Base Rock Question

tdkarl · 10-04-2007, 03:48 PM

I have become very parinoid using live rock due to issues I have had in the past. I would rather just use plain base rock and cure it myself and let it become live rock over time. Plus its sooooooo much cheaper. What do you guys think on this auction? Is it a good price? CaribSea 50lbs Reef Base Rock Great For Aquascaping - (eBay item 260166841552 end time Oct-12-07 11:45:32 PDT)

If I got some plain base rock like this, is there anything I should do to it before adding it to my DT? I know there will be a some die off no matter how clean the rock is, but I want to minimize the amonia spike as much as possible. It has taken me a couple years to finally get my tank running well and keeping everything heathy and fish alive. Now that it is, I do not want to take any risks.

**Phurst** · 10-04-2007, 04:04 PM

Base rock will not have any die off because there's nothing alive in it. There's no problem using base rock, but you'll need at leat SOME live rock in the tank with it for it to become live.

tdkarl · 10-04-2007, 04:08 PM

Well I have probably 100lbs of LR in the tank now, I just need more and dont want to add expensive cured rock. I'd rather add base rock and let it become live. Than put up with possible hitch hikers.

**Phurst** · 10-04-2007, 04:10 PM

Ah, I gotcha now. I thought you were just using base rock. No problems there, I used probably 80% base rock in my nano, and it's indistiguishable from the LR I used to seed it. There still will not be any kind of cycle.

tdkarl · 10-04-2007, 04:21 PM

did you see the price on that? What did you think?

**Phurst** · 10-04-2007, 04:25 PM

Yeah, not a bad price. Can't you get it cheaper at your LFS though?

tdkarl · 10-04-2007, 04:37 PM

I will give them a ring. There allways so darn expensive, I almost prefer the internet for everything fish related.

**Phurst** · 10-04-2007, 04:40 PM

I hear ya! It's the shipping that will kill you on rock though.

tdkarl · 10-04-2007, 05:11 PM

Just called them, 2.09 a lbs at the LFS so its a pretty fair price.

***lReef lKeeper*** · 10-04-2007, 05:49 PM

$2.09 per lb. AND no shipping ... probably cheaper on ebay, but i did not click the link. lol

**Amphibious** · 10-04-2007, 06:28 PM

Tony,

On the surface that looks like a good deal. What is the shipping cost? When I looked at the EBay page I could not estimate shipping cost. That rock is petrified coral reef being mined somewhere. It has little character to it and it might be worth the little extra your LFS is charging to "hand pick" your pieces.

Just my thoughts.

Dick

clownfish4me · 10-05-2007, 03:54 AM

i agree with Amphibious here. once you put your base rock in try a couple lbs of garfs grunge from garf.org to seed the rock. crush it up a little and seed the base rock with it.

**CarmieJo** · 10-06-2007, 01:22 PM

Tony,

I agree you should be fine adding base rock with no problems. In a short time you won't be able to tell it from the LR that you already have. I also recommend MarcoRocks, they are a TR sponsor and their rock is beautiful.

***Rob*** · 10-07-2007, 04:54 PM

just wanted to support this, Marc has some great stuff
make sure you check out there sponsor forum here
http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/marco-rocks/

and the Official Talkingreef Review of there rock here
Marco Rock Full and Rubble (Official TR Product review)

wvfisher · 10-08-2007, 08:50 PM

I looked at the ebay site and I think you can get better base rock from Marc at Marco Rock. Call him, he is a sponsor here and he has a sponsor page. Great guy to deal with. And you will not find any better rock. I have had mine for just over a month and it is really coming to life!

wvfisher · 10-08-2007, 08:53 PM

By the way another thing to think about. That 50 lbs of base rock will be like 100 lbs of live rock weight wise.