substitute rock for LR

glinton

glinton

Member
I am starting up a 30gal long reef tank soon.
I am planning on buying some sort of substitute rock for the base and fill in the rest with live rock. I want to buy substitute rock that still looks good and can be eventually overgrown with Coraline algae. What rock is good for this? I have already heard about Aragocrete. Somebody else mentioned "lace rock", which is Aragonite volcanic rock.
Has anyone used this volcanic rock? How do I know what I am getting? I went to my local landscaping place and all they knew about the rock was that it was good for landscaping! :confused: I do know that it is volcanic rock, but that is all I know.
Any other suggestions as to what to use?
 
broomer5

broomer5

Active Member
I'd not use volcanic rock. Molten magma/lava may contain harmful toxins, iron or pockets of trapped gasses.
I say may contain - not always does.
Rock made from calcium carbonate that may dissolve over time, and can add calcium, magnesium, and carbonate to the saltwater.
These rocks are made up of calcite or dolomite and may help to buffer the tankwater over a period of time.
Most all rock dissolves eventually. Whether it has a huge impact on the tank chemistry or not - is often unknown.
Tufa rock is commonly used as base rock.
Rocks made from volcanic lava, petrified wood, sandstone, granite, quartz or other rocks containing any minerals other than calcium carbonate I would not use in my tank(s).
Many people do - and report no problems.
I just chose not to.
 
waterbury guy

waterbury guy

Member
Limestone is Calcium Carbontate, which is reef safe. I had trouble finding Southdown sand in Vermont when I set up my tank in January. Best I could do was find playsand that was limestone based. So far everybody's happy and all parameters are excellent.
 
glinton

glinton

Member
Ahhhhh. The light is just starting to go on. Limestone=calcium carbonate, which is safe.
It may take me a while, but I eventually get it.
Thanks guys.
Anyone else have any other ideas for substitute rock?
 
glinton

glinton

Member
Javatech-
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
That site looks great! Did you order rock from them? DId you have a good experience with it? I am assuming you did. How is the coraline algae growth from your LR?
Thanks again.
Did you ever get the garf grunge? In another post you said you were going to get some this week. How is it?
 
javatech

javatech

Member
your welcome your welcome your welcome
yes i got some from them on ---- for $25 plus $23.07 in shipping
no coraline algae yet it's only been up for three weeks the cleanup crew did a good job of cleaning the brown algae off the rocks. and as far as the garf grunge go's i did not see any thing alive in it but it's only been three day's ai did see a little starfish today it's 1/2"round with seven arm's and it's fat. don't know if it's a good kind or not
 
tcoco

tcoco

Member
java this rock I'm asuming it looks just like the picture on their home page with all those holes and crevises. Stuff looks good I been looking for some good base how was their shipping time? I'll be ordering some real soon :)
 
broomer5

broomer5

Active Member
I don't disagree that that rock "looks" pretty good.
My only concern would be that the site states that the rock is very dense.
Dense rock for base rock is fine, makes for a solid foundation, although you probably will not have near the numbers of denitrifying zones/bacteria colonies deep within it, as you would using true porous live rock such as Fiji.
It looks like you can order 50lbs for $60.00 bucks.
$30 for rock, $30 for shipping.
For a 30 gallon tank - I'd not use much of it, and certainly would not place all 50 lbs in this size tank.
So I'd have quite a bit left over.
That being the case - I believe I would save my money, and wait until I could swing the 25lbs of Figi live rock from SWF.com for the $109.99, and maybe pick up some inexpensive base rock locally for the very bottom stack/layer near the sandbed/substrate.
I feel that having the 100% porous live rock in my reef tank would be more bang for the buck - in the long run.
Biological filter and nitrate reduction potential wise, plus the additional pods, worms, critters and coralline growth that would come in on the Fiji. In a reef tank - I would go this route.
I may pay twice as much up front - but I think I'd get more than twice the benefits of going with mostly true Fiji live rock over mostly base.
Just something to consider - but you do what you feel is best for you individual circumstances - as always ;)
 
javatech

javatech

Member

Originally posted by tcoco
java this rock I'm asuming it looks just like the picture on their home page with all those holes and crevises. Stuff looks good I been looking for some good base how was their shipping time? I'll be ordering some real soon :)
it looks just like the photo's some of mine has a lot of hole's that go all the way throu to the other side and it is old coral reef you can see shells and other old reef stuff the shipping was ok it took 5 days after i payed for it and it is heavy
 
glinton

glinton

Member
javatech-
About the garf grunge-does it mess up your tank? I have heard people say that it looks ugly and it makes your sandbed look bad.
 
glinton

glinton

Member
javatech-
How many pounds did you order from hirocks.com? Since their rock is pretty dense, I am wondering if 30# will be enough for a 30gal long aquarium.
 
sal t. nutz

sal t. nutz

Member
I don't know if you have a local rock dealer where you live, but I do here, called Reeds & Rocks. They sell Lace rock for .75/lb, and it is the same rock as Live Rock, just without the life. See if you can find anyone that sells Lace rock near you.
 
javatech

javatech

Member

Originally posted by glinton
javatech-
How many pounds did you order from hirocks.com? Since their rock is pretty dense, I am wondering if 30# will be enough for a 30gal long aquarium.
i got 150 lbs most of it went in to my African Cichlid tank i think i have apx. 25-30 lbs as a base for 30+ lbs of live rock in a 29 gal tank it is two big rocks on the bottomhalf is under the sand so i don't see it the rock in that photo is a bit of it and i think they only sell it in 50lbs lot's
 
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