hi
- Thread starter rbike1331
- Start date
Moe_K
Stabbed by Foulke
Hmm, that's kind of a trick in the descriptions.
Reefs are generally made out of ancient coral skeletons over millions of years. Largely, they are calcium carbonate, which becomes limestone, I believe.
"Rocks" are granite, quartz, silica, and others. Sure, if you go to the shore here in New England you can find huge boulders of granite or sandstone in the water. Do we use these in our tanks? Not usually in a reef tank.
Chunks of calcium carbonate "rock" from the reefs are usually what we use in our reef tanks. There are many types: Fiji, Tonga branch, Kwajalin, Marshall Island... etc. These names usually describe the origin of the rock, and maybe the form.
We can also get "dry rock" or "dead rock."
That's regular reef "rock" that has washed up on the beach and bleached and dried. There are a bunch of threads on dry rock if you want to search. It's nice stuff.
Reefs are generally made out of ancient coral skeletons over millions of years. Largely, they are calcium carbonate, which becomes limestone, I believe.
"Rocks" are granite, quartz, silica, and others. Sure, if you go to the shore here in New England you can find huge boulders of granite or sandstone in the water. Do we use these in our tanks? Not usually in a reef tank.
Chunks of calcium carbonate "rock" from the reefs are usually what we use in our reef tanks. There are many types: Fiji, Tonga branch, Kwajalin, Marshall Island... etc. These names usually describe the origin of the rock, and maybe the form.
We can also get "dry rock" or "dead rock."
That's regular reef "rock" that has washed up on the beach and bleached and dried. There are a bunch of threads on dry rock if you want to search. It's nice stuff.
Jim Tansey
Well-Known Member
Who ever graced you with that bit of knowledge would be a good person to stay away from while setting up your tank.
Jim
Jim
pillowfish
#2
Saw this earlier but didn't quite know what o make of the question...
I was thinking in terms of "rocks" perhaps in reference to the substrate?? Majorily when I think of freshwater tanks and "rocks" I associate it with the different types of little rubble/rock I've used as the base (maybe somepeople have but I have never IME personally used sand in FS). The larger decorative "rocks" in the freshwater section of a pet store generally are not used in reef tanks either because the type of rock or a compound that will leach out once submerged is not compatible with salt water fish/marine life. In a reef tank we use exactly what Moe said and it is either purchased as "Live Rock" (LR-abbreviation most commonly used) or "Dead Rock" which you cure yourself. My advice is look under sponsors/vendors here and make a trip down to a really good Live Fish Store (LFS) that sells saltwater marine products(the vendors here are Great!) Good Luck-I hope you are pointed in the right direction.
I was thinking in terms of "rocks" perhaps in reference to the substrate?? Majorily when I think of freshwater tanks and "rocks" I associate it with the different types of little rubble/rock I've used as the base (maybe somepeople have but I have never IME personally used sand in FS). The larger decorative "rocks" in the freshwater section of a pet store generally are not used in reef tanks either because the type of rock or a compound that will leach out once submerged is not compatible with salt water fish/marine life. In a reef tank we use exactly what Moe said and it is either purchased as "Live Rock" (LR-abbreviation most commonly used) or "Dead Rock" which you cure yourself. My advice is look under sponsors/vendors here and make a trip down to a really good Live Fish Store (LFS) that sells saltwater marine products(the vendors here are Great!) Good Luck-I hope you are pointed in the right direction.
Moe_K
Stabbed by Foulke
I shot some vidoe of my tank as set up with dry rock back in August of 2006. You can see the rock we use doesn't look anything like the stuff we'd find in a lake, river, or pond around here.
Click here for a link.
Click here for a link.
Dave McReeferson
laurifer crustulum
I see these guys have pretty much summed it up as far as the rock thing goes, so I'll just say...
Hi, and welcome aboard!
Hi, and welcome aboard!
ReeferMedic
Non-member
Depends on what kind of cichlid. South American Cichlids like very soft water and African Cichlids like hard water.
Welcome aboard!
