BioBalls, BioCubes and Branch Coral 4 Filtration

[sen5241b]

I'm thinking of replacing my bioballs with white branch coral I pulled from the ocean in Florida (dead pieces washed up on shore of course).

I've heard it said that bioballs actually cause harm and I've heard they are good. I can't see bioballs causing any harm. Some experts say only calcerous rock can really be converted into live rock.

My plan is to drop a bunch of smaller pieces of branch coral in the back of my tank let it turn to live rock and then use it to replace the bioballs.

Is branch coral good for live rock?

 

[Doc]

I like tonga and fiji live rock. Branch coral is OK too, but fiji is awesome rock. Technically, base rock can be used as live rock if you clean it up and leave it in your tank for 3-4 weeks. Up to you and what you want your tank to look like

-Doc

 

[reeffreak]

If it is porous then that's fine,if it's not then it will basically be the same as bioballs.Be careful using anything from the shore,water is the most polluted at the shoreline.

 

[Doc]

I am looking to add lava rock from southern utah in my sump and turn it into LR for my sump for the shark tank. It is free and as long as it is pourous, it is good to go

-Doc

 

[Bifferwine]

Live rock is simply dead coral. Bioballs will lead to nitrate (and algae) problems eventually, if they are not cleaned regularly (like, weekly). You can replace the bioballs with live rock rubble or the stuff you collected, but god knows what is on rock that you got from the shore. I would clean it very well before you use it in your tank (boil it).

 

[fatman]

If you plan on taking the coral branchs out of the tank and putting them into a trickle filter you will still have the same problem as when using bioballs or biocubes. The live rock/coral fragments needs to be kept under water (submerged). Using the coral fragments in a trickle filter will still mean the majority of the nitrates will still be in the water stream. Submerged live rock has bacteria deep within it that can start turning the nitrates into nitrous gas, as does a deep sand bed. That same rock in a trickle filter will not work the same as submerged rock because the levels of bacteria living in a very low oxygen environment which do the denitrification will not be anywhere near as plentiful in the trickle filter rocks as in the submerged rock, therefore the organics will build up on the trickle filter rock and shed off unnanounced plusthe nitrates will still be accumalating until that happens. Biofilters just are not as good as natuaral ilve rock and deep sand beds if you wish control over nitrates or organic nutrients in general.

 

[sen5241b]

I am looking to add lava rock from southern utah in my sump and turn it into LR for my sump for the shark tank. It is free and as long as it is pourous, it is good to go

-Doc

Doc, you may wish to re-think the lava rock:

http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/liverocksetup/a/aa111901g.htm

" We tried some red cinder rocks and a certain type of black lava rock, and found that nothing would grow on either one. We figured because these rock sources were so porous and lightweight, and we had picked them up off the beach shoreline, they would do very well. Nope! They just sat in our tank for months and not one thing grew on them."

 

[Doc]

that was an interesting article. some of the base rock that is used in Utah that is purchased in stores comes from Southern Utah, it is not Lava Rock per se, but it is heavy and pourous. It seems to work, but I have never tried it. I will do some more research before jumping in, so to speak. Thanks

-Doc

 

[bjohanson1234]

If you get natural lava rock, it could leach heavy metals and other bad minerals into the water. Some of the lava rock sold in LFS are fake and safe for reef tanks

Brian

 

[sen5241b]

I think the lava rock they were referring to in the article was Hawaiian lava rock. I've seen the black sand beaches and rock and its relatively new volcanic rock.

The article did say that calcerous rock (and porous too) is best.

 

[Doc]

I think Utah rock is porous and is not actual lava rock. I think it will be ok. great info about black lava rock

-Doc

 

[fatman]

