Filter on reef on a tight budget

Icefire · 02/26/2007, 07:44 PM

I made some DIY rock, got 3-4" sand in display/sump (50G/33G) and can't afford Live rock now.

I'll probably get 10lbs to start and I have been cycling the tank with an Aquaclear 300 and 200 with foam/filter floss that I rinse every week.

What would be good exept foam? ceramic noodle?

I don't mind rinsing it to keep nitrate in check.

I plan Softy only, pair of clowns and 3-4 small fish.

JTEAGUE · 02/26/2007, 07:50 PM

Save your money to buy rock.

eL ChiNo LoCo · 02/26/2007, 07:53 PM

Like JTeague said, you should save, because you could use live rock as your only filtration.

Icefire · 02/26/2007, 07:53 PM

That's a goal, but for the next few months, not an option.

JTEAGUE · 02/26/2007, 08:00 PM

Then I would say do not add fish or coarals until the rock is in the tank.

Icefire · 02/26/2007, 08:03 PM

Why not?

Bacteria colonise filter as good/better than live rock. Bio ball as been used for years with nitrate beeing the down side.

Radioheed · 02/26/2007, 08:06 PM

when you add the rock it will spike the Am, unless the rock is totally cured.

know that you don't want to hear this but these guys are right, you need to wait. patience man...patience

clevername · 02/26/2007, 08:09 PM

Your on the right track. I have plenty of DIY rock and cheap play sand in my 55g.

As long as you SEED the dead sand and rock with store bought LR you'll be fine. (which it sounds like your doing).

I have saved hundreds of dollars in Sand and LR. Don't let others tell you buying expensive LR is the only way to go. If you made your rock right, it will actually be better/porous then regular rock. As for looks, it will all be covered in coarline algae and wont matter.

Reefing on a budget is possible, and can be done, but let me STRESS this;
DONT compromise quality for price. The DIY sand and LR is EQUAL or BETTER then store bought.

What im trying to say is, just becuase something is cheap doesn't mean you'll get a cheap result. but beware

Icefire · 02/26/2007, 08:12 PM

Well the rock Ill add down the road will be totally cured from local reefer.

The system is in the end of the cycle, 0.1 Nitrite

zoomfish1 · 02/26/2007, 08:29 PM

The problem with adding rock down the road is another cycle. If you have livestock at that point, it could perish.

Like it or not, money or not, you will be throwing away a lot of time and energy by not doing it right. There are, or course, many right ways of doing things, and I certainly don't pretend to know it all. But, You're going about it a little backwards. You have been given the right advice above. If you decide not to use it, well, that's your decision.

bnhd3 · 02/26/2007, 08:44 PM

just buy rock in small increments, maybe 10lbs a week.

JTEAGUE · 02/26/2007, 09:25 PM

At the very least I would remove the sponges from the HOB filters and replace with live rock rubble. Than add small amounts of reef bones uaually two dollars a pound or less, reef bones is not vet porous but if you choose selectively you can get some nice pieces. Then as money and time afford add some cured live rock slowly.

JTEAGUE · 02/26/2007, 09:28 PM

Note about above. Do not remove all the sponges at once. If I read correct you have two HOB filters? Change one out one week and the other about two weeks later. Replace with live rock rubble.

izzy123 · 09/18/2010, 12:35 PM

correct me if I'm wrong, but you don't need live rock.... at all........
I remembered I asked this question myself, and I believe the answer was PATIENCE... and your DIY rock will automaticly turn into "live" rock..... just seed with some rubble to get it started and sit back......... even some water of an established reef tank would work.

here's the thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1808583

Jstdv8 · 09/18/2010, 12:42 PM

LR is the best filtration going. you should have a lb to 1.5 lbs per gallon of good LR. That would be all the filtration you need.
I have about 1.5 and I don't use a skimmer or filter. Just good flow and lots of LR.

dzfish17 · 09/18/2010, 01:12 PM

Have you checked craigslist. I just bought 150 lbs. of nice LR for 100. The guy was breaking down his tank and just wanted to get rid of it fast.

02/26/2007, 07:44 PM	#1
Icefire Seasoned reefer Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: In Quebec, Canada Posts: 3,653	Filter on reef on a tight budget I made some DIY rock, got 3-4" sand in display/sump (50G/33G) and can't afford Live rock now. I'll probably get 10lbs to start and I have been cycling the tank with an Aquaclear 300 and 200 with foam/filter floss that I rinse every week. What would be good exept foam? ceramic noodle? I don't mind rinsing it to keep nitrate in check. I plan Softy only, pair of clowns and 3-4 small fish.

02/26/2007, 07:53 PM	#4
Icefire Seasoned reefer Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: In Quebec, Canada Posts: 3,653	That's a goal, but for the next few months, not an option. __________________ Temp 80F, PH 8.5-8.0, Alk 6.8-7.2, Ca 430, Mg 1700, NO3 0-0.25, PO4 0.04, 34.4 PPT Lights @ 100% all others, 35% White Current Tank Info: 60g Cube, 120lbs live rocks, Hydra52 2x120W, 2 MP40+ 1 MP10 @ 70%, Phosban 550 GFO+Carbon, 200W Heater, SWC Skimmer, Kalk ATO, 150 gpd RODI

