can i use this

[gravismaximus]

hi everyone, new to saltwater. i have a 75 gallon tank just setting up and would like to put in some rock, problum is i am on a budget. i know most things in this hobby if you go cheap you might as well not do it at all--- right? here is my question can you use timberlite? i have seen it in bags for marine and freshwater. however im talking about getting just one big boulder of it, boiling it and soaking it befor putting in the tank. is this ok to do? could i try and wait a week and take a water sample for metals etc.. thanks in advance and expect lots more questions from me

 

[eric b 125]

welcome to the boards! not familiar with timberlite myself, so i'm not going to be of much help. you could always go the base rock route and seed it with a few lbs of live rock...eventually it will all become live rock

 

[ophiura]

If it is the rock I see on a google search, then no. You do not want to use granites, slate, etc in a saltwater tank. You can buy cheap limestone rock (aka Holey rock) that is much better and is usually only $1 or so a pound. Also you can make your own rock with cement (see DIY).
You want porous rock, and most of that stuff is not. Metals, also, tend to leach out over time...not instantly.
Really no getting around the right "base" in the hobby. Also check craiglist or a local reef club for people selling off LR. Live rock (even on top of base limestone) makes all the difference, IMO.

 

[btldreef]

Originally Posted by ophiura
http:///forum/post/3168352
If it is the rock I see on a google search, then no. You do not want to use granites, slate, etc in a saltwater tank. You can buy cheap limestone rock (aka Holey rock) that is much better and is usually only $1 or so a pound. Also you can make your own rock with cement (see DIY).
You want porous rock, and most of that stuff is not. Metals, also, tend to leach out over time...not instantly.
Really no getting around the right "base" in the hobby. Also check craiglist or a local reef club for people selling off LR. Live rock (even on top of base limestone) makes all the difference, IMO.
+1
If you're on a budget, take your time and do it right or it'll cost your more money (and headaches) in the end. Someone is always closing down their tank and selling off the rock for cheap.