live rock and regular rock

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

abrahamavelar

Aquarium Advice Addict
Joined
Sep 8, 2009
Messages
2,361
Location
salt lake city utah
hello yesterday when i was doing my weekly pwc i saw my lr and ill love to have some more and due to my economy circumstances i cant afford alot of lr at once and i was wondering if putting rock that i used in previous fw aquariums will work if i clean them really good and boil them for few hours because i seen some post in here about dyi lr and wanted to know the differences between making your own and using the old fw rocks.

i hope it made sence
 
It makes sense. You probably could but rock in the SW scene needs to be pourus so as to have plenty of surface area for the nitrifying bacteria. Not saying you cant do it but it would be my second choice if it was me.
 
Abe, first Q. is "what kind of rock is in your FW setup?
 
Depending on your stocking levels and possible other sources of filtration, the amount of LR you need for filtration may be quite small. If it's just aesthetics then you can look into base rock or if your FW rock isn't a harmful variety you could use that as the base and build around it.
 
well i dont know the mane but i can show you, its is very pourus and this rock right now its been sitting inside my old tank in my closet it looks kind of like lace rock but im not sure, this a pic of a rock that looks like it
 
I wouldn't take the risk. If your old rock has traces of metalics in it (naturally occurs in a lot of rock), it can wipe out your SW tank. I think it's better to go to a LFS who sells rock for SW tanks. Some sell "dead" rock, which is a ton cheaper and still safe for you SW setup.
 
Depending on your stocking levels and possible other sources of filtration, the amount of LR you need for filtration may be quite small. If it's just aesthetics then you can look into base rock or if your FW rock isn't a harmful variety you could use that as the base and build around it.

well i dont really have too many fish and im not planning on adding any more for a while what i have right now on my 75 gall are 2 regular clown about inch and a half long one hippo tang 1 inch long one yellow tanh 2 inch long one royal gramma about 2 inch long 2 fire fish and one goby, as of lr i have about 40 to 50 lbs
 
I wouldn't take the risk. If your old rock has traces of metalics in it (naturally occurs in a lot of rock), it can wipe out your SW tank. I think it's better to go to a LFS who sells rock for SW tanks. Some sell "dead" rock, which is a ton cheaper and still safe for you SW setup.
and how much is it for dead rock about????? and if i was to buy it should i cure it or just put it in my tank like that?????
 
once you make it which takes at least 24 hours to dry you have to let it soak in freshwater for a month or more to be safe cement has a high ph level and you have to let it leach out by letting it soak in freshwater and changing that water every so often to make the diy rocks you get some portland cement type one or 2 and crushed oystershells get from a feed store they use it for chickens i did i think it was like 1 cup cement to 10 cups oyster shell you mix that up make it a little thick so you can mold it better make you a mold out of sand in a box or rubbermaid and pour it into the mold let it dry and then take the process of soaking it in water for a month or so. you can use a lot of techniques to make the rock more poreus by using pasta in the mix which disloves over time in water or using ballons in the mold thier are alot of techniques you can use some people put plastic shaving in the mix to make coraline grow faster on the rock once its in the tank it is a very cheap way to make rock and very effective i have some in my tank that i cant even tell i made it anymore plus you can make any desin you want with diy rock so it makes aquascaping alot easier......
 
oh ok does it need water movement, and after the month i have to cure it b4 i put it on the dt?
Abe, it depends on the PH as to how long you soak the DIY rock. If you put it in your tank to early the PH will "KILL" your fish & corals. Let me say that again..... "You have to test the water for PH".
If you make a small amount you can put in the tank of your toilet. Every time you flush it clean water in the tank again.
 
and how much is it for dead rock about????? and if i was to buy it should i cure it or just put it in my tank like that?????


Im not sure where it would be where you're located, but here, live rock is about $12 per pound, whereas dead is like $4 a pound.

Im not sure if you have to cure it or what.... someone else will have to explain that
 
wow thats expensive i get lr here for 5 dollars and the cheapest i seen it is 3.50, oh ok yeah i been asking about dead rock and i think the guy said 89 cents per lb but it could of been 1.89 and also im thinking about making it,what would you guys think about adding a pirate ship i seen one of them in the sw aquarium at the lfs but idk if its a good idea
 
Back
Top Bottom