Aragite - An alternative to Live Rock? - Page 4

cheeks69 · 01-26-2007, 09:25 PM

Obviously a few lbs. of LR can never replicate the diversity your going to get in a reef and I don't think anyone has suggested this. The question is will you have the same amount of biodivesity if using good quality LR or using a mixture of base and LR I think it's not even close.

PhilOlsen · 01-26-2007, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheeks69

Obviously a few lbs. of LR can never replicate the diversity your going to get in a reef and I don't think anyone has suggested this. The question is will you have the same amount of biodivesity if using good quality LR or using a mixture of base and LR I think it's not even close.

That makes 2 of us.

Witfull · 01-26-2007, 09:37 PM

i see your hypothosis has changed....care to elaborate as to youre findings

cheeks69 · 01-26-2007, 10:13 PM

My theory is increase bio-divesity it doesn't mean it will be equal to what you find in a reef, that's impossible.

BoomerD · 01-26-2007, 10:18 PM

One of my big concerns about "quarried rock", is the porosity or density of the rock. It MAY be aragonite based rock, but if it's less porus, it will have less area for the bio-filter colony to form on, and less places for the micro-fauna to colonize. IMO, there's HUGE difference between "dead live rock" and quarried rock dug out of a mountain somewhere.

PhilOlsen · 01-27-2007, 07:20 PM

Working on my test tanks, I got 2 20 gallons tanks to set up 1 with what I call true LR and 1 with a mix of base and LR. I picked up 2 Ramora skimmers and have 3" sand in each tank as well as 2 MJ 1200's in each, all param's will be kep as identical as I can keep them. they each have a total of 30 lbs of rock in them and I will use a couplle PC fixture I had laying around after I upgraded other tanks. I dont have all the cool toys a lab does, but I am interested to see whatever I can.

cheeks69 · 02-05-2007, 09:27 PM

As I was looking thru my sump for some LR to place an SPS I found a piece that was aquacultured and decided to break it in half this is what the interior looked like:

lcstorc · 02-06-2007, 08:10 AM

Do you know how long that piece has been in the system? Just curious.

boozeman · 02-06-2007, 09:32 AM

interesting sectioning cheeks...would love to take samples from the center and run thru a scaning electron microscope

Woodstock · 02-06-2007, 09:34 AM

Robert, which part was the deepest? The white or the dark part? Did it smell of sulfur?

cheeks69 · 02-06-2007, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woodstock

Robert, which part was the deepest? The white or the dark part? Did it smell of sulfur?

The white part is the center of the rock and it's solid no porosity at all on this piece of rock, the piece is about 3" in diameter, no smell of sulfur at all.

Quote:

Do you know how long that piece has been in the system? Just curious.

I've had this piece for close to 4 years. There was no fauna that was visible in the interior of the rock just some sponges and a bit of macro and corraline algae on the exterior.

lcstorc · 02-07-2007, 09:55 PM

Sounds like a big key is the fact that the rock was non-porus. I wonder what a similar piece of more porus rock would look like. hmm may just do a fuge experimemt and see what I can see.

KenDragon · 07-14-2008, 08:44 PM

Unfortunately I cannot comment on Aragite, I came to this site looking for info on Aragite myself. But I must comment on the messages responding to this simple query. Please, please, please stop shoving mythology across the internet. First, porous base rock made of aragonite is the same material as good live rock. Second, the only life forms that remove nitrogen from sea water are a) plants, by binding it and b) bacteria, by using the nitrites as an oxygen source thereby releasing N2. The bacteria that do this are everywhere and WILL live on/in, not only live rock from the sea, but also on/in base rock. These bacteria WILL, in about 6 months to a year, convert base rock to live rock (as far as the nitrogen cycle is concerned). Worms and other inhabitants of live rock from the sea, have NO direct effect on the process. Animals that burrow into the live rock will expose more surface area, which indirectly adds to the number of bacteria that can colonize the rock. These facts can be confirmed in any modern book on saltwater fish keeping or reef keeping. Do some reading, before claiming that worms remove the nitrites.

yungreefer2410 · 07-21-2008, 07:06 PM

u can use it then put some garf grunge on it to make it like real live rock. GARF "grunge" is lot of beneficial things like coraline. go to their site garf.com to learn more. it's in my opioion is one of the best sites ever (behind this one of course

)

01-26-2007, 09:25 PM	#46 (permalink)
cheeks69 Wannabe Guru Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northeast Posts: 6,711 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Aragite - An alternative to Live Rock? Obviously a few lbs. of LR can never replicate the diversity your going to get in a reef and I don't think anyone has suggested this. The question is will you have the same amount of biodivesity if using good quality LR or using a mixture of base and LR I think it's not even close. __________________ Robert My Cube “A spirit is manifest in the laws of the Universe—a spirit vastly superior to that of man, and one in the face of which we with our modest powers must feel humble.” Albert Einstein

