DIY live rock

[jschulzpt]

I have a spare tank that isn't doing anything right now and was thinking about using it for several months to make some LR.

I heard Lace rock works well for a conversion to LR, is this true or does anyone know of anything else that works without leaching?

How long will it take before this rock is suitable for aquarium?

Thanks
Jesse

[Neuticle]

I'd recommend using CaribSea base rock before lace rock, it's more porous. That is what the majority of aquaculture rock starts as.

Marcorocks and petsolutions both have it pretty cheap, petsolutions doesn't charge shipping based on weight (for dead rock) either. I got 100lbs of it for 130$ delivered.

[firsthesitation]

Most people, myself included try the DIY live rock, agricrete or whatever the mix is you're looking at using but remove it later because of either seepage issues with the chemicals or algae bloom issues. I also would recommend a cheaper base rock or a dried rock before DIY rock.

[dngspot]

I have 350 lbs of concrete rock in my tank. No problem with the rock yet. 4 years old.

[OneDummHikk]

Dng, any idea what you have invested in it? And, does it have red coralline on it as opposed to purple? I have a DIY rock that I got from a local reefer and it has red coralline on it instead of purple and from what I have read, its the DIY rock that tends to have red.

I prefer a DIY style rock simply because you get the EXACT shape, size, quantity you want without having to pick through untold amounts of rock to try to find the piece you are hunting.

[thefutdoctor]

anyone have experience in using plaster-of-paris [calcium sulfate] mixed with coral sand to make DIY base for 'live' reef rock? I'm new to this forum and haven't found this topic discussed.

[jschulzpt]

The dry base rock at my LFS is $3/# (which seems too expensive for dea rock). Which for me seems like a rip off. I have a local quarry which has limestone. Despite not mentioning it, I was wondering if this rock may work?

[OneDummHikk]

Aside from potential chemical issues, the main thing you are going to run into with limestone and/or plaster-of-paris is going to be porosity. The PoP you can put salt in it (rock salt) to try to get some porosity back in it. Without the porosity, you aren't going to get the benefits of the oxygen free zones present in true live rock.

[jschulzpt]

Another reason that I am trying DIY LR vs. dry live rock or just regular LR is that I'm trying to avoid taking more rock out of the ocean. I have purchased from Rich Londeree before with happy results from his company. But the cost of shipping the LR is insane. So I'm getting the impression that there is no seepage free live rock alternate? Then as Hikk mentioned also problems with how porous it is?

Also how long will it be take for the dry rock after beginning to be cultured will be ready for addition to the main aquarium?

[OneDummHikk]

Dry Base Rock doesn't, typically, come out of the ocean. It comes from land based sources.

Florida Live Rock comes from the ocean but it's 100% cultured. It was put there for the explicit purpose of turning the base/lace rock into live rock to be removed and sold. http://www.floridaliverock.com/

For the time frame, are you asking about dry base rock or a DIY rock? Dry Base Rock can be put in the tank relatively quickly. You simply need to clean it, rinse it good, and put it in the tank. Maybe a vinegar bath if you wanted to. But it doesn't take long. A DIY Rock can take anywhere from 3 months to a year before you can put it in the tank. Depending on how much cement is in the rock and how long it takes it to cure and stabilize and stop causing crazy pH swings.

[jschulzpt]

thanks a lot Randy. I'm going to go to the website you gave me the link for. You can't beat those prices for that quality.

Jesse

[OneDummHikk]

I have seen Florida Live Rock in an LFS. Never bought any personally. I looked into it and the guy wouldn't give me any kind of discount if I bought a major amount of rock (in excess of 5K pounds) so I started looking elsewhere. Looking back, glad I didn't buy 5,000 pounds of rock though.

The rocks I saw in the LFS are a different color than most Fiji style rock. More oriented towards an orange/red look with the different color of the coralline.

And you are right, its good prices on it and it isn't taking natural rock from the ocean, its just aquacultured in the ocean.

Good luck with it.

[dngspot]

Originally Posted by OneDummHikk

Dng, any idea what you have invested in it? And, does it have red coralline on it as opposed to purple? I have a DIY rock that I got from a local reefer and it has red coralline on it instead of purple and from what I have read, its the DIY rock that tends to have red.

I prefer a DIY style rock simply because you get the EXACT shape, size, quantity you want without having to pick through untold amounts of rock to try to find the piece you are hunting.

Because I took the tank down and removed the plenum I had under all of the rock most of the coralline is gone. The rock was out of the water too long and bleached the coralline. I have pics of the tank before this was done.
Here is one of them. The white rock on the right is fresh from the curing bucket. This is why it looks out of place. It is also a pretty crummy pic. I took with my old 2 megapixle camera.

[jschulzpt]

DNG is that ALL concrete rock? And you said that you have had NO algea bloom/leaching problems in 4 years?

[dngspot]

I have suffered a HA problem but it was unassociated with the rock. The rock is 5 years old.