Putting pond/garden rock into a reef

[HavinPhun]

Is there anything I need to do to the rock besides clean it realy good? I have some LR that I have fully cured and I want to add some Texas Holey into the mix. 8)

 

[Anonymous]

Have you used any medication on the rock? Also if it has been outside are there any pollutants?

 

[HavinPhun]

I haven't yet gotten this rock. I don't have it in my pond/garden, I'm going to go get some pieces from a pond/garden store. I'm not sure about pollutants. What kinda medication could / should I do to it?

 

[Anonymous]

Virtually any rock can be used in a reef tank or any other aquarium. But some can foul a tank if not first "cured".

So you might put the rock in a seperate tub in saltwater with macros, light and some circulation. And let it cure for a few weeks. The idea is to let the macros absorbe the heavy metals and toxins that leach out. Better to cloud that test tub than you main tank.

Here in Huntsville they quarry limestone rock for $20/ton. By drilling a few holes to make it porus it seems to work fine. My tank also has dark lave base rock from the aquarium shop including a quartz geode. And I also use landscape lava rocks at the input and exit of my diy filter. Fish and corals have lived in the tank for up to a year and a half. nitrates 0-5ppm calcium 400ppm. So things look fine.


I have even read of one reefer in new york (i think) that used asphalt chunks from the ocean in his reef tank. He was very happy with the unique dark rocks. But bewarned they were not brand new asphalt chunks from a construction site. They had been in the ocean for many many years and therefore were cured.

JMHO

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry should have been clearer, if the rocks are from a pond where the fish are treated with copper medication it can absorbed and this will hinder or kill some corals. I have also been told that lava rock is not good because it has many metals in that can be harmful.

 

[Anonymous]

I have a friend who aquascaped his 125 reef with texas holey rock, and in the three years he lived near me he never had any problems with his tank, but I always thought it was ugly and didn't look natural.

Take caution as others have suggested that it was not in a system treated with medication. My friend actually got his rock from wherever they quarry it.