Adding False LR

[CC-Star]

Is there major disadvantages to adding False LR to a fish only tank (some day perhaps reef tanK)?

We were thinking of doing it just for the base (adding LR ontop), and after time the rock would become LR.

I have read reasons why you should use LR versus false:
1) There is nothing about live rock and sand that makes them required only in reef tanks, and unnecessary in fish tanks. It's quite the opposite:Because fish eat more than corals, a fish tank needs more filtration than a reef tank, not less. And filtration is best done naturally, by nitrifying bacteria in live rock and sand.

2)For Reef bc the coarls will attach better and grow..

Any experiences, input would be appreciated. I have a friend she said she did but then again she was never going to go reef. If it does work what kind of rock is the best to use as a subsitute that will become LR faster than others?

 

[shr00m]

dead rock becomes live if you mix it with l/r, takes some time but do it up old school and in time you will have a whole mess of l/r

 

[SnowManSnow]

Have you considered making your own LR? There are some nice webpages that explain how + you can make them in whatever shape you want. Maybe someone knows the webpage I'm writing about. Basically you mix cememt with live sand.. let it dry.. cure.. then you hava chunk of "live rock".

Just an idea.

 

[Anonymous]

By false LR do you mean "fake rock" like snowman says, or just any old rock? Most rocks aren't porous enough to function biologically; you can try making fake rock, or buy dry rock of calcareous origin like this: http://www.reeferrocks.com/baserock/index.htm

 

[Anonymous]

here in huntsville, al, they quarry limestone for $20 per ton. I loaded up my car trunk and they didn't even charge me for about 150-200 pounds of the stuff.

Yes you can use any rock. limestone is better. And porous even better (or drill some holes to make it porus) or even make your own from concrete. And it can be seed with some live rock.

As long as you have thriving plant life (macros or treu marine plants) exporting any heavy metals present, they will work.

 

[netjamer]

I have used tufa rock-- very porus and available in pet stores-- also pretty cheap.. It's made for Freshwater aquariums-- but after 4 months in tank it has tons of stuff growing on it, and living in it. I agree- anything porus, and non leeching is suitable-- nothing with iron- or metalic elements (fieldstones/riverrock)- best will always be from the ocean..

good luck!

 

[wayne in norway]

Just some comments - try to get something decent to use as base. Just because it's a limestone deosn't mean it's any good, and the majority of limestones will be pretty poor. It all depends on the geology of that limestone as to how porous it will or wont be. If I had to pay money to get a light, porous , biogenic limestone I would.
I don't like 'lava' based tufas at all - very hit or miss. At the end of the day they're metal silicates and you have absolutely no control over their stability. Plants grow suspiciously well on mine in freshwater....
Limestone tufas on the other hand are absolutely great... though very impermeable