Is live rock necessary???

[mxett]

Can I setup a 350ltr reef with just base rock, a good skimmer, and good sized a 14" deep rdsb as filtration? Is live rock important or infact necessary? If so why?

Thanks

[ej797]

Base Rock will become Live Rock after some time in the tank. I am currently setting up a tank where I am going to use base rock and seed it with live rock.

[tkeracer619]

No its not necessary. But you will only have what you put in it if it all starts out dead.

Why not seed it with a few nice peices of live rock?

[mxett]

I understand the seeding part. But I have had serious trouble with a red turf type macroalgae that came with the live rock from the lfs's in my last setup.

basically I am starting again! I would prefer not to reintroduce it if I can.

Thanks for you responses

[tkeracer619]

Maybe bleach your current rock and reseed it with rock out of a local reefers tank that doesn not have the algae issue.

[mxett]

How would I go about bleaching the current setup?

[mxett]

Could I just place the live rock in my unlit sump (so it continues to provide filtration) until the algae dies, say for 2 to 3 months?

In the mean time I could place some base rock in my display instead?

[pledosophy]

The algae will go into a spore stage in your sump and then be reintroduced to your display.

Have you tried biological means to remove the algae? That would be my course of action.

IME dead rock does not become liverock because it never develops the anaerobic regions of bacteria to help with denitrification. I don't know who started the rumor that it was different but it hasn't played out well for many folks.

JMO.

[tkeracer619]

That might not kill the algae. I'm not sure but could be an option to look into.

Bleaching rock is extreme and turns it into base rock. The bleach disolves any organic material in or on the rock. You mix a bleach solution and soak the rock for a day, rinse really well (i scrub the rock with a stiff plastic brush), and let it dry out completly. The rock needs to be cured seperatly from the tank as it will create a cycle. The reason I suggested it as an option is you already sounded set to start over with base rock, if that is the route you choose bleaching the rock will save you a bunch of money.

You might be able to "cook" the rock. I'm not sure if that will work in the sump though.

Also with any dead rock you are going to have a cycle, I would cycle it outside of the tank.

Originally posted by pledosophy

IME dead rock does not become liverock because it never develops the anaerobic regions of bacteria to help with denitrification.

I don't see how dead rock won't become live. If the rock is porous the bacteria would use the oxygen up and be replaced by anaerobic bacterias. I am sure that if a coiled up plastic tube can develop anaerobic bacteria then so can rock that has the same composition and structure as normal live rock.

[mxett]

Originally posted by pledosophy
The algae will go into a spore stage in your sump and then be reintroduced to your display.

Have you tried biological means to remove the algae? That would be my course of action.

IME dead rock does not become liverock because it never develops the anaerobic regions of bacteria to help with denitrification. I don't know who started the rumor that it was different but it hasn't played out well for many folks.

JMO.

What sort of biological treatment? The algae is macroalgea and nothing seems to eat it.

[tkeracer619]

do you run phosban?

[mxett]

No. I run rowaphos in a phosban reactor.

I asked Eric Borneman about this algae, and sent pictures. He responded with great detail, but effectively said that it was virtually impossible to get rid of. It is very aggressive and nothing seems to eat it. He had a similar problem once and ended up breaking his entire system down and fragging the corals!

He pretty much suggested I do the same in a response this morning (Australia time).
On the weekend I got all the rocks out and scrubbed them, then replaced them upside-down, so any left over algae would not have any light to grow. After reading his depressing thread I have begun to think seriously about his advice, hence this thread.

BTW I appreciate all you input

Marcus

[mxett]

Here is a picture of the algae.

[tkeracer619]

if its that bad it might be worth bleaching afterall.

That stuff looks really thick, what a pain. This is exactly why I bleached everything I got for my 360 build. I am seeding it only with what rock I already have.

good luck in any direction you choose.