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mcox 
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 Topic: Lake Bonneville Tufa Rock LBTR
Posted: February 15 2006 at 3:20pm |
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I'm sure this has been addressed in the past, but here goes...
Planning on a FOWLR tank approx 250gallons, possibly reef a couple of years down the road. Filtration plan is approx 30-40 gallon refugium, efficient protein skimmer, and live rock. After