Fiji Rock?

[pleder]

IME base rock does not have the same filtering capacity because it lacks the anerobic bacteria regions. The aerobic bacteria will colonize the rock, however the anerobes do not grow IME.

 

[Mr Miagi]

IME base rock does not have the same filtering capacity because it lacks the anerobic bacteria regions. The aerobic bacteria will colonize the rock, however the anerobes do not grow IME.

I did PM you regarding this, but you never replied. I want to know more, because I plant to use some interesting shapped pieces of dead LR to go on the base of my actual LR when I set up my larger tank.

What experience did you have where anearobic bacteria did not colonise your rock?

 

[crazyelece]

From what I have read there is no evidence either way, just speculation. IME base rock works just as well as live rock once it has been seeded. The only downside is the time it takes to seed. Anerobic bacteria takes much longer to reproduce, typically six months or so. I can tell you that upon coming up to a year running, 80% base rock 20% live rock, my tank has 0/0/0 amm/trites/trates. And it has a huge bioload.

IMO good base rock (like lace rock) is just as good as live rock with time.

 

[cedyced]

That is the same thing I got from my research on base rock.. Well I got my shipment of Fiji Rock and it looks good. Just like the pictures on eBay. It was shipped ground and got here in two days. (Cail to Phoenix) The rock was still damp and full of green alge. It looks good. Here are some pictures you all asked about.

 

[Eversurf]

How do you tell the difference between live rock and base rock? The difference I see that the live rock has stuff growing on it and the base rocks like kinda dry.

 

[cedyced]

That is true. The base rock is dull and looks like it came from your front yard. The live rock has all kinds of stuff growing on it. It's really slimmy and smells like the ocean when it's cured. In the pictures I think you can really tell the difference between the two. I mixed them all together hoping to eventually seed the base rock. I knew I didn't have live rock as soon as I opened the box on the first shipment. It was just laying in the box. The live rock was damp, wrapped in newspaper and plastic.

 

[Mr.September15]

Luckyyy Way to make me jealous.

 

[cedyced]

They sell it for $1.99 lb all the time.

 

[mr.dark-saint]

IME base rock does not have the same filtering capacity because it lacks the anerobic bacteria regions. The aerobic bacteria will colonize the rock, however the anerobes do not grow IME.

I did PM you regarding this, but you never replied. I want to know more, because I plant to use some interesting shapped pieces of dead LR to go on the base of my actual LR when I set up my larger tank.

What experience did you have where anearobic bacteria did not colonise your rock?

As long as the rocks are porus and left alone long enough there will be anarobic growth. If "solid" then you'll only have pretty much surface bactria growth, coraline algae and such.

Base rock is good for cheap bulking up the stack. Sure it's not pretty but if it's calcium based rock then it's all good .

As for dry some places do just let them collect dust and other places keep it wet for anarobic or regular bacteria growth.

 

[Eversurf]

I think I might have bought my live rock from the same place as well. I paid like 3$/lbs with shipping. That's why I was a little worried.

 

[Siamese Fighter05]

Hi

Don't mean to be picky but you have the livestock in the tank with the new LR? The die-off from the new LR especially as its been shipped will possibly create enough ammonia/nitrite to kill your current livestock and start off another cycle. Keep an eye on your levels and do lots of water changes

 

[cedyced]

Thanks. You're right. I have another tank that I put the rock in. I am adding it to my show tank a little at a time. But even with that my levels went through the roof. I just got finish doing about a 20% water change. I will check my levels again tomorrow.