should i buy base rock to save money?

FapMan · 07/18/2008, 09:57 AM

At my lfs base rock go for 1.99 per lb, i was thinking i can get 40lbs. As of now i have 20lbs of base rock and 1lb of live rock, if i do this should i add a little bit more of live rock..
Also how long will it take till the base rock become live rock?

heller792 · 07/18/2008, 10:37 AM

I would guess at maybe 6 months but you will see life spreading on it at 6 weeks, I used base rock too but with a 50/50 split. Remember if you can afford it, get as much live rock as possible. YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TO MUCH LIVE ROCK!!!!!

discocarp · 07/18/2008, 10:43 AM

I start my tanks now from almost (but not quite) 100% base rock. At 6 months to one year (varies by tank) its indistinguishable.

FapMan · 07/18/2008, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by discocarp
I start my tanks now from almost (but not quite) 100% base rock. At 6 months to one year (varies by tank) its indistinguishable.

have any pictures?

aastretch64 · 07/18/2008, 11:24 AM

I had a few friends who started with 100% base rock (dead) to ensure that everything they wanted to put in the tank went in and everything they wanted to keep out stayed that way.

The tank cycled like any other and you can seed coraline. You do have to make sure your nitrates/phosphates are low as the white rock attracts a lot of algae.

Alex

discocarp · 07/18/2008, 11:25 AM

Here's one with a close up of the rock. This rock is about 7 months in the tank from completely dead rock. You can see the coraline and sponge growing. In another 6 months this will be indistinguishable from liverock.

FapMan · 07/18/2008, 11:31 AM

that nice, i think i might use base rock to save alot of money

discocarp · 07/18/2008, 11:33 AM

Make sure to use a little liverock. You can also get an incredible infusion of pods if you throw some chaeto in there (you don't even need to keep it forever, just use it to seed pods).

downhillbiker · 07/18/2008, 11:34 AM

i would say that you can get base rock and have no problems. it will eventually seed just as live rock. the more pourous the rock the better, these rocks will actually feel lighter too, good way to tell.

another good option is to find a local reef club and also check on craigslist.org i have seen many people selling fully establishes live rock for $2.50/lb

fivesmallworlds · 07/18/2008, 11:35 AM

Dead rock believer as well... Save some $$$ I just bought 2 giant rocks for my 75g at a whopping 15lbs... a 15 lbs LR would be a chunk a little larger than the size of a fist...

I do disagree with the "YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TO MUCH LIVE ROCK!!!!!" If you have too much LR you don't have room for fish to swim or corals to grow out. K-I-S-S!!!

FapMan · 07/18/2008, 11:35 AM

how much lbs of live rock you used?

sk8rreefgeek · 07/18/2008, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by heller792
YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TO MUCH LIVE ROCK!!!!!

Even if your tank is packed full and it's coming out the top. 4.2 lbs per gallon is what I live by

jk

SALT WATER CRAZ · 07/18/2008, 12:13 PM

I would not put to much faith in lbs per gallon.

Its just like you need so many watts per a gallon it is rubish.

discocarp · 07/18/2008, 12:26 PM

You don't really need a ton of rock either. My brother's tank (stocked 58g) ran for 2 years with less than 15 lbs liverock. If you just aquascape to taste, chances are you have PLENTY of rock.

heller792 · 07/18/2008, 12:31 PM

When I say you can never have to much live rock , I mean within reason. Obviously you would not use all the room so there is no room for fish to swim or for you to place coral. What I mean is whether its from base rock to cured live rock the more you have the better your tank runs but only as much as ashetics allows. My sump is filled with live rock and my display tank has enough to make it pleasing to look at in my opinion. My base rock is completely full of coraline algae and I have only been reef keeping since January.

not a great pic but the rock above the Damsel was base rock 4 months ago.

Zann · 07/18/2008, 01:39 PM

damn on a 30gal tank you would have 130lbs of rock or so , going by your 4.2lbs a gal the tank would be nothing but rock

kar93 · 07/18/2008, 01:47 PM

Base rock is good but it is always better to supplement with a bit of Live be it 1 kg or 100kg it will still give it that extra boost.

areze · 07/18/2008, 01:51 PM

only thing I can say, be aware that baserock is also light as heck. people sit there and say, meh baserock is 2$ I can get live rock for 4$, no big diff. difference is that liverock is wet, and easily double the weight of baserock.

