samantha68
Member
what r some things other then coral and lava,live rock that can go in the tank?
decor for saltwater
- Thread starter samantha68
- Start date
B
billb
Guest
I'm kinda new, but I'll throw in my current view..
I'd stick with "Real" living things..like the live rock.. Don't add bleached dead corals, they will probably just get covered in algea and look like crap. No plastic plastic plants, but maybe you can find a few nice real ones. I don't know about Lava, but if you mean lava rock, I'd tend to stay away from that until you know precisely what it might do to affect your chemistry. A new tank may look a little bare at first, and the want to throw junk in, will be there, but I'd avoid it. Soon things will start to grow naturally, colors will show and with the addition of Live corals (under proper lighting) you probably won't ever find the need to throw non living items in just for decoration..the tank will be a decoration all its own...
Good Luck
Billb
I'd stick with "Real" living things..like the live rock.. Don't add bleached dead corals, they will probably just get covered in algea and look like crap. No plastic plastic plants, but maybe you can find a few nice real ones. I don't know about Lava, but if you mean lava rock, I'd tend to stay away from that until you know precisely what it might do to affect your chemistry. A new tank may look a little bare at first, and the want to throw junk in, will be there, but I'd avoid it. Soon things will start to grow naturally, colors will show and with the addition of Live corals (under proper lighting) you probably won't ever find the need to throw non living items in just for decoration..the tank will be a decoration all its own...
Good Luck
Billb
samantha68
Member
ok thank you for your help..I did mean lava rock and i read on line aswell as the aquarium warehouse that lava is good and then you can build your live rock in around and in it
samantha68
Member
i have heard that lava is fine and it gives you something for a base and then your live rock can go between my petstore has some in the tanks ,i have spoke to several people and they said it is fine
birdy
Active Member
Samantha- There are better types of base rock out there, Tufta, lace. Not only can lava leach chemicals in the water, it is the redish brown color and doesn't look good IMO. My opinion is to get some baserock that will eventually look like LR, with coralline all over it.
- people do use lava and it is your tank so if you are set on it then do it, but you ask for our opinons and most recommend not to use lava.
- people do use lava and it is your tank so if you are set on it then do it, but you ask for our opinons and most recommend not to use lava.
flydan
Active Member
Hey,
I agree that lava rock is a bad idea since it may contain metals and minerals that are harmful to a sw tank. For "base rock" it best to use lace rock or tufa rock. You can build up a reef with that and then put a few nice pieces of lr on top of that. The lr will seed the base rock and it will become lr over time.
HTH,
Dan'l
I agree that lava rock is a bad idea since it may contain metals and minerals that are harmful to a sw tank. For "base rock" it best to use lace rock or tufa rock. You can build up a reef with that and then put a few nice pieces of lr on top of that. The lr will seed the base rock and it will become lr over time.
HTH,
Dan'l
samantha68
Member
The only reason i did start off with the tavertine rock and the lava was because the store (big als ) told me that that was what i start with then build around it ...I had no idea and was going from what they told me ..thank you thats why i came here because i seem to be told the wrong advice in the store..i wanted to add mushroom this weekend good idea or bad?
kittykitty
Member
I liked the idea of the "aragocrete". I had never heard of it, but it sounds like a neat, inexpensive way to create your own live rock. You can mold it into any shape that you want. Do a search on this board for "aragocrete" and you will find it.
samantha68
Member
ok thank you very much ,live and learn i guess .i am just getting sick of the store telling me to do certain things then i come on here to find out they screwed me up
T
tizzo
Guest
Lava rock is very high in metals and therefore toxic to your aquarium, however the lava rock in pet stores is not REAL lava rock, it is actually a man made material that is light with low volume displacement. If it were real lava rock, it would be very heavy. You never know though, someboby like ***** just might visit Mt. Wannahockalugee to stock their store, so BE CAREFUL!!
samantha68
Member
no it is not real nor heavy just made to look like .i don't have much in there just a few small pieces,thank you