Who has used mainly base rock in their tank, and had it color up nicely?

trmiv · 05/09/2006, 05:15 PM

So I'm getting ready to upgrade from a 37 to a 90. I have the 90 setup with water in it next to the 37. I'm looking at the 70 lbs of stark white hirocks and reeferrocks I got to add to the 35 lbs of fiji and tonga LR from my 37, and thinking I'm not sure if I want to use it. I'm worried about how long it will take to color up and start looking nice like the live rock in the 37. I will be running 2x250w DE halides on this tank. I currently run 1x250w halide on my 37, and there is very little coralline growth on the high light areas, but a lot in the mid to lower light areas. I'm concerned that in the 90 with the dual halides, it will be tough to get good new coraline growth on all areas of the base rock with that much light. The shapes of the base rock I have is nice, but I'm starting to think of going all live rock.

Before I go down that road, anyone have any pictures of tanks that were aquascaped with MAINLY base rock that has now colored up to look like live rock? Especially those people with halides.

Big Ying · 05/09/2006, 05:34 PM

I used mostly base rock for my 55 gal with 4 or 5 good pieces of live rock from another tank. Within about 6 months, purple coraline algae had heavily colonized most of the base rock and started growing all over the glass. After two years, all the original base rocks exposed to any light are almost completely covered. Unlike your set-up, however, I used PC lighting and only about 4 watts per gallon. If the coraline is really important to you, maybe you could reduce the light for several months to get the coraline growth going and than switch to the more powerful lighting.

Kat R · 05/09/2006, 06:45 PM

I've used mostly base rock in all of my tanks & within 4-5 months most of the rock has purple coverage under PC lighting. If you can get someone to scrape off their coraline encrusted powerheads or other equipment into a baggie with some saltwater that you add to your tank, that will help a lot in seeding the base rock.

trmiv · 05/09/2006, 08:18 PM

I'm putting rock from my two year old 37g, so I've got a lot of coralline encrusted rock going in there already. What I'm trying to get an idea of is how successful people have been getting base rock to color up, especially under a lot of halide. The live rock at the top of my tank doesn't have a lot of coralline coverage, but it's nice live rock, and looks good anyway. The base rock I'll be using, although shaped nice, is pretty much bright white. Cutting the lighting down to grow the coralline really isn't an option since I'm keeping a lot of SPS and clams.

socalreefer73 · 05/09/2006, 08:36 PM

take a toothbrush to your coralline underwater with the baserock with your skimmer off for about an hour or so each treatment.. will help spread the coralline...

trmiv · 05/09/2006, 10:39 PM

I appreciate the advice guys, I do know of these techniques already though.

What I'm really after is pictures of tanks with base rock as most of the display rock.

hopper · 05/10/2006, 09:43 AM

I did this with my 110 when I first got it. Can't remember how long it took for the base rock to color up and look like the LR but I don't think it takes all that long. Maybe a couple of months? I will post a pic as soon as the MH's turn on. I have dual actinics with dual 175 MH's. My coralline took a little time to get going, but now I have no problem with its growth. Now, two years later, you can't tell the base rock from the LR.

ddhuyn · 05/10/2006, 11:01 AM

guys..he needs some pictures.

Travis L. Stevens · 05/10/2006, 11:03 AM

I've got you covered! From base rock to DIY Rock to Pictures to time lines. Just check this thread out.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=807988

trmiv · 05/10/2006, 11:18 AM

Thanks Travis, very nice.

trmiv · 05/14/2006, 05:41 PM

I just got most of the base rock in the tank, it's uhhhhhh.....very....white. Anyone else have any pictures?

Hop · 05/14/2006, 06:19 PM

Well here is my 400lbs of base from reeferrocks.com:

Here is the rock in the tank on day two I belive, seeded with approximately 60-80 lbs of rock from LFS and liverockandreef, some in tank, most in the fuge:

And here it was last week (6 months in):

Most of the color has come in the last two months, along with some strong coraline growth. I'm really just looking for it to settle in after the one year mark. Most of the rock has a nice purple tint to it already, but a few pieces, seem to only be growing it on the shaded parts away from the MH.

Not the best, others out there with better results, but I'm happy with it

trmiv · 05/14/2006, 06:49 PM

That looks nice. I wish I would have went with all reeferrocks base in my tank, but it was too expensive. The 35 pounds I got ended up costing me what live rock would have after shipping. The rest of my rock is hirocks base rock, which looks no where near as good as the reeferrocks.

Hop · 05/14/2006, 07:24 PM

I think with the deal I got it was $3 something a pound shipped.. That much live rock would have cost me well over $4K shipped to the middle of nowhere Colorado

I really didn't have a choice

King-Kong · 05/14/2006, 08:22 PM

Late August, 2005:

May 12th

Tank Photolog

I will no longer buy "cured" live rock again. Base rock for life!

