Selecting Live Rock - Page 2

Shane · 08-13-2004, 02:50 PM

[quote author=Matt Rogers link=board=Newbie;num=1092322144;start=0#9 date=08/13/04 at 15:14:47]My diy rock is getting a lot of coralline and crawling with bugs now.

It did take a long time to make (couple weeks playing around), longer to cure (couple months, didn't do enough water changes in the kiddie pool) and even longer to get things to grow on it. (close to a year, due to bad parameters in my tank until I got dosing down.)

Now it looks great though and I am pretty proud of it.

If you do it, get a masonary drill bit and drill the hell out of each rock. Makes it incredibly more realistic looking and more porous for bugs and bacteria.[/quote]

How'd you get these critters growing on it?

dx7fd2 · 08-13-2004, 03:29 PM

I pretty much am doing the same thing that Matt did. The DIY rock I made took about 2 months to cure after changing water every 4 days. I think I am going to do a vinegar bath and then another freshwater bath before I start up the display tank. This will get rid of any super alkalinity that the concrete still has in it. The critters should adapt to the rock just like any other rock. The base ingredient is aragonite sand so it is pretty much something critters will like.

Matt I will be starting up my tank next month and will be posting some questions in the thread you started about the DIY rock. I will need some of your expertise Oh King of the Fishies!!! [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

Matt Rogers · 08-14-2004, 07:10 AM

Look forward to it Drew.

[quote author=Shane link=board=Newbie;num=1092322144;start=0#10 date=08/13/04 at 17:50:11]
How'd you get these critters growing on it?
[/quote]

I used live sand and unfiltered natural saltwater from a place I picked out up here in Northern California.

aseidman00 · 08-14-2004, 08:48 AM

While the Lalo rock on the Liveaquaria website does look like a flat old coral type, I called them and they tell me that it is boulder style. In fact I did a seach on the web for someone who has already used Lalo and found the following pictures.

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/show...highlight=lalo

Looks nice once the rock is cured. Real nice. Still I am deciding between Fiji, Lalo and Tonga Keilini. I'll most likely buy from Drmaccorals.com or liveaqauria.com. I spoke to people at both and they were friendly and helpful.

Any suggestions ?

By the way... did you see the lalo tank at the address I provided. Should I expect the tank to get that foul in the early stages of the curing ?Thanks,
Allen

aseidman00 · 08-19-2004, 04:32 AM

I decided to go with Tonga Rock from Dr. Mac at:

http://www.drmaccorals.com

They're vry nice there and happy to help a newby to reefs like me think things through and make informed decisions. I'll let you knwo how the rock is when I get it. It should arrive tomorrow !

Allen