Creating live rocks (2)

Northern · 03/20/2009, 03:38 PM

Hi.
I thought about something.
Since I'm not going to have a saltwater aquarium in the next couple of months, I thought I could cut on costs and waiting time once the aquarium is here.
So, I've decided to start creating live rocks now.

I would like to know:
Could I just buy a big barrel, put in salt water, put a couple of live rocks and some more regular dry rocks?
What do I need to know? How often do I need to do water changes? Is temperature important?

cdbias2 · 03/20/2009, 03:43 PM

Yes, but tempurature, circulation and water quality are important.

Northern · 03/20/2009, 03:50 PM

So it's just like running a fish tank except in a barrel?

pimpinitup6969 · 03/20/2009, 04:16 PM

i would worry more about the temp and circulation filtration with no fish or corals isnt a must! just check then parameters of the water like once a week and do a water change if needed

Northern · 03/20/2009, 04:23 PM

water parameters such as Ammonia and stuff?

cdbias2 · 03/20/2009, 04:28 PM

Yes.

Northern · 03/20/2009, 04:52 PM

Cool.
Thanks

becact · 03/20/2009, 04:59 PM

I would get one of these huge rubbermaids:

http://www.rubbermaid.com/rubbermaid...ct/2550_sm.jpg

Fill it with saltwater (1.025 SG), put your rocks into with with several powerheads or Koralias (you'll need them when you get the tank, anyway), and run some lights over it. Just keep it in your garage and top it off with RO/DI everyday to keep the salinity constant.

I don't think you'd need intense lights just for holding them. You could probably get by running some shop florescent lights (as long as possible) over the holding bin, if you were in a pinch.

Northern · 03/20/2009, 05:24 PM

great and so I can really just use dry rocks like the ones you find outside?

cdbias2 · 03/20/2009, 05:28 PM

Absolutely not!

Northern · 03/20/2009, 05:29 PM

then what can I use as future live rocks?

becact · 03/20/2009, 05:34 PM

I'm curious- why couldn't you use interestingly shaped terrestrial rocks? Provided they were boiled and cleaned well, what would be the problem?

cdbias2 · 03/20/2009, 05:40 PM

Saltwater is corrosive. It will break down almost anything and leach the minerals/chemicals into your tank.
You need to use rock that is pure calcium carbonate.

There is a test people use. Soak a small rock in vinager and what is left over after it quits fizzing is impurities. Pure calcium carbonate will dissolve completly.

snorvich · 03/20/2009, 05:41 PM

They are not porous and will not hold a bacteria culture. Be careful trying to save money on rock; using base rock will sort of work but is also not a good idea since it often has embedded phosphate. The quality of your live rock will affect the success of your tank.

cdbias2 · 03/20/2009, 05:42 PM

becact,
A lot of the rock in Central FL would be OK for you to use because it's made from old reefs but Florida also had the largest phosphate mines in the nation 20 years ago.

becact · 03/20/2009, 05:48 PM

Thanks guys! I am not looking to do this, I was just curious

. Aren't many rocks in the ocean non-calcium carbonate, though? What about volcanic rock?

cdbias2 · 03/20/2009, 05:51 PM

volcanic rock = no good. They tried that 20 yrs ago.
It comes from the bowels of the earth and was leaching any number of things back into the tank.

Northern · 03/20/2009, 06:03 PM

So, I suppose the best test for a rock would be a sea rock. Isn't that right?
What if I take a rock that is originally from the sea, clean it, boil it and use as a base for the live rock?

cdbias2 · 03/21/2009, 05:38 AM

You can look at most rocks and tell if they are coral based.

mustang51js · 03/21/2009, 06:19 AM

if you have the time you can make your own rock, do a search and you will see there are some people that make rock out of cement, just takes some time to cure

03/20/2009, 03:38 PM	#1
Northern Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Israel Posts: 74	Creating live rocks (2) Hi. I thought about something. Since I'm not going to have a saltwater aquarium in the next couple of months, I thought I could cut on costs and waiting time once the aquarium is here. So, I've decided to start creating live rocks now. I would like to know: Could I just buy a big barrel, put in salt water, put a couple of live rocks and some more regular dry rocks? What do I need to know? How often do I need to do water changes? Is temperature important? __________________ Once we completely ruin our planet, where do we turn?

03/20/2009, 03:50 PM	#3
Northern Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Israel Posts: 74	So it's just like running a fish tank except in a barrel? __________________ Once we completely ruin our planet, where do we turn?

03/20/2009, 04:16 PM	#4
pimpinitup6969 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Elmira, Ny Posts: 2,503	i would worry more about the temp and circulation filtration with no fish or corals isnt a must! just check then parameters of the water like once a week and do a water change if needed __________________ I'd rather burp and taste it than fart and waste it! Current Tank Info: 125 Gallon, 150 Gallon

03/20/2009, 04:23 PM	#5
Northern Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Israel Posts: 74	water parameters such as Ammonia and stuff? __________________ Once we completely ruin our planet, where do we turn?

03/20/2009, 04:52 PM	#7
Northern Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Israel Posts: 74	Cool. Thanks __________________ Once we completely ruin our planet, where do we turn?

03/20/2009, 03:43 PM	#2
cdbias2 Appalachian Reef Society Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Alum Creek, WV (No more) Posts: 1,433	Yes, but tempurature, circulation and water quality are important.

03/20/2009, 04:28 PM	#6
cdbias2 Appalachian Reef Society Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Alum Creek, WV (No more) Posts: 1,433	Yes.

03/20/2009, 04:59 PM	#8
becact Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: South Dakota Posts: 550	I would get one of these huge rubbermaids: http://www.rubbermaid.com/rubbermaid...ct/2550_sm.jpg Fill it with saltwater (1.025 SG), put your rocks into with with several powerheads or Koralias (you'll need them when you get the tank, anyway), and run some lights over it. Just keep it in your garage and top it off with RO/DI everyday to keep the salinity constant. I don't think you'd need intense lights just for holding them. You could probably get by running some shop florescent lights (as long as possible) over the holding bin, if you were in a pinch.

03/20/2009, 05:24 PM	#9
Northern Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Israel Posts: 74	great and so I can really just use dry rocks like the ones you find outside? __________________ Once we completely ruin our planet, where do we turn?

03/20/2009, 05:28 PM	#10
cdbias2 Appalachian Reef Society Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Alum Creek, WV (No more) Posts: 1,433	Absolutely not!

03/20/2009, 05:29 PM	#11
Northern Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Israel Posts: 74	then what can I use as future live rocks? __________________ Once we completely ruin our planet, where do we turn?

03/20/2009, 05:34 PM	#12
becact Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: South Dakota Posts: 550	I'm curious- why couldn't you use interestingly shaped terrestrial rocks? Provided they were boiled and cleaned well, what would be the problem?

03/20/2009, 05:40 PM	#13
cdbias2 Appalachian Reef Society Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Alum Creek, WV (No more) Posts: 1,433	Saltwater is corrosive. It will break down almost anything and leach the minerals/chemicals into your tank. You need to use rock that is pure calcium carbonate. There is a test people use. Soak a small rock in vinager and what is left over after it quits fizzing is impurities. Pure calcium carbonate will dissolve completly.

03/20/2009, 05:41 PM	#14
snorvich Team RC member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Outlander Posts: 40,953 Blog Entries: 46	They are not porous and will not hold a bacteria culture. Be careful trying to save money on rock; using base rock will sort of work but is also not a good idea since it often has embedded phosphate. The quality of your live rock will affect the success of your tank. __________________ Warmest regards, ~Steve~

03/20/2009, 05:42 PM	#15
cdbias2 Appalachian Reef Society Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Alum Creek, WV (No more) Posts: 1,433	becact, A lot of the rock in Central FL would be OK for you to use because it's made from old reefs but Florida also had the largest phosphate mines in the nation 20 years ago.

03/20/2009, 05:48 PM	#16
becact Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: South Dakota Posts: 550	Thanks guys! I am not looking to do this, I was just curious . Aren't many rocks in the ocean non-calcium carbonate, though? What about volcanic rock?

03/20/2009, 05:51 PM	#17
cdbias2 Appalachian Reef Society Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Alum Creek, WV (No more) Posts: 1,433	volcanic rock = no good. They tried that 20 yrs ago. It comes from the bowels of the earth and was leaching any number of things back into the tank.

03/20/2009, 06:03 PM	#18
Northern Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Israel Posts: 74	So, I suppose the best test for a rock would be a sea rock. Isn't that right? What if I take a rock that is originally from the sea, clean it, boil it and use as a base for the live rock? __________________ Once we completely ruin our planet, where do we turn?

03/21/2009, 05:38 AM	#19
cdbias2 Appalachian Reef Society Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Alum Creek, WV (No more) Posts: 1,433	You can look at most rocks and tell if they are coral based.

03/21/2009, 06:19 AM	#20
mustang51js Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: haskell, n.j. Posts: 593	if you have the time you can make your own rock, do a search and you will see there are some people that make rock out of cement, just takes some time to cure __________________ george 50g corner reef yellow tang Current Tank Info: temp 90g reef,2 4bulb t5 lights-