"Real Reef Rock" = crap?

Barry_Cuda

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 12, 2018
Messages
235
Reaction score
312
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I built ny display tank using mostly aquacultured live rock, with a few chunks of the fake "Real Reef Rock" (same rock they used in the BRS 52 Weeks of Reefing tank) to round things out. That tank cycled normally and the biofilter aopears to be working fine.

I set my fish QT up by moving a coiple pieces of the "Real Reef Rock" that had cycled with the main tank into a new 10g with a hang-on filter. This tank, using only the artificial rock, just doesn't want to establish any sort of biofiltration despite the rock pieces having cycled in the DT. It's been about two weeks, dosing with Stability, and nitrite finally dropped, so I dosed to 2ppm with ammonium chloride and 24 hours later ammonia is still reading 2ppm. The only thing I can think of is that this artificial rock just doesn't have enough surface area to support the bacteria I need. Has anybody successfully started a tank using this stuff? Am I just being too impatient? I'd been told that I could skip the cycle in the QT by using rock cycled in the DT, but that doesn't seem to have worked out.
 

Asonitez

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 31, 2010
Messages
501
Reaction score
396
Location
Charlotte, NC
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
100% real reefrock

I did add 10lbs to my sump if “real ocean rock” a few months in just for biodiversity.


16bc289efdc5753b3090a40ffdc3e24c.jpg


d8b8d7d7bb899ca34063fd8d57872c5d.jpg


Real Reef rock as well

eec5b0df422b33b69d59fb1de7629f73.jpg


Seems to work well for me.
 

MyReefRobbedMe

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 14, 2018
Messages
411
Reaction score
294
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
100% real reefrock

I did add 10lbs to my sump if “real ocean rock” a few months in just for biodiversity.


16bc289efdc5753b3090a40ffdc3e24c.jpg


d8b8d7d7bb899ca34063fd8d57872c5d.jpg


Real Reef rock as well

eec5b0df422b33b69d59fb1de7629f73.jpg


Seems to work well for me.

Gorgeous tank , can I ask what lights are you using
 

DaveNJ

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 20, 2016
Messages
269
Reaction score
150
Location
Holmdel
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I am 100% Real Reef Rock. It has been in my tank for 5 years and it's a bare bottom tank.
 

Asonitez

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 31, 2010
Messages
501
Reaction score
396
Location
Charlotte, NC
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Gorgeous tank , can I ask what lights are you using

I'm Using (4) Radion G4 Pros on the WWC Modified Setting Lights are hung 16" Above the water Surface at around 60% Total Intensity.

My ancillary Fill Lights are 2 (48") Aquatic life T5 Fixtures hung the same height as the Radions running 8 ATI Blue+ Bulbs

Full Details/video's are on my youtube
http://www.youtube.com/c/TristiansReef
 

dbjonesjr

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 26, 2018
Messages
443
Reaction score
305
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Time is key. Took me about 3 to 4 weeks for my biocube to cycle using established rock from my 40.
 

James M

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 6, 2018
Messages
9,476
Reaction score
13,001
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Patience.....is so hard
 

TOP 10 Trending Threads

WHAT AMOUNT OF LIVE ROCK AND SAND SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED FOR OPTIMAL BIODIVERSITY/FILTRATION?

  • 100% live rock + bagged sand

    Votes: 34 27.6%
  • 100% dry rock + 100% live sand

    Votes: 43 35.0%
  • 50/50 live/dry rock, 50/50 live/bagged sand

    Votes: 27 22.0%
  • 75% live rock, 25% live sand

    Votes: 11 8.9%
  • 25% live rock, 75% live sand

    Votes: 8 6.5%
Back
Top