I ordered 100lbs of marcorocks(baserock) for a 75... 60lbs sits in my attic lol. and the tank is probably still overstocked.

heller792 · 07/18/2008, 01:53 PM

Thought it wasn't the weight of the rock that was important but how porous it was.

jefathome · 07/18/2008, 01:54 PM

In one of the recent online aqu articles, the auther states that LR is inconsequential compared to the sandbed.

As he points out, 1lb of sand (avg sized grains) can have as much as 100X the surface area of live rock.

heller792 · 07/18/2008, 01:57 PM

one article will always counter another and so on, this hobby is so full of different opinions that its hard to do what is the best without someone telling you its wrong.

areze · 07/18/2008, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by heller792
Thought it wasn't the weight of the rock that was important but how porous it was.

sure... but all else equal, dry rock is going to weigh less. take a peice of live rock and let it dry and itll weigh much much less. so since your paying by the lb, realize that the cost savings is actually much greater than you may see immedietly.

there seems to be some debate as to what is "liverock" I assume people get liverock for the critters and life it has, sponges, the occassional snail or even coral. you cant seed what you dont add though. snails obviously rarely reproduce in an aquarium, so thats out, sponges can for sure, but you have to add a peice of rock with the sponge on it to have a shot. a tiny peice of corraline rock and some purp up will make it pretty, but will it make it "liverock"?

I dont know, personally I dont care to have sponges, or anything else I didnt specificly choose to add. so I like baserock. but I also realize that with a tiny peice of rock, my rock will never be the same as TRUE high quality liverock. I wont ever have to fish out a bad critter either though.

heller792 · 07/18/2008, 02:52 PM

didnt realize snails didnt breed well. my tank is full of baby turbos and nassa snails. guess im lucky or maybe its a sign my tank is doing well

suasponte2/75 · 07/18/2008, 09:18 PM

From this:

To this in about 7-8 months:

I might of had like 10-15% LR to base rock. Can't even tell in that short time span there was ever even base rock.

FapMan · 07/18/2008, 09:33 PM

i think i should just get 50lbs of base rock!

07/18/2008, 09:57 AM	#1
FapMan Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: hinesville Posts: 157	should i buy base rock to save money? At my lfs base rock go for 1.99 per lb, i was thinking i can get 40lbs. As of now i have 20lbs of base rock and 1lb of live rock, if i do this should i add a little bit more of live rock.. Also how long will it take till the base rock become live rock?

07/18/2008, 11:34 AM	#9
downhillbiker Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 2,831	i would say that you can get base rock and have no problems. it will eventually seed just as live rock. the more pourous the rock the better, these rocks will actually feel lighter too, good way to tell. another good option is to find a local reef club and also check on craigslist.org i have seen many people selling fully establishes live rock for $2.50/lb __________________ The friendliest GIANT you'll ever meet. Current Tank Info: 200g Marineland Deep Dimension (Lumenmax Reflectors/Dual PFO 400w/Radium 20K) and 2xFrag Tanks (One TEK T5 fixture and one MH, Galaxy/Phoenix) on same system w/100g sump w/6"x100g DSB, AquaC EV-1000 Skimmer, Reeflo Barracuda return pump

07/18/2008, 01:51 PM	#18
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	only thing I can say, be aware that baserock is also light as heck. people sit there and say, meh baserock is 2$ I can get live rock for 4$, no big diff. difference is that liverock is wet, and easily double the weight of baserock. I ordered 100lbs of marcorocks(baserock) for a 75... 60lbs sits in my attic lol. and the tank is probably still overstocked. __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

07/18/2008, 01:54 PM	#20
jefathome Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Mission Viejo, CA Posts: 2,915	In one of the recent online aqu articles, the auther states that LR is inconsequential compared to the sandbed. As he points out, 1lb of sand (avg sized grains) can have as much as 100X the surface area of live rock. __________________ Without Geometry, life is pointless Current Tank Info: NEW 150g in-wall Solartube display; 60g 4x2ft frag tank; 3g work Pico.... all Reef tanks

07/18/2008, 10:37 AM	#2
heller792 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: wigan Posts: 652	I would guess at maybe 6 months but you will see life spreading on it at 6 weeks, I used base rock too but with a 50/50 split. Remember if you can afford it, get as much live rock as possible. YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TO MUCH LIVE ROCK!!!!!

