Besides, most of us seem to lose our coralline beauty in our display tanks anyway.

Perhaps the "live" rubble has the beneficial bacteria already established?

Just wondering.

Mike

 

[gfishguy56]

unless you light your sump you dont really need "live" rock. I have a seperate 20gal sump area filled only with base,tufa, and rubble rock without a light. And when i shine a flashlight, there are thousands of copepods crawling around. Use the cheap base rock and save yourself the extra cash for more fish, if you have room for them, of course.
ps. i haven't lost any corraline beauty in my tank

 

[spinman]

Thanks for the quickie reply..

BTW, I hate you for your coraline. Why is it some have it and some lose it??

Is this rocket science or what?

Mike

 

[hcuellart]

Check your calcium and alkalinity, these two parameters are THE ones that mostly influence the coralline growth. I have heard really good stuff regarding coralline growth when you use Seachem's Reef Calcium which is a calcium gluconate (organic calcium)...
HTH

 

[gfishguy56]

I actually do nothing special for my aquarium. i add nothing, i dose nothing. A protein skimmer and i do water changes once a month or so. I did update my lights to Coralife PC lights...