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  #1  
Old 12-17-2009, 03:12 PM
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sphelps sphelps is offline
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You don't need that much rock, 120lbs is quite a bit for a 90 gallon but of course still doable.

As already mentioned you also don't need to use live rock, my first tanks were setup with almost 100% base rock which doesn't always look quite as nice but it's way cheaper, (50lbs for less than $100). Plus in my mind it's just rock and what you put over it matters more. You can however get nice looking base rock but it costs a little more but still usually cheaper than live. Dried rock should weigh less than live so even if the price per pound is the same you should get more with dried.

First reef tank (100% base rock)

Last edited by sphelps; 12-17-2009 at 03:18 PM.
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Old 12-18-2009, 12:22 AM
new but handy new but handy is offline
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make some
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Old 12-18-2009, 12:49 AM
hillbillyreefer hillbillyreefer is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by new but handy View Post
make some
+1

It's easy and fun, especially if you have little kids around that like to get dirty!
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Old 12-18-2009, 06:17 PM
gobytron gobytron is offline
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It's all about porosity.

If you have base rock with lots of pores in it, it will still be a decent biofilter...

What makes actual live rock (or dead coral fossilized) so good for a biofilter is that it is exceptionally porous, with the more expensive rock usually being congruent with how light it is (light being an indicator of how porous or empty it is on the inside).

For a good biofilter, you need not only surface area, but also area where water can move but no oxygen can get to inside the rock.

If you don't have enough of both of the oxygen rich and oxygen poor surface area interacting with your water, you won't be able to get the proper bacteria forming to filter it.

Base rock in general is not very porous, especially inside where the oxygen is poor...
so you can wind up with a pretty half ass biofilter if you skimp on the LR...


I've had LR for sale at 3$/lb for some time, the average used price seems to be around 3.50$/lb, how much cheaper are you hoping to find it for?
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Old 12-18-2009, 06:44 PM
fishhunter8 fishhunter8 is offline
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Well were just looking for a decent deal on live rock. Paying 10.99 or 9.99 per pound for live rock is just not doable right now. Really at that price we'll be able to afford like 30 to 40 pounds. And thats not going to make much of a dent in my 90g lol.
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Old 12-18-2009, 06:49 PM
gobytron gobytron is offline
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have you looked around this site at all for a deal?

No need to be so bummed when the very site your bummed on has the answer for you...
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