Any igneous rock is a lava rock or magma rock. And lava rocks are just other rocks that have been recycle by the earth and melted. They can basically contain any mineral contained in any of the other original mineral based rocks. Approximately 99% of the total bulk of most igneous rocks is made up of only eight elements: oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium. Magmas that are rich in silica and aluminum tend to produce more quartz, potassium feldspar, and sodium plagioclase and generally form light colored rocks. Magmas rich in iron, magnesium, and calcium are referred to as mafic, they produce greater quantities of olivine, pyroxene, amphibole. and calcium plagioclase. The resulting rocks are dark colored because of the abundance of the dark ferromagnisian minerals. Those are your to choices in volcanic igneous rocks. Other than that you get into phyroclastic rocks and volcanic ash based rocks. The holes you see in volcanic rocks that cause the porous appearance are called vesicles (holes caused by trapped gas bubbles trapped in the lava as it cooled).
If nothing else this limited write up should tell you if you do not know specifically the mineral composition of the suspect rock, check with a geologist don't risk a reef tanks inhabitants to save a few dollars. There are lots of geologists out there that would jump at the opportunity to actually talk to someone about something in their field of study. I assume by your lackadaisical approach to this that your degree did not require you to take any courses in geology.

 

[sen5241b]

Any igneous rock is a lava rock or magma rock. And lava rocks are just other rocks that have been recycle by the earth and melted. They can basically contain any mineral contained in any of the other original mineral based rocks. Approximately 99% of the total bulk of most igneous rocks is made up of only eight elements: oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium. Magmas that are rich in silica and aluminum tend to produce more quartz, potassium feldspar, and sodium plagioclase and generally form light colored rocks. Magmas rich in iron, magnesium, and calcium are referred to as mafic, they produce greater quantities of olivine, pyroxene, amphibole. and calcium plagioclase. The resulting rocks are dark colored because of the abundance of the dark ferromagnisian minerals. Those are your to choices in volcanic igneous rocks. Other than that you get into phyroclastic rocks and volcanic ash based rocks. The holes you see in volcanic rocks that cause the porous appearance are called vesicles (holes caused by trapped gas bubbles trapped in the lava as it cooled).
If nothing else this limited write up should tell you if you do not know specifically the mineral composition of the suspect rock, check with a geologist don't risk a reef tanks inhabitants to save a few dollars. There are lots of geologists out there that would jump at the opportunity to actually talk to someone about something in their field of study. I assume by your lackadaisical approach to this that your degree did not require you to take any courses in geology.

I got a "B" in my college level Geology course and I have collected rock from all around the world including Hawaii (don't curse me Pelee) --but, no, I didn't know all that. I do think it needs to be emphasized, as per Mr. and Mrs. Hauter of saltaquarium.about.com, the more calcerous rock is much better and that any old porous rock is NOT okay for conversion to LR.


(BTW, I know a great place to find 60 million year old crocodile teeth in the DC metro area.)

 

[fatman]

Some people need science behind a statement to believe it, some people willl except simply the drop of a name of a known professional to believe the statement, some people will just believe a generalized statement with no stated reason or authority issuing it. Me, I like science and I have no idea who Mr. and Mrs. Hauter are or what their accredidations our experiences are. They might be fictious names and people used for a face in media. I in general usually find saltaquarium.about.com based to much on opinion and generalized beliefs with very little backing of actual testing or research by scientists or research professionals. I like the work of scientists and researchers who actually document their research and put it up before their peers for review before publishment. I do think saltaquaria.about.com provides a needed service but I believe people do themselves and their reef tanks a grave injtice when they rely heavily on such a source of information.

 

[sen5241b]

Some people need science behind a statement to believe it, some people willl except simply the drop of a name of a known professional to believe the statement, some people will just believe a generalized statement with no stated reason or authority issuing it. Me, I like science and I have no idea who Mr. and Mrs. Hauter are or what their accredidations our experiences are. They might be fictious names and people used for a face in media. I in general usually find saltaquarium.about.com based to much on opinion and generalized beliefs with very little backing of actual testing or research by scientists or research professionals. I like the work of scientists and researchers who actually document their research and put it up before their peers for review before publishment. I do think saltaquaria.about.com provides a needed service but I believe people do themselves and their reef tanks a grave injtice when they rely heavily on such a source of information.

I've gotten a lot of excellent answers from that website that I could not get off any forum. Their 6 part article on LR was based on an interview with Richard Londeree of Tampa Bay Saltwater who probably produces the best LR available. By the way its "saltaquarium.about.com". But, hey, maybe your right, maybe the Hauters are "fictitious" spambots out to spread lies about live rock!