texas holy rock

[dustint21]

so I've seen this stuff on ebay and was woundering if it would be reef safe or if it would look right in my 90 gallon tank? and where I can find it since we live in texas?

[RayAllen]

It is fine to use. Holey Rock was used a lot several years ago, but now people want a more natural reef so it is hardly seen in saltwater anymore. Now it is primarily used in freshwater african cichlid tanks. It will raise the PH of the water as well.

[RayAllen]

Oh and it can be found all over the hillcountry.

[coraline79]

I used to sell this stuff on craigslist. If yo are looking for some I can get it to you for a 1.25 a pound.

[dustint21]

some of the rock I've seen looks a lot like some of the LR I've seen in the LFS's but I guess it would all depend what you found! what about preping the rock before I put it in my tank? what would be the best way? can you stop it from raising your PH?

[Mr Cob]

so I've seen this stuff on ebay and was woundering if it would be reef safe or if it would look right in my 90 gallon tank? and where I can find it since we live in texas?

I have a couple favorite pieces that I used in my tank 120gal reef. It doesn't look natural to that of a reef so I used for a couple pices that are being covered by mushrooms or neon green star polyps...

When I first started reefing I used all holey rock as my base rock since I had a bunch from keeping cichlid tanks. I had a very bad time with red slime algae and I blame the holey rock. Use it sparingly is my advice.

[dustint21]

oh, the reason I'm asking is to try and save money by finding it and doing it myself! so thanks for the reply but 1.25 a pound is what I'm tryin to avoid! I'm texas so I'm tryin to find it for free! LMAO!!!!

[RayAllen]

Cutting corners or pinching pennies in this hobby can lead to problems which will in most cases cost you more money trying to fix what has gone wrong. If you are handy at DIY you can try your hand at foam work and add a few peices of fiji Live rock and you will be set. Depending on what size tank you have you can do this cheaply. Ed at Phenominal Aquatics has some great LR prices and a can of foam cost approx $4. I have a foam structure that was built by another member that is pretty cool and looks like real rock; it will look even better once taken over by coraline algae and corals.

[prof]

Holey rock works great for base rock. It is not as porous as live rock but it is a good comprimise.

[Pennies2Cents]

Dustin,

We found ours at Canyon Lake, Tx...

[subsailor]

Hey Dustin give me a call 254-723-3099 and i can tell you where to get it by us. I have gotten tons of it around us for my cichlid tanks.

[dustint21]

Thanks for the reply's You guys are very helpful! I dont know about the foam thing! I want to try it and i love DIY type stuff! Is there a special brand of foam

[RayAllen]

Use Great Stuff Foam, It can be found at Home Depot and lowes. Heres a link that will give you a top notch example

http://maast.org/forums/showthread.php?t=40266

[drgnbttrfly]

I have holey rock in my tank...use it mostly as base rock and the gobies love its tunnels under the sand where some is buried under the sand to prevent glass breakage should a live rock fall...it will hit rock instead of glass....it does take on coraline very nicely and i have never had the red slime problem...

my rocks were VERY clean before I used them

I had some left from my cichlid tanks...

if you find any rinse boil rinse boil rinse soak rinse boil

then i soaked the rock in a super saturated salt solution and bathed it for a couple weeks before I used it in salt...to be sure any fresh water or land dwelling creatures wouldn't contaminate my tank...

think of this like QT (be sure to rinse again as the saturated salt...may affect your salinity if added directly to a tank...recommend adding only to a new setup so you can control and make adjustments...and move rock if nec.)

VERY important..

it will be a bare slate and may take on some brown algae at first though as long as your tank is well maintained should quickly transform to coraline if you have the right trace in your tank

My PH has never gone out of range (I have at least 50 pounds in my tank) but it will naturally buffer your water because of the mineral in the rock

If you don't want the buffer...and don't regularly check your PH...don't use the rock.


To protect your beautiful fishies...you may want to file sharp edges!!!

[dustint21]

Im pretty sure i have been talked out of the texas rock and im going to try the foam! Tex's reef setup looks so good how could you go wrong? $4 a can!!!!!

[reeferRob]

Hey Dustin give me a call 254-723-3099 and i can tell you where to get it by us. I have gotten tons of it around us for my cichlid tanks.


Ft Hood is loaded with it, just watch what you are doing, as there are some areas of hood that are conservation/historic/and ancient burial grounds.

Manning mountain is where I got alot of mine to go around my pond.