Hey guys, I'm starting up a 55 gallon saltwater tank. Right now, I'm running a fluval 304 filter(carbon/nitrate sponge/bio rings) and berlin air-lift 60 for my filtration. My substrate right now is 80 pounds of live sand, but I want to add about 60 pounds of live rock. At my LFS it will cost around $450. I don't have that kind of money right now, so I've been looking for alternatives. Found a few websites that offer ways to make your own live rock using Portland Cement and Aragonite sand. My question is, is this really something that's safe to do? I'd love to do it, but I know you can't believe everything you hear on the internet. Also, is it something I could do without having any "real" live rock, or would I need some real live rock to seed it? Thanks a lot!
Do it yourself live rock?
- Thread starter boojumsnark25
- Start date
You will deffinitely need several pounds of live rock to seed the tank, but the less live rock you use, the longer it's going to take for your base rock to get seasoned.
I don't know if that formula for making base rock is safe.... I have heard of it though. Maybe you could find some rocks at a landscape supply store that offers something similar to base rock at an affordable price?
HTH
I don't know if that formula for making base rock is safe.... I have heard of it though. Maybe you could find some rocks at a landscape supply store that offers something similar to base rock at an affordable price?
HTH
SoCalSunset said:
One more question...so, say I buy 10-15 pounds of healthy live rock and put it in with my synthetic live rock. Would that live rock just transfer the bacteria, or would the algaes and organisms and everything that makes the live rock nice to look at transfer as well? I don't want to make the live rock if its just going to look like cement all its life...
Check eBay, I got 30 pounds for less than $100 shipped. You can get it for around $2.00/lb. Make sure the seller has a good rating and read some reviews before you buy.
I am very satisfied so far, though it probably spent too much time out of the water. That was my fault, I was too cheap to pay for the fast shipping.
I am very satisfied so far, though it probably spent too much time out of the water. That was my fault, I was too cheap to pay for the fast shipping.
Portland cement is safe to use and aragonite is commonly used as a substrate in marine tanks.
Here is a link to thread at reef central that should answer any question you have about DIY live rock: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=807988 (if you think it doesn't answer any quesion you may have, read all 36+ pages)
Here is a link to thread at reef central that should answer any question you have about DIY live rock: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=807988 (if you think it doesn't answer any quesion you may have, read all 36+ pages)
To answer your question yes it's safe. Yes all the critters will spread to the new rock,"well most of em anyway." It might or might not ever look as good as the real live rock that depends I'd guess on which formula you use. You also will need to give it guite a while to properly cure out.
It would probably be easier and just about as cost vs. time affective to buy dry coral rubble from the lfs on line or what ever. It will look much more natural ,"that's what live rock is after all".
It would probably be easier and just about as cost vs. time affective to buy dry coral rubble from the lfs on line or what ever. It will look much more natural ,"that's what live rock is after all".
I completely agree with Maxilaria. Just about all the creatures you're thinking of (macro algae, coraline algae, feather dusters, worms, small sponges, etc, will move to the base rock, but a big difference between the two that will make them look different is that the rock you make is probably going to be darker than the coral rubble "seed" or liverock you purchase from a LFS.
So if you could find the dry coral rubble for a good place, I'd deffinite look into it.
Good luck in whichever route you choose.
So if you could find the dry coral rubble for a good place, I'd deffinite look into it.
Good luck in whichever route you choose.
I have used and made my own rock but it is not worth the agro and waiting 3-4 months while it cures out of the tank
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/6279/RaiseCementRock.html
This is the website that will walk you through everything. The total cost is $15. You use portland cement and crushed oyster shell. The oystershell is about $5 per 50lb. sack from the farm suppliers. I'm considering it, but it will take a long, long time. I might just buy CaribSea reef rock. $50 for 50lbs.
This is the website that will walk you through everything. The total cost is $15. You use portland cement and crushed oyster shell. The oystershell is about $5 per 50lb. sack from the farm suppliers. I'm considering it, but it will take a long, long time. I might just buy CaribSea reef rock. $50 for 50lbs.