07/18/2008, 10:43 AM	#3
discocarp Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Winter Park, FL Posts: 2,707	I start my tanks now from almost (but not quite) 100% base rock. At 6 months to one year (varies by tank) its indistinguishable.

07/18/2008, 11:24 AM	#5
aastretch64 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Franklin Park, IL Posts: 384	I had a few friends who started with 100% base rock (dead) to ensure that everything they wanted to put in the tank went in and everything they wanted to keep out stayed that way. The tank cycled like any other and you can seed coraline. You do have to make sure your nitrates/phosphates are low as the white rock attracts a lot of algae. Alex

07/18/2008, 11:25 AM	#6
discocarp Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Winter Park, FL Posts: 2,707	Here's one with a close up of the rock. This rock is about 7 months in the tank from completely dead rock. You can see the coraline and sponge growing. In another 6 months this will be indistinguishable from liverock.

07/18/2008, 11:31 AM	#7
FapMan Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: hinesville Posts: 157	that nice, i think i might use base rock to save alot of money

07/18/2008, 11:33 AM	#8
discocarp Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Winter Park, FL Posts: 2,707	Make sure to use a little liverock. You can also get an incredible infusion of pods if you throw some chaeto in there (you don't even need to keep it forever, just use it to seed pods).

07/18/2008, 11:35 AM	#10
fivesmallworlds Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Minnesota Posts: 255	Dead rock believer as well... Save some $$$ I just bought 2 giant rocks for my 75g at a whopping 15lbs... a 15 lbs LR would be a chunk a little larger than the size of a fist... I do disagree with the "YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TO MUCH LIVE ROCK!!!!!" If you have too much LR you don't have room for fish to swim or corals to grow out. K-I-S-S!!!

07/18/2008, 12:13 PM	#13
SALT WATER CRAZ Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: michigan Posts: 872	I would not put to much faith in lbs per gallon. Its just like you need so many watts per a gallon it is rubish.

07/18/2008, 12:26 PM	#14
discocarp Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Winter Park, FL Posts: 2,707	You don't really need a ton of rock either. My brother's tank (stocked 58g) ran for 2 years with less than 15 lbs liverock. If you just aquascape to taste, chances are you have PLENTY of rock.

07/18/2008, 12:31 PM	#15
heller792 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: wigan Posts: 652	When I say you can never have to much live rock , I mean within reason. Obviously you would not use all the room so there is no room for fish to swim or for you to place coral. What I mean is whether its from base rock to cured live rock the more you have the better your tank runs but only as much as ashetics allows. My sump is filled with live rock and my display tank has enough to make it pleasing to look at in my opinion. My base rock is completely full of coraline algae and I have only been reef keeping since January. not a great pic but the rock above the Damsel was base rock 4 months ago.

07/18/2008, 01:39 PM	#16
Zann Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Southaven Ms Posts: 569	damn on a 30gal tank you would have 130lbs of rock or so , going by your 4.2lbs a gal the tank would be nothing but rock

07/18/2008, 01:47 PM	#17
kar93 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Lincoln Posts: 5,521	Base rock is good but it is always better to supplement with a bit of Live be it 1 kg or 100kg it will still give it that extra boost.

07/18/2008, 01:53 PM	#19
heller792 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: wigan Posts: 652	Thought it wasn't the weight of the rock that was important but how porous it was.

07/18/2008, 01:57 PM	#21
heller792 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: wigan Posts: 652	one article will always counter another and so on, this hobby is so full of different opinions that its hard to do what is the best without someone telling you its wrong.

07/18/2008, 02:52 PM	#23
heller792 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: wigan Posts: 652	didnt realize snails didnt breed well. my tank is full of baby turbos and nassa snails. guess im lucky or maybe its a sign my tank is doing well

07/18/2008, 09:18 PM	#24
suasponte2/75 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Bay Area (Fremont, CA) Posts: 514	From this: To this in about 7-8 months: I might of had like 10-15% LR to base rock. Can't even tell in that short time span there was ever even base rock.

07/18/2008, 09:33 PM	#25
FapMan Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: hinesville Posts: 157	i think i should just get 50lbs of base rock!