01-26-2007, 10:13 PM	#49 (permalink)
cheeks69 Wannabe Guru Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northeast Posts: 6,711 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Aragite - An alternative to Live Rock? My theory is increase bio-divesity it doesn't mean it will be equal to what you find in a reef, that's impossible. __________________ Robert My Cube “A spirit is manifest in the laws of the Universe—a spirit vastly superior to that of man, and one in the face of which we with our modest powers must feel humble.” Albert Einstein

01-26-2007, 10:18 PM	#50 (permalink)
BoomerD Reef Shark Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 5,637 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Aragite - An alternative to Live Rock? One of my big concerns about "quarried rock", is the porosity or density of the rock. It MAY be aragonite based rock, but if it's less porus, it will have less area for the bio-filter colony to form on, and less places for the micro-fauna to colonize. IMO, there's HUGE difference between "dead live rock" and quarried rock dug out of a mountain somewhere. __________________ Intelligence is not knowing all the answers, but knowing where and how to find them! www.google.com

01-27-2007, 07:20 PM	#51 (permalink)
PhilOlsen Has been struck by the ban stick Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Glendale Hts. Illinois (Chicago transplant to humor my wife) Posts: 646 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Aragite - An alternative to Live Rock? Working on my test tanks, I got 2 20 gallons tanks to set up 1 with what I call true LR and 1 with a mix of base and LR. I picked up 2 Ramora skimmers and have 3" sand in each tank as well as 2 MJ 1200's in each, all param's will be kep as identical as I can keep them. they each have a total of 30 lbs of rock in them and I will use a couplle PC fixture I had laying around after I upgraded other tanks. I dont have all the cool toys a lab does, but I am interested to see whatever I can.

02-06-2007, 08:10 AM	#53 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 20,008 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Aragite - An alternative to Live Rock? Do you know how long that piece has been in the system? Just curious. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back. In Loving Memory Of Z 01/22/07 - 08/19/08

02-06-2007, 09:32 AM	#54 (permalink)
boozeman The CodFather ~ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: new york Posts: 8,800 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Aragite - An alternative to Live Rock? interesting sectioning cheeks...would love to take samples from the center and run thru a scaning electron microscope __________________ ...and when I'm old and wise little things mean little to me like autumn winds they'll blow right through me and someday, in the mist of time when they ask you if you knew me remember that you were a friend of mine

02-06-2007, 09:34 AM	#55 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 23,264 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Aragite - An alternative to Live Rock? Robert, which part was the deepest? The white or the dark part? Did it smell of sulfur? __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* *My QT/Hospital Tank* ~120 Reef Chronicle ~ *~Breeding Picasso Clownfish~* "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 120 mixed reef, dual Reeflux 10k 250 MHs, dual Geiseman Actinic T5s,Neptune AC III, ASM g3, 2x Korallia #3, Mag 9.5 return

02-07-2007, 09:55 PM	#57 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 20,008 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Aragite - An alternative to Live Rock? Sounds like a big key is the fact that the rock was non-porus. I wonder what a similar piece of more porus rock would look like. hmm may just do a fuge experimemt and see what I can see. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back. In Loving Memory Of Z 01/22/07 - 08/19/08

07-14-2008, 08:44 PM	#58 (permalink)
KenDragon Tunicate Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 1 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Aragite - An alternative to Live Rock? Unfortunately I cannot comment on Aragite, I came to this site looking for info on Aragite myself. But I must comment on the messages responding to this simple query. Please, please, please stop shoving mythology across the internet. First, porous base rock made of aragonite is the same material as good live rock. Second, the only life forms that remove nitrogen from sea water are a) plants, by binding it and b) bacteria, by using the nitrites as an oxygen source thereby releasing N2. The bacteria that do this are everywhere and WILL live on/in, not only live rock from the sea, but also on/in base rock. These bacteria WILL, in about 6 months to a year, convert base rock to live rock (as far as the nitrogen cycle is concerned). Worms and other inhabitants of live rock from the sea, have NO direct effect on the process. Animals that burrow into the live rock will expose more surface area, which indirectly adds to the number of bacteria that can colonize the rock. These facts can be confirmed in any modern book on saltwater fish keeping or reef keeping. Do some reading, before claiming that worms remove the nitrites.

07-21-2008, 07:06 PM	#59 (permalink)
yungreefer2410 Cabbage Leather Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: louisiana Posts: 384 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Aragite - An alternative to Live Rock? u can use it then put some garf grunge on it to make it like real live rock. GARF "grunge" is lot of beneficial things like coraline. go to their site garf.com to learn more. it's in my opioion is one of the best sites ever (behind this one of course )

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