Start tank without rock??

reefienick · 05/09/2010, 01:02 PM

I am making my own rock and it is in the cureing process. I was thinking about going ahead and starting with the sand and get it going with some garf grudge. Could I go ahead and start the sand bed and let everything get going or should I wait until the rock is cured?

floydie83 · 05/09/2010, 02:06 PM

You may have another cycle when you add the hommade rock depending on it's source. I would wait.

brycerb · 05/09/2010, 02:27 PM

Seeing as your rock will be totally inert, and not have any die off, I think it would be fine. Just make sure that whatever live rock you buy to seed the man-made rock is fully cured. Also make sure that man-made rock is also fully cured, new cement will drive your ph and other things through the roof. And we need pictures of how you made them.

floydie83 · 05/09/2010, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brycerb

Seeing as your rock will be totally inert, and not have any die off, I think it would be fine. Just make sure that whatever live rock you buy to seed the man-made rock is fully cured. Also make sure that man-made rock is also fully cured, new cement will drive your ph and other things through the roof. And we need pictures of how you made them.

I have to respectfully disagree. I don't think anything added will be totally inert. Yes there wouldn't be die off, but there could be phosphates and other trapped organics which might contribute to an algae outbreak. It really would depend on how the rock is made.

I guess a good rinsing might do the trick and you can add the rocks later with no problem as brycerb says.

reefienick · 05/09/2010, 07:26 PM

I am making the rock by myself as we speak. I have them in a kiddy pool in the back yard. The PH is still really high and it has been curing for about a month to a month and 1/2. I plan to start the sand with garf grudge (live sand starter) from garf.org. This will allow my sand to start a cycle (even if it is a small cycle. then once my rock is completed curing within hopefully 2 months I will add it and possibly some live rock or more garf grudge to get everything going again.

Does this sound like a good plan? Or does anyone else have any ideas or other places to get live sand and other organizims for the sand and rock?

Also I will update with everything on my rock and how it was made soon. (If all works well...keeping my fingers crossed)

05/09/2010, 01:02 PM	#1
reefienick Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 39	Start tank without rock?? I am making my own rock and it is in the cureing process. I was thinking about going ahead and starting with the sand and get it going with some garf grudge. Could I go ahead and start the sand bed and let everything get going or should I wait until the rock is cured?

05/09/2010, 02:27 PM	#3
brycerb Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Isle of wight, VA Posts: 541	Seeing as your rock will be totally inert, and not have any die off, I think it would be fine. Just make sure that whatever live rock you buy to seed the man-made rock is fully cured. Also make sure that man-made rock is also fully cured, new cement will drive your ph and other things through the roof. And we need pictures of how you made them. __________________ -Luckily, my wife is reef safe so I can use my normal income for this hobby. -My cichlids love RO waste! Current Tank Info: 7.5 gallon box with water in it.

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05/09/2010, 02:06 PM	#2
floydie83 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Lawrence, KS Posts: 287	You may have another cycle when you add the hommade rock depending on it's source. I would wait.

05/09/2010, 07:26 PM	#5
reefienick Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 39	I am making the rock by myself as we speak. I have them in a kiddy pool in the back yard. The PH is still really high and it has been curing for about a month to a month and 1/2. I plan to start the sand with garf grudge (live sand starter) from garf.org. This will allow my sand to start a cycle (even if it is a small cycle. then once my rock is completed curing within hopefully 2 months I will add it and possibly some live rock or more garf grudge to get everything going again. Does this sound like a good plan? Or does anyone else have any ideas or other places to get live sand and other organizims for the sand and rock? Also I will update with everything on my rock and how it was made soon. (If all works well...keeping my fingers crossed)