02/26/2007, 08:03 PM	#6
Icefire Seasoned reefer Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: In Quebec, Canada Posts: 3,653	Why not? Bacteria colonise filter as good/better than live rock. Bio ball as been used for years with nitrate beeing the down side. __________________ Temp 80F, PH 8.5-8.0, Alk 6.8-7.2, Ca 430, Mg 1700, NO3 0-0.25, PO4 0.04, 34.4 PPT Lights @ 100% all others, 35% White Current Tank Info: 60g Cube, 120lbs live rocks, Hydra52 2x120W, 2 MP40+ 1 MP10 @ 70%, Phosban 550 GFO+Carbon, 200W Heater, SWC Skimmer, Kalk ATO, 150 gpd RODI

02/26/2007, 08:06 PM	#7
Radioheed Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: St. Petersburg, Fl Posts: 275	when you add the rock it will spike the Am, unless the rock is totally cured. know that you don't want to hear this but these guys are right, you need to wait. patience man...patience __________________ 26g AGA Bow, Current Orbit LED, Tunze 9002, Tunze Nano Osmolator, 200gph HOB, Koralia 425, MJ400, 25 lbs Real Reef LR, 10 lbs base.

02/26/2007, 08:12 PM	#9
Icefire Seasoned reefer Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: In Quebec, Canada Posts: 3,653	Well the rock Ill add down the road will be totally cured from local reefer. The system is in the end of the cycle, 0.1 Nitrite __________________ Temp 80F, PH 8.5-8.0, Alk 6.8-7.2, Ca 430, Mg 1700, NO3 0-0.25, PO4 0.04, 34.4 PPT Lights @ 100% all others, 35% White Current Tank Info: 60g Cube, 120lbs live rocks, Hydra52 2x120W, 2 MP40+ 1 MP10 @ 70%, Phosban 550 GFO+Carbon, 200W Heater, SWC Skimmer, Kalk ATO, 150 gpd RODI

02/26/2007, 07:50 PM	#2
JTEAGUE Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: N.C. Posts: 318	Save your money to buy rock.

02/26/2007, 07:53 PM	#3
eL ChiNo LoCo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 26	Like JTeague said, you should save, because you could use live rock as your only filtration.

02/26/2007, 08:00 PM	#5
JTEAGUE Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: N.C. Posts: 318	Then I would say do not add fish or coarals until the rock is in the tank.

02/26/2007, 08:09 PM	#8
clevername Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Manchester, MO Posts: 1,125	Your on the right track. I have plenty of DIY rock and cheap play sand in my 55g. As long as you SEED the dead sand and rock with store bought LR you'll be fine. (which it sounds like your doing). I have saved hundreds of dollars in Sand and LR. Don't let others tell you buying expensive LR is the only way to go. If you made your rock right, it will actually be better/porous then regular rock. As for looks, it will all be covered in coarline algae and wont matter. Reefing on a budget is possible, and can be done, but let me STRESS this; DONT compromise quality for price. The DIY sand and LR is EQUAL or BETTER then store bought. What im trying to say is, just becuase something is cheap doesn't mean you'll get a cheap result. but beware

02/26/2007, 08:29 PM	#10
zoomfish1 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Claremore, Oklahoma Posts: 1,659	The problem with adding rock down the road is another cycle. If you have livestock at that point, it could perish. Like it or not, money or not, you will be throwing away a lot of time and energy by not doing it right. There are, or course, many right ways of doing things, and I certainly don't pretend to know it all. But, You're going about it a little backwards. You have been given the right advice above. If you decide not to use it, well, that's your decision. __________________ Zoomfish Current Tank Info: 75g RR, dsb w/90 lbs sand, 150 lb live rock, anemone & LPS tank

02/26/2007, 08:44 PM	#11
bnhd3 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: central georgia Posts: 210	just buy rock in small increments, maybe 10lbs a week. __________________ "showing one's teeth is a submission signal in primates. When someone smiles at me all i see is a chimpanzee begging for it's life." -dwight schrute- Current Tank Info: 125g reef,20g frag tank, 200lbs. LR, 65g sump w/ fuge, mag 9.5 return pump, aqua c 240 ev skimmer w/ mag18, 2x250watt 15000k halides, 4x96watt pc's 420nm, 2 tunze 6000's w/ single controller, MRC CR-2 cal. reactor

02/26/2007, 09:25 PM	#12
JTEAGUE Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: N.C. Posts: 318	At the very least I would remove the sponges from the HOB filters and replace with live rock rubble. Than add small amounts of reef bones uaually two dollars a pound or less, reef bones is not vet porous but if you choose selectively you can get some nice pieces. Then as money and time afford add some cured live rock slowly.

02/26/2007, 09:28 PM	#13
JTEAGUE Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: N.C. Posts: 318	Note about above. Do not remove all the sponges at once. If I read correct you have two HOB filters? Change one out one week and the other about two weeks later. Replace with live rock rubble.

09/18/2010, 12:35 PM	#14
izzy123 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Belgium Posts: 504	correct me if I'm wrong, but you don't need live rock.... at all........ I remembered I asked this question myself, and I believe the answer was PATIENCE... and your DIY rock will automaticly turn into "live" rock..... just seed with some rubble to get it started and sit back......... even some water of an established reef tank would work. here's the thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1808583

09/18/2010, 12:42 PM	#15
Jstdv8 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Wasilla, Alaska Posts: 1,420	LR is the best filtration going. you should have a lb to 1.5 lbs per gallon of good LR. That would be all the filtration you need. I have about 1.5 and I don't use a skimmer or filter. Just good flow and lots of LR.

09/18/2010, 01:12 PM	#16
dzfish17 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Fresno,Ca. Posts: 2,545	Have you checked craigslist. I just bought 150 lbs. of nice LR for 100. The guy was breaking down his tank and just wanted to get rid of it fast.