seeding base rock?

[junglejim83]

i was wondering how long it takes tohave base rock become lr??? I have all this unused space in my 7 g refugium and figured if i could grow some more lr it coould never hurt and i wouldnt have to worry about bioload as much. I mean what i already have is sufficient... 10 lb of lr rubble, 20-25 lb of lr, and 10 lb of live sand, all for a 10 gal tank with a 7 gal refuge. but more cant hurt. especially if i decide to get another fish or two along with my one small clown. Just thinking...

 

Jim

[Satchmo]

Hey Jim. It will become live in terms of bacteria and bio-filtration capability pretty quickly, especially if it's laying around in a pile with LR. A couple weeks at most, I would guess. As far as it looking like liverock with life and coralline, that takes months. But since it's in your fuge, I don't think that's your concern. Try to get really porous stuff. Holey rock or some other limestone would be your best bet. Cya.

[junglejim83]

whre should i get t5he rock from and are there kinds i should stay away from? I dont want to put something in the tank and have it screw up the pH

Jim

[JPF]

I bought coral rock from the LFS and poured a cup of live sand over it after palcng the rock in the tank. Within a day many critters had moved nito the rock. After 3 months it looks nice. It is coloring up well and I have placed various soft coral cuttings on it and they are thriving. In a yr you wont be able not tell it from the expensive stuff.

 

jim

[Satchmo]

I would use limestone. Texas Holey rock, fellerstone, lacerock... whatever you want to call it. You should be able to find horrendously overpriced pieces at a LFS. Or you could go to a landscaper and get it on the cheap. I used www.fellerstone.com to aquascape my mbuna tank, but I don't know if they'd be worth it for a small quantity. Worth a look though.