Real reef rock okay to add to established system?
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Sabellafella
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Hey man! Don't do itIf i got brand new real reef rock... would it be okay to add? Aswell If anyone has any photos of the shelf rock, i would love to seeThank you!
. For some reason not only myself, but others have some issues with algaes/bacteria growing on it almost instantly. Would be best to soak in saltwater for a short period of time, so you can leach all the crazys out from the rock. As with any rock, if your just adding a small amount, you should be ok without soaking. But I'd still do it!PegasisR
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Ah okay! Then would some regular dry marco rock be fine to add instead?Hey man! Don't do it
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Hands down the best source of live rock out there: KP Aquatics.com. 5 star premium beautiful live rock. It's exquisite. Once you see it, you will never go back to any other source again. I purchased the uncured live rock. I barely experienced any die off at all during shipment. Covered in gorgeous coralline, and the worst hitchhiker was a tiny bubble algae that I easily just snipped off that piece of rock. Got a crab, lobster, urchin, and several starfish in the rock. Nothing else I have bought out there compares to the beauty of this rock. You just have to see it yourself.
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Sabellafella
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Well. The real reef branch, if you were to cut it open, contains cement or w.e the substance is lol. Definitely not aragonite based or limestone that's for sure. I'm pretty sure that's why people have those algae/slime issues with it. Regardless if it's not live rock, its mined out of the ground. Whether its Marco or any mined dry rock, they definitely contain some impurities that you would want to pull out from it. Also when bacteria starts to grow on new surfaces, they create tons of acids and nuke your PH level.
Still would be wise to soak it for a bit!. It's not at all neccessary. Just one precaution you can take to insure your on the right path.
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I should add with the uncured live rock, you *can* put it right in but should do an elevated saline dip to be safe. Then you can pick through any hitchhikers to decide what you want to keep. You'll get a few days of spiked ammonia so be prepared to do water changes.
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I just added some real reef branches to my tank in replacement of other rocks to accommodate more SPS. With that said I have had no issues with it so far but it was also cycling at the LFS. Not sure if that made a difference or not. It is really nice looking rock though!
Intense37754
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Are you referring to the carbisea life rock?
Speaking to somebody from a bottled bacteria company they said that there is dried bacteria on the life rock that doesn’t work well when placed in a tank and then cycled with bottled bacteria and that the cycle process will tank longer. We put it in a tank with no livestock after the tank was cycled a few months back and everything has been fine, the tank was cycled with some established rock from another tank.
Speaking to somebody from a bottled bacteria company they said that there is dried bacteria on the life rock that doesn’t work well when placed in a tank and then cycled with bottled bacteria and that the cycle process will tank longer. We put it in a tank with no livestock after the tank was cycled a few months back and everything has been fine, the tank was cycled with some established rock from another tank.
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If the rock has no organic matter on it you can use it. If you were to soak it and dump off some RODI to leech out any elements that may come from the concrete and epoxy paint on it, that would be ideal....
But if you add perfectly clean rock, limestone based or otherwise, there will be various degrees of algae growth on it until the coraline and sponge life will dominate. My tank is 7 years old and occasionally I’ll add a clean piece of rock and every time it still goes through diatom growth, green hair, red turf, and eventually coraline growth after several months. It’s normal. The quickest growing but least resilient algaes will colonize it first and eventually die off
But if you add perfectly clean rock, limestone based or otherwise, there will be various degrees of algae growth on it until the coraline and sponge life will dominate. My tank is 7 years old and occasionally I’ll add a clean piece of rock and every time it still goes through diatom growth, green hair, red turf, and eventually coraline growth after several months. It’s normal. The quickest growing but least resilient algaes will colonize it first and eventually die off
mfinn
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I have had zero issues with Real Reef Rock.
I have it in my 233 and in my 66 gallon tanks.
Been about a year for the 233 and maybe 6 months for the 66.
It's good rock and looks great right away.
I have it in my 233 and in my 66 gallon tanks.
Been about a year for the 233 and maybe 6 months for the 66.
It's good rock and looks great right away.
About adding any type of rock to an established reef aquarium.
My ipinion: Unless I have done it before, I wont know what the tank reaction will be. If in doubt soak it in a trash can with a powerhead and light. Test for leeching things and inspect it for unwanted guests.
My experiences are like @Bpb above.
My ipinion: Unless I have done it before, I wont know what the tank reaction will be. If in doubt soak it in a trash can with a powerhead and light. Test for leeching things and inspect it for unwanted guests.
My experiences are like @Bpb above.
