Base rock

[pseudotrop]

I buy stuff called 'Base rock' from my semi-LFS. It's rather expensive ~$7.5/kg - I only have a few pieces in my 6' at the moment as the cost is upto $140. I still need more.

Does anyone know what it's made from?

I've tried reading about making your own rocks but nothing looks similar to this stuff.

[mcloughlin2]

Base rock is usually dead live rock. Most the time it is live rock that has died in the hands of less experiance marine aquarists who can't keep the live alive that exist in and on the rock. This renders it all but useless for most situations in marine aquarium hence why it is called base rock as it is used as the bottom rock structure where you can't see it.

The upside for cichlid keepers is it is great for our cichlid tanks. It is calcium carbonate based so is good a keeping the pH in the tank at a reasonable level of about 7.4pH. Also looks great as it is usually a white colour with lots of holes and crannies, is easy to stack and due to it's porosity it can support large populations of beneficially bacteria.

You can make some form of it yourself, but you do loose the bacteria holding ability as you can't replicate the porosity.

[pseudotrop]

Base rock is usually dead live rock. Most the time it is live rock that has died in the hands of less experiance marine aquarists who can't keep the live alive that exist in and on the rock. This renders it all but useless for most situations in marine aquarium hence why it is called base rock as it is used as the bottom rock structure where you can't see it.

The upside for cichlid keepers is it is great for our cichlid tanks. It is calcium carbonate based so is good a keeping the pH in the tank at a reasonable level of about 7.4pH. Also looks great as it is usually a white colour with lots of holes and crannies, is easy to stack and due to it's porosity it can support large populations of beneficially bacteria.

You can make some form of it yourself, but you do loose the bacteria holding ability as you can't replicate the porosity.

Great. Thanks for the info.

If done DIY, what materials etc. do I use? Have a link to anything? Actually, I found some stuff on google.

I don't mind losing the bacterial capacity - my current filter is more than enough. And the rocks I already have would be providing quite a large population atm.

[noxious_nasties]

my current filter is more than enough. And the rocks I already have would be providing quite a large population atm.

Just remember that a filter can only produce as much bacteria as there is a food supply to support,

larger filters will mean nothing if there is not enough food to keep the bacteria alive if that makes sense.

[pseudotrop]

my current filter is more than enough. And the rocks I already have would be providing quite a large population atm.

Just remember that a filter can only produce as much bacteria as there is a food supply to support,

larger filters will mean nothing if there is not enough food to keep the bacteria alive if that makes sense.

Indeed, but it doesn't take long for 'em to colonise an area when food increases - the space just needs to be there.

Anyway, I've noticed alot of the googled base rock recipes use 'aragonite' with cement - can we get aragonite in Aus? What is it?

[CThompson]

my current filter is more than enough. And the rocks I already have would be providing quite a large population atm.

Just remember that a filter can only produce as much bacteria as there is a food supply to support,

larger filters will mean nothing if there is not enough food to keep the bacteria alive if that makes sense.

Indeed, but it doesn't take long for 'em to colonise an area when food increases - the space just needs to be there.

Anyway, I've noticed alot of the googled base rock recipes use 'aragonite' with cement - can we get aragonite in Aus? What is it?

What are you trying to achieve?

If it is just the buffering ability (my assumption because you are not after a bio substance), just use limestone or coral sand though the former is a better choice.

[pseudotrop]

What are you trying to achieve?

If it is just the buffering ability (my assumption because you are not after a bio substance), just use limestone or coral sand though the former is a better choice.

Cheap rocks and hiding places for my fish basically. With the added benefit of moulding them in the shape I want/need.

Not overly concerned about buffering either (water is hard and well buffed from the tap).

Now that I know it can used as a substrate and/or buffer, I might go for that too at a later stage.

[Foti]

there is a guy on you tube who show you how to make live rock try find it he poors his mix on sand that gives it a a very pures exterior good luck with your diy it will not look like your rock but it will hold bacteria well !

[CThompson]

What are you trying to achieve?

If it is just the buffering ability (my assumption because you are not after a bio substance), just use limestone or coral sand though the former is a better choice.

Cheap rocks and hiding places for my fish basically. With the added benefit of moulding them in the shape I want/need.

Not overly concerned about buffering either (water is hard and well buffed from the tap).

Now that I know it can used as a substrate and/or buffer, I might go for that too at a later stage.

Not knowing what rock is in your area, I have used sandstone, cut and broken into flat pieces (hammer and stone chisel) in one tank, from my backyard, and in my 2000 L tank, chunks of basalt from a quarry. Both can look fantastic without looking artificial or contrived.

There's a thread in the photo section showing these tanks.