Jesse Rorie
Member
On this store website there are 2 different bundles of live rock for 50lbs. 1 is the "rock around the world combo" and the other is the "premium Caribbean". Theres about a $20 difference. Which one would you buy for your tank?
buying live rock
- Thread starter Jesse Rorie
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Jesse Rorie
Member
so what would u buy?
beaslbob
Well-Known Member
I use macro algaes in a refugium. Which can be just an in tank partition with some added side lighting.
For decorations I use limestone rocks from a local quarry that costs $20/ton. Even made rocks from concrete once (agrecrete). and even used landscape lava rocks which can be siliconed together to form structures.
the idea is the algae is what is important. Everything else secondary.
ran the tank for 9 years, with heavy bioload, some soft easy type corals, tap water, no water changes. so the main thing had to be the macros in the in tank refugium.
still that's just my .02
For decorations I use limestone rocks from a local quarry that costs $20/ton. Even made rocks from concrete once (agrecrete). and even used landscape lava rocks which can be siliconed together to form structures.
the idea is the algae is what is important. Everything else secondary.
ran the tank for 9 years, with heavy bioload, some soft easy type corals, tap water, no water changes. so the main thing had to be the macros in the in tank refugium.
still that's just my .02
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Jesse Rorie
Member
The problem with that is I don't have space for a refugium..
beaslbob
Well-Known Member
Does not have to be a separate container.
On my old 55g I just crammed in 1/4 plastic grid egg crate 3" in front of the back glass. And added 2 4' shop lights behind the tank pointing forward.
The refugium was the area between the back glass and the egg crate.
nitrates dropped to unmeasureable in 3 weeks and phosphates a few month later.
Just a simple in tank refugium
On my old 55g I just crammed in 1/4 plastic grid egg crate 3" in front of the back glass. And added 2 4' shop lights behind the tank pointing forward.
The refugium was the area between the back glass and the egg crate.
nitrates dropped to unmeasureable in 3 weeks and phosphates a few month later.
Just a simple in tank refugium
Jesse Rorie
Member
Agreed and much appreciated!
Jesse Rorie
Member
is there something besides an egg crate grid I can use cause I cant find much for sale any where and where I did find some its pricey
flower
Well-Known Member
Hi,
Fish only systems can have decorative macros right in the display, beautiful reds, yellow-gold and greens. I say fish only, because macros have to be culled back or they take over, and people don't want to mess with it around corals. Some fish will eat your macros, so if you keep decorative ones, you will have to stay away from the kind of fish that are "algae" eaters, such as tangs, dwarf angels and the foxface rabbit fish. If you want such fish, you will need a refugium tank, or a refugium place within the tank like beaslbob is talking about.
Rock is a personal choice, I hand picked each piece, others are not so picky and order on-line according to weight. The difference is the look of the rock, some rock is round and others have more nooks and crannies. The more desirable rock has lots of nooks and crannies and are lighter...which means more rock per dollar. Coraline covered rock looks nicer, but eventually you will have your own coralline so it isn't needed to get rock already loaded up, just a spot here and there will seed it all.
As for the rock this site offers... ask them for an explanation, they will be happy to help. Like I said, I hand picked my rock many years ago before I found this site, so I really don't know what is being offered or the difference.
Fish only systems can have decorative macros right in the display, beautiful reds, yellow-gold and greens. I say fish only, because macros have to be culled back or they take over, and people don't want to mess with it around corals. Some fish will eat your macros, so if you keep decorative ones, you will have to stay away from the kind of fish that are "algae" eaters, such as tangs, dwarf angels and the foxface rabbit fish. If you want such fish, you will need a refugium tank, or a refugium place within the tank like beaslbob is talking about.
Rock is a personal choice, I hand picked each piece, others are not so picky and order on-line according to weight. The difference is the look of the rock, some rock is round and others have more nooks and crannies. The more desirable rock has lots of nooks and crannies and are lighter...which means more rock per dollar. Coraline covered rock looks nicer, but eventually you will have your own coralline so it isn't needed to get rock already loaded up, just a spot here and there will seed it all.
