texas holey rock (limestone) in salt tanks

[satx-94integraLS]

i have a ****** piece of texas holey rock i wanna get covered in coraline. its a good corner piece for a small nano like mine.


anywho, can i use this piece, which has been dried out for well over 6 months, in my salt tank?

[Shark_Bait]

I'm not the expert, but have been told that the holey rock is denser and takes forever to get coraline to grow on it nevermind cover it. I have a few pieces I'm rinsing/ sun bleaching to put in my tank. Keep me posted on how this works for you.
You can use it but like I said it takes forever for it to color up. And if your tank is fine tuned watch the parameters as it might effect PH.

[tgray]

I don't know for sure but I think there is a slight possiblity for some limestone to leach phophates into your tank. Maybe soak it in RO h20 and test for phosphate?

[Bill S]

I've had a bit in my 55 for 3 years as base rock. Seems fine. My calcium levels are always good... I'll have my phosphates checked next time I go to see Louis. But my corals seem to have done pretty well...

Oh, by the way. Coraline doesn't grow very quickly on it. Hardly at all.

[mathias]

**** I have like 4 or 5 large pieces as base rock in my 125 gal tank :) hope it grows coraline on it

[satx-94integraLS]

mathias:

do you have a problem with phosphates? have you tested for it at all?

[Richard]

I have used limestone in the past and have never had issues with phosphate from it. It may eventually look like live rock but won't give any biological activity like real liverock because it is so dense. It should be fine if it is just for decorative effects and not the only type of rock in the tank.

Sometimes it tends to get a slimy or mushy feel on it's surface so that is probably what can keep coralline from getting established on it easily. If you have coralline growing well in your tank you might want to occasionally brush the surface of it to help the coralline get established on it.

I would not use it if it has brown/red/rust colored steaks in it since that may be iron or something worse.

HTH

[satx-94integraLS]

the piece of limestone i have is REAL porus, i was using it in a yellow lab cichlid tank. there are no marks on it at all. it used to be a DARK green from algae growth when it was in my cichlid tank, but its pearl white now...

[JimD]

I have some of this and its very dense and weighs a ton, I used to use it in a freshwater tank, now it makes a nice doorstop. It'll be ok for decoration and the fish will probably enjoy the many holes, but dont expect it to offer any kind of filtration benefits. Personaly, I wouldnt use it simply because its not rock you would typicly find in the ocean.

[mathias]

I just started using it when I setup my new 125 like 2 months ago so just started.... it used to be in my chiclid tank...

[satx-94integraLS]

see, im split. its a NICE decoration piece. i wish i had a picture of it. however, i know its not in the ocean naturally and i dont expect to get any benefits out of putting it in aside from decoration.

[JimD]

Then put her on in thar!

[NaCl_H2O]

I had about 50lbs of limestone rock in my old 125g. I too really liked the decorative aspect, but coralin algae never took hold, and rumor is that it can impact dKH and PH levels. My PH is better in my new system, but there are MANY factors besides the lack of limestone! I would say use it if you like it, but don't count the limestone weight against the LR/water ratio you are trying to achieve - it will never become "Live Rock".

[pilot_bell777]

I used it for base rock and then put my LR all over it to make caves....LOL worked real well.

The limestone in it will actaully help keep your PH right because it acts as a buffer.

Use it, good stuff and looks good too! LOL

[satx-94integraLS]

yeah, thats why i have so much of it. i used it as a buffer when i did cichlids. didnt know if the same holds true for salt.

FWIW, my pH out of tap is 8.2, before i dechlorinate. my corals are extremely healthy and my zos have split constantly. i see no reason to switch to RO water since my softies are doing just great!

[pilot_bell777]

I have never done a freshwater tank, so I guess it holds true for salt! LOL

My brother added it to his fresh tank and it shot his PH way too hight! LOL

[jroescher]

I'm curious. If coralline algea grows on just about everything else, glass, plastic pumps, acrylic, why doesn't it grow on limestone?

[tgray]

.

i know its not in the ocean naturally and i dont expect to get any benefits out of putting it in aside from decoration.

it used to be in the ocean!

[NaCl_H2O]

it used to be in the ocean!
So did you ;)

[tgray]

So did you

But at least I'm not quite that old. :)

[BadPig]

I use it for base rock in my reef and FO tank. My phosfates tested ND last weekend. Coraline alge seemed to grow faster on this than anything else.
Here are some before and after pics. they are about 3 months apart.

[BadPig]

oops :wacko Here they are.

[BadPig]

once moore. :P

[ratboy]

I had a large 3' arch piece of holey rock in my original reef. Not only did it quickly cover in coraline but it also got covered with a 12" stretch of encrusting gorgonia and button polyps. Like others said dont expect alot of biological activity. This pic is from shortly after it was setup - about 10+ years ago!

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c264/eswansiger/55gal_reef.jpg

[hammondegge]

i have some for base, have had no problem with ph or phosphate (6mos) and it has grown coraline algae though the urchin can strip it pretty clean when he is in the neighborhood.

[satx-94integraLS]

hm. i added the piece i was in love with, and WOW my pH shot through the roof! went from being a consistant 8.1 to above 8.7 (thats as high as my kit goes). i took it out because:

1) the HIGH ph
2) my zoos started closing up
3) my black blenny was acting really 'spazzy'

hopefully tomorrow things will be well. also did a small water change, as my nitrite level was barely readable ( i like my levels at zero )

[mathias]

I think it might also be that your putting it in a esablished tank where everyone else who did it put it in as a starting tank and as base.....

[satx-94integraLS]

true. really sux, as it is a nice piece. i noticed something was amiss when my fire and ice zos started closing. then, yesterday morning, most wouldnt open.. so i removed the piece later that day. today, half the colony opened up, indicating the holey rock shot the pH way too high :|

anywho, reef is safe :D

[BadPig]

I am realy lorry to hear that it did not work out. Did you put it in your 5 gal nano? I put mine in a 75 gal and a 55 gal, and it was only about 10% of the live rock in the end.

[satx-94integraLS]

naw, it was in my 12g nano. i thnk it killed off a few of my zoos, since one colony isnt opening up all the way now. mostly everything else is cool, but i did loose a few zoos that i liked :(

[Richard]

Sorry to hear that. I've never had that happen. Did you do anything to prepare/clean the rock before you put it in?

[satx-94integraLS]

it had been sitting outside for 3+ months. about all i did was rinse it off in premade saltwater. what else could i have done?