Seeding lava rock in established system

[computom]

Hey there!
I have been lurking aroung here reading stuff for quite a while, and
have been running a fairly successful reef for just over a year now.
I have 2 tanks, actually a 50 gal and a 35 gal which are looped
together with a 20-25 gal sump.
The entire system is just over 100 gal, and contains probably 50 lbs
of live rock and about 2-3 inches of live sand from multiple sources.
I have lots of different corals growing, many of which came in on my
live rock, and spread from there.
The problem I have now is that I am planning on going a little bigger
sometime fairly soon, as I have aquired a 55 gal tank which I plan to
also link into the same system, But I"M TOO POOR! So, in order to
fill the new tank with live rock, I have decided to culture some using
some lava rock that I have from an old FW tank. This rock has spent
at least a couple of years under water and I have cleaned and boiled
it as well as possible. I have read varying opinions about using Lava
rock to make live rock, but I have decided to go for it. The only
thing I don't see anyone talking about is exactly where they do the
culturing.
Is it safe to do this right in your tank with fish, inverts and coral
living right around? Or is it better to put the rock in the sump? I
was planning on possibly putting some in different place to see what
works best (Including in a small hex tank which I am currently linking
into my system with about 5" of soon-to-be live sand) Any input
from people who have done this would be greatly appreciated.

[CapFusion]

"computom" > wrote in message
om...
> Hey there!
> I have been lurking aroung here reading stuff for quite a while, and
> have been running a fairly successful reef for just over a year now.
> I have 2 tanks, actually a 50 gal and a 35 gal which are looped
> together with a 20-25 gal sump.
> The entire system is just over 100 gal, and contains probably 50 lbs
> of live rock and about 2-3 inches of live sand from multiple sources.
> I have lots of different corals growing, many of which came in on my
> live rock, and spread from there.
> The problem I have now is that I am planning on going a little bigger
> sometime fairly soon, as I have aquired a 55 gal tank which I plan to
> also link into the same system, But I"M TOO POOR! So, in order to
> fill the new tank with live rock, I have decided to culture some using
> some lava rock that I have from an old FW tank. This rock has spent
> at least a couple of years under water and I have cleaned and boiled
> it as well as possible. I have read varying opinions about using Lava
> rock to make live rock, but I have decided to go for it. The only
> thing I don't see anyone talking about is exactly where they do the
> culturing.
> Is it safe to do this right in your tank with fish, inverts and coral
> living right around? Or is it better to put the rock in the sump? I
> was planning on possibly putting some in different place to see what
> works best (Including in a small hex tank which I am currently linking
> into my system with about 5" of soon-to-be live sand) Any input
> from people who have done this would be greatly appreciated.

I do not know much about Lava Rock but I belive and assume it content metal.
Try use aragonite or calium base sand in fine / sugar size.

CapFusion,...

[Soji John]

I would recommend limestone or texas holey rock which is made of
limestone. I have used this as base rock in my aquarium and in about 4
months, it looks very similar to my live rock as it gets coralline algea
growth. At about 20 cents a pound, the price is right. And it is the
same basic material as live rock, just much more dense and not alive. I
am not suggesting that it can replace live rock as live rock has much
more surface area per weight which can hold denitrifying bacteria.

computom wrote:

>Hey there!
>I have been lurking aroung here reading stuff for quite a while, and
>have been running a fairly successful reef for just over a year now.
>I have 2 tanks, actually a 50 gal and a 35 gal which are looped
>together with a 20-25 gal sump.
>The entire system is just over 100 gal, and contains probably 50 lbs
>of live rock and about 2-3 inches of live sand from multiple sources.
>I have lots of different corals growing, many of which came in on my
>live rock, and spread from there.
>The problem I have now is that I am planning on going a little bigger
>sometime fairly soon, as I have aquired a 55 gal tank which I plan to
>also link into the same system, But I"M TOO POOR! So, in order to
>fill the new tank with live rock, I have decided to culture some using
>some lava rock that I have from an old FW tank. This rock has spent
>at least a couple of years under water and I have cleaned and boiled
>it as well as possible. I have read varying opinions about using Lava
>rock to make live rock, but I have decided to go for it. The only
>thing I don't see anyone talking about is exactly where they do the
>culturing.
>Is it safe to do this right in your tank with fish, inverts and coral
>living right around? Or is it better to put the rock in the sump? I
>was planning on possibly putting some in different place to see what
>works best (Including in a small hex tank which I am currently linking
>into my system with about 5" of soon-to-be live sand) Any input
>from people who have done this would be greatly appreciated.
>
>