As for the rock this site offers... ask them for an explanation, they will be happy to help. Like I said, I hand picked my rock many years ago before I found this site, so I really don't know what is being offered or the difference.
beaslbob
Well-Known Member
Go to any building supply store like home depot, lowes, milards etc etc. Look in the ceiling section (sometimes also in the lighting section) for dropped ceilings. The 1/4" square plastic grids (egg crates) are actually lighting diffusers for dropped ceilings. a 2 foot x 4 foot section was around $12 a few years back.
I used landscape lava rocks at the bottom and power heads at the top to hold it 3' from the back glass. Also had to split it up into 3 sections to install around the center brace.
A simple saber saw make quick work of cutting it to size and you can even just use pliers and break it apart. (quicker with saw, more "fun" with pliers)
But you'll find that all out when you try to fit it all together.
If you do that tell us how it worked.
my .02
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Jesse Rorie
Member
I cant find any online ill have to go in the store and look
Jesse Rorie
Member
I cant find any egg grate grid anywhere
2014FishKiller
Member
It is how many live rocks that you need, I will use total gallon of tank multiple by 60% (my 2 cents)
candaceswf
Administrator
Hi Jesse, My name is Candace I work here at Saltwaterfish.com 
The caribbean rock is less expensive, but more dense and the shapes are more round, solid shapes like the picture. Personally I like to choose my live rock, and I got a couple pieces of the kaileni and a couple of the fapiena, these ones are the prettiest to me, and they are the lighter weight rock with nooks and crannies like flower mentioned. There is also tukani, totoka, and fiji these are the most popular (I don't think they're available at the moment, but all the live rock should be available for shipping next week). The rock around the world combo is an assortment of all the different kinds of rock available, so instead of getting all caribbean or all fiji, you would get a mix. Hope this helps!!
The caribbean rock is less expensive, but more dense and the shapes are more round, solid shapes like the picture. Personally I like to choose my live rock, and I got a couple pieces of the kaileni and a couple of the fapiena, these ones are the prettiest to me, and they are the lighter weight rock with nooks and crannies like flower mentioned. There is also tukani, totoka, and fiji these are the most popular (I don't think they're available at the moment, but all the live rock should be available for shipping next week). The rock around the world combo is an assortment of all the different kinds of rock available, so instead of getting all caribbean or all fiji, you would get a mix. Hope this helps!!Jesse Rorie
Member
Thanks! The problem with picking my own rock is the closest store is way to expensive. So I figured I'd just get some online because I don't really care about picking my own rock
flower
Well-Known Member
Hi,
Go with the mix like Candaceswf offered, if you don't really care, and the LFS is too far away...then the mix will offer variety.
Just to toss it out there, I use live rock and fake décor mix. The 90g has a ships wheel and anchor, held up and surrounded by live rock, the 56g was done with columns a large back one, and a smaller one out front, then I used branch live rock (I have seahorses and a tall tank, so the branch was what I went for) on one side and small rock on a shelf over the columns.
Some folks here (Novahobbies for example) made his own columns, out of rock and pond foam I believe.... it's pretty awesome looking.
So you can use other things besides just all rock, and it will break up the look, so it isn't just rock piled up all over. The fake stuff gets seeded by the critters in the live rock, so it's no different then using base rock with some live rock to seed it.
Jesse Rorie
Member
I would love to see pictures for examples if yall have some?
flower
Well-Known Member
I tried everything I can to upload a picture...it keeps insisting the file is too large, even after I crop it and change the format. If you like, I can give you my private e-mail and send a picture of what I'm talking about that way. Just click on my name and choose send a message. Sigh...I so miss the old way the site did things.
honu808
Member
Its name is light diffuser I believe. At Lowes its in the building materials section or lighting section. Ask, they know what and where it is. 2x4' piece is $12.