Kaos · 05/14/2006, 09:04 PM

Wow, that is awsome. I'm glad I stumbled onto this thread because I've been wondering if I should do something like this w/ the base rock I have in my FO. I think I will get a few pounds of nice LR and see what happens.

socalreefer73 · 05/14/2006, 09:54 PM

Hop, what is that algae growing under the mh's on the back glass? Is it green?

Hop · 05/14/2006, 10:47 PM

Yeah, it's just some PITA algae. It started with a bad bucket of salt and then almost went away. Now my DI resin is expired and it's taken a while to get some new stuff, so my TDS is about 10. I'm pretty sure it's a direct result of the TDS. I've been skimming wet and it's going away, just looks bad. And my new resin and refillable cartridge should be in this week

Live and learn: I have to remember to order stuff in advance, because when you live in the middle of nowhere, it takes for ever for things to get to ya

reefD · 05/14/2006, 10:59 PM

base rock is great! but seeding it with one or two peieces of live rock quikens the time that it is repopulated. ive added this stuff to all my tanks and with seasoned lr it gets seeded in days! just dont use it strictly...add a small 7$ piece of lr and this will seed all the base/ reef bone/rock!

trmiv · 05/15/2006, 12:09 AM

Here's the first "final" aquascaping attempt. Keep in mind another 30 pounds of live rock from my 37 will go in (you can see part of the 37 on left). I'm debating on filling in high on both sides, and then bring it down towards the middle. So there will be a small channel.

Cody Ray · 05/15/2006, 12:24 AM

I'll let you know

05/09/2006, 05:15 PM	#1
trmiv Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 3,082	Who has used mainly base rock in their tank, and had it color up nicely? So I'm getting ready to upgrade from a 37 to a 90. I have the 90 setup with water in it next to the 37. I'm looking at the 70 lbs of stark white hirocks and reeferrocks I got to add to the 35 lbs of fiji and tonga LR from my 37, and thinking I'm not sure if I want to use it. I'm worried about how long it will take to color up and start looking nice like the live rock in the 37. I will be running 2x250w DE halides on this tank. I currently run 1x250w halide on my 37, and there is very little coralline growth on the high light areas, but a lot in the mid to lower light areas. I'm concerned that in the 90 with the dual halides, it will be tough to get good new coraline growth on all areas of the base rock with that much light. The shapes of the base rock I have is nice, but I'm starting to think of going all live rock. Before I go down that road, anyone have any pictures of tanks that were aquascaped with MAINLY base rock that has now colored up to look like live rock? Especially those people with halides.

05/09/2006, 05:34 PM	#2
Big Ying Unconventional Wisdom Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Port Charlotte, Fl Posts: 162	I used mostly base rock for my 55 gal with 4 or 5 good pieces of live rock from another tank. Within about 6 months, purple coraline algae had heavily colonized most of the base rock and started growing all over the glass. After two years, all the original base rocks exposed to any light are almost completely covered. Unlike your set-up, however, I used PC lighting and only about 4 watts per gallon. If the coraline is really important to you, maybe you could reduce the light for several months to get the coraline growth going and than switch to the more powerful lighting. __________________ Big Ying Current Tank Info: 55 gal reef, 29 gal Fl Keys Biotope, 125 gal fowler, 10 gal Gulf of Mexico Biotope

05/09/2006, 10:39 PM	#6
trmiv Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 3,082	I appreciate the advice guys, I do know of these techniques already though. What I'm really after is pictures of tanks with base rock as most of the display rock. __________________ Current tank: Red Sea Reefer 350 Deluxe, Avast Marine Pegleg 180 skimmer, Gyre 150, Eheim 1262 return

05/10/2006, 11:03 AM	#9
Travis L. Stevens Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Perry, OK Posts: 13,946	I've got you covered! From base rock to DIY Rock to Pictures to time lines. Just check this thread out. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=807988 __________________ Travis Stevens Current Tank Info: Restarting 28g Bowfront

05/10/2006, 11:18 AM	#10
trmiv Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 3,082	Thanks Travis, very nice. __________________ Current tank: Red Sea Reefer 350 Deluxe, Avast Marine Pegleg 180 skimmer, Gyre 150, Eheim 1262 return

05/09/2006, 06:45 PM	#3
Kat R Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4	I've used mostly base rock in all of my tanks & within 4-5 months most of the rock has purple coverage under PC lighting. If you can get someone to scrape off their coraline encrusted powerheads or other equipment into a baggie with some saltwater that you add to your tank, that will help a lot in seeding the base rock.

05/09/2006, 08:18 PM	#4
trmiv Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 3,082	I'm putting rock from my two year old 37g, so I've got a lot of coralline encrusted rock going in there already. What I'm trying to get an idea of is how successful people have been getting base rock to color up, especially under a lot of halide. The live rock at the top of my tank doesn't have a lot of coralline coverage, but it's nice live rock, and looks good anyway. The base rock I'll be using, although shaped nice, is pretty much bright white. Cutting the lighting down to grow the coralline really isn't an option since I'm keeping a lot of SPS and clams.