[CheezWiz]

I used about thirty pounds of the Texas Holey Rock in my tank for the same
reason as original poster.
Got it off ebay for a good price..

However, be prepared to fight hair algae until the coralline gets
established!

Also, I use a Refugium with a DSB to help offset lack of porosity...

CW
"Soji John" > wrote in message
...
>I would recommend limestone or texas holey rock which is made of limestone.
>I have used this as base rock in my aquarium and in about 4 months, it
>looks very similar to my live rock as it gets coralline algea growth. At
>about 20 cents a pound, the price is right. And it is the same basic
>material as live rock, just much more dense and not alive. I am not
>suggesting that it can replace live rock as live rock has much more surface
>area per weight which can hold denitrifying bacteria.
>
> computom wrote:
>
>>Hey there!
>>I have been lurking aroung here reading stuff for quite a while, and
>>have been running a fairly successful reef for just over a year now. I
>>have 2 tanks, actually a 50 gal and a 35 gal which are looped
>>together with a 20-25 gal sump.
>>The entire system is just over 100 gal, and contains probably 50 lbs
>>of live rock and about 2-3 inches of live sand from multiple sources. I
>>have lots of different corals growing, many of which came in on my
>>live rock, and spread from there.
>>The problem I have now is that I am planning on going a little bigger
>>sometime fairly soon, as I have aquired a 55 gal tank which I plan to
>>also link into the same system, But I"M TOO POOR! So, in order to
>>fill the new tank with live rock, I have decided to culture some using
>>some lava rock that I have from an old FW tank. This rock has spent
>>at least a couple of years under water and I have cleaned and boiled
>>it as well as possible. I have read varying opinions about using Lava
>>rock to make live rock, but I have decided to go for it. The only
>>thing I don't see anyone talking about is exactly where they do the
>>culturing.
>>Is it safe to do this right in your tank with fish, inverts and coral
>>living right around? Or is it better to put the rock in the sump? I
>>was planning on possibly putting some in different place to see what
>>works best (Including in a small hex tank which I am currently linking
>>into my system with about 5" of soon-to-be live sand) Any input
>>from people who have done this would be greatly appreciated.
>>

[CheezWiz]

Look for a product called Reef Bones as well as Texas Holey Rock...

CW
"computom" > wrote in message
om...
> Hey there!
> I have been lurking aroung here reading stuff for quite a while, and
> have been running a fairly successful reef for just over a year now.
> I have 2 tanks, actually a 50 gal and a 35 gal which are looped
> together with a 20-25 gal sump.
> The entire system is just over 100 gal, and contains probably 50 lbs
> of live rock and about 2-3 inches of live sand from multiple sources.
> I have lots of different corals growing, many of which came in on my
> live rock, and spread from there.
> The problem I have now is that I am planning on going a little bigger
> sometime fairly soon, as I have aquired a 55 gal tank which I plan to
> also link into the same system, But I"M TOO POOR! So, in order to
> fill the new tank with live rock, I have decided to culture some using
> some lava rock that I have from an old FW tank. This rock has spent
> at least a couple of years under water and I have cleaned and boiled
> it as well as possible. I have read varying opinions about using Lava
> rock to make live rock, but I have decided to go for it. The only
> thing I don't see anyone talking about is exactly where they do the
> culturing.
> Is it safe to do this right in your tank with fish, inverts and coral
> living right around? Or is it better to put the rock in the sump? I
> was planning on possibly putting some in different place to see what
> works best (Including in a small hex tank which I am currently linking
> into my system with about 5" of soon-to-be live sand) Any input
> from people who have done this would be greatly appreciated.