Cheap base rock

[ugluk]

I'm looking for a base rock I can use that would come cheap. I dont know if there is an answer for this because I tried to search for an answer and nothing stood out. Texas holey rock was just as expensive after s/h is factored in (I will get my live rock locally) and the DIY seems a little too complex for me. Any other thoughts?

 

[renogaw]

i've seen baserock in the local fish stores.

 

[houndhome1]

do u have any rivers or streams near by. I just used river rocks in my tank. it was free and worked great. I just used a wire brush to clean them up with no soap.

 

[ugluk]

I do have a river by me and that would be great if it works but the river rocks are very smooth, I thought that base rock had to be pourous.
I was just looking on e-bay and I found 50 lbs of base rock for about the same price I would pay for 50 lbs of live rock. The difference is that there seems to be a lot more base rock for the weight then live. Does base rock weigh less then live rock? Since I will be paying the same price what do you think is better to do, 100% live rock or 50/50. I'm thinking 50/50 because it will fill up my aquarium more (72 gallon) but I could use an educated opinion on the subject.

 

[houndhome1]

I have a 75 gal reef. I used river rock for base and used some slate. I then puchased live rock for the second half. It took about a year but now u can't tell the difference from the two different rocks. It much cheaper, and anytime u can find help with the cost in SW it's a bonus.

 

[hot883]

DO NOT USE RIVER ROCK. Local streams can be contaminated and also that type of rock is not porous so will just be dead weight and a space taker.
Look in the classifieds section on here. There are usually some for sale. Barry

 

[reefkprz]

Originally Posted by Houndhome1
I have a 75 gal reef. I used river rock for base and used some slate. I then puchased live rock for the second half. It took about a year but now u can't tell the difference from the two different rocks. It much cheaper, and anytime u can find help with the cost in SW it's a bonus.

Honestly I would never reccomend slate to anyone the composition of it is too varied and can contain many harmfull things see below.
Muscovite, chlorite, kaolinite, micas, and other accessory minerals (wide variation in composition). The accessory minerals are usually oxides, calcites & minor amounts of quartz and feldspar along with subordinate amounts of ferro-magnesium minerals

 

[stanlalee]

I have caribsea "reef bones" which is basically aragonite "dead" live rock and honestly if you already have liverock in a few months no one will be able to tell the difference. I payed what amounted to about $1.57/lb ($62 for 40lbs) and shipping was $23 which comes out to about $2.13/lb shipped. I simply stuffed some sump cheato in the curing tank and while it doesn't have the diversity of real live liverock it is overrun with amphipods already and its just as porous as my real fiji live rock. when you need over 100lbs of rock every bit of savings helps.
heres a pic from my soon to be up cheapo tank set up thread.

that said you still get what you pay for. here's real liverock and naturally the diversity is in another league

 

[xdave]

Lava rock from the garden supply store. Get the black because the red sometimes leeches iron.