05/09/2006, 08:36 PM	#5
socalreefer73 Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: San Diego, Ca. Posts: 821	take a toothbrush to your coralline underwater with the baserock with your skimmer off for about an hour or so each treatment.. will help spread the coralline...

05/10/2006, 09:43 AM	#7
hopper Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Bossier City, La. Posts: 623	I did this with my 110 when I first got it. Can't remember how long it took for the base rock to color up and look like the LR but I don't think it takes all that long. Maybe a couple of months? I will post a pic as soon as the MH's turn on. I have dual actinics with dual 175 MH's. My coralline took a little time to get going, but now I have no problem with its growth. Now, two years later, you can't tell the base rock from the LR.

05/10/2006, 11:01 AM	#8
ddhuyn Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 110	guys..he needs some pictures.

05/14/2006, 05:41 PM	#11
trmiv Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 3,082	I just got most of the base rock in the tank, it's uhhhhhh.....very....white. Anyone else have any pictures? __________________ Current tank: Red Sea Reefer 350 Deluxe, Avast Marine Pegleg 180 skimmer, Gyre 150, Eheim 1262 return

05/14/2006, 06:19 PM	#12
Hop Carpe Noctem!!! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Western Colorado Posts: 8,548	Well here is my 400lbs of base from reeferrocks.com: Here is the rock in the tank on day two I belive, seeded with approximately 60-80 lbs of rock from LFS and liverockandreef, some in tank, most in the fuge: And here it was last week (6 months in): Most of the color has come in the last two months, along with some strong coraline growth. I'm really just looking for it to settle in after the one year mark. Most of the rock has a nice purple tint to it already, but a few pieces, seem to only be growing it on the shaded parts away from the MH. Not the best, others out there with better results, but I'm happy with it __________________ Hop Current Tank Info: 300-gallon in-wall system (mixed reef)

05/14/2006, 06:49 PM	#13
trmiv Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 3,082	That looks nice. I wish I would have went with all reeferrocks base in my tank, but it was too expensive. The 35 pounds I got ended up costing me what live rock would have after shipping. The rest of my rock is hirocks base rock, which looks no where near as good as the reeferrocks. __________________ Current tank: Red Sea Reefer 350 Deluxe, Avast Marine Pegleg 180 skimmer, Gyre 150, Eheim 1262 return

05/14/2006, 07:24 PM	#14
Hop Carpe Noctem!!! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Western Colorado Posts: 8,548	I think with the deal I got it was $3 something a pound shipped.. That much live rock would have cost me well over $4K shipped to the middle of nowhere Colorado I really didn't have a choice __________________ Hop Current Tank Info: 300-gallon in-wall system (mixed reef)

05/14/2006, 08:22 PM	#15
King-Kong Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Gainesville, FL Posts: 2,346	Late August, 2005: May 12th Tank Photolog I will no longer buy "cured" live rock again. Base rock for life!

05/14/2006, 09:04 PM	#16
Kaos "Lurker" Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 2,131	Wow, that is awsome. I'm glad I stumbled onto this thread because I've been wondering if I should do something like this w/ the base rock I have in my FO. I think I will get a few pounds of nice LR and see what happens. __________________ Ordinary people are the ones scared to be themselves.

05/14/2006, 09:54 PM	#17
socalreefer73 Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: San Diego, Ca. Posts: 821	Hop, what is that algae growing under the mh's on the back glass? Is it green?

05/14/2006, 10:47 PM	#18
Hop Carpe Noctem!!! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Western Colorado Posts: 8,548	Yeah, it's just some PITA algae. It started with a bad bucket of salt and then almost went away. Now my DI resin is expired and it's taken a while to get some new stuff, so my TDS is about 10. I'm pretty sure it's a direct result of the TDS. I've been skimming wet and it's going away, just looks bad. And my new resin and refillable cartridge should be in this week Live and learn: I have to remember to order stuff in advance, because when you live in the middle of nowhere, it takes for ever for things to get to ya __________________ Hop Current Tank Info: 300-gallon in-wall system (mixed reef)

05/14/2006, 10:59 PM	#19
reefD Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Schenectady,New York Posts: 4,968	base rock is great! but seeding it with one or two peieces of live rock quikens the time that it is repopulated. ive added this stuff to all my tanks and with seasoned lr it gets seeded in days! just dont use it strictly...add a small 7$ piece of lr and this will seed all the base/ reef bone/rock! __________________ DAVID Current Tank Info: it has four sides and a bottom...oh yeah and it has water in it. lol

05/15/2006, 12:09 AM	#20
trmiv Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 3,082	Here's the first "final" aquascaping attempt. Keep in mind another 30 pounds of live rock from my 37 will go in (you can see part of the 37 on left). I'm debating on filling in high on both sides, and then bring it down towards the middle. So there will be a small channel.

05/15/2006, 12:24 AM	#21
Cody Ray Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 5,101	I'll let you know __________________ Limit 1 stupid question per day Current Tank Info: Mr. Aqua 7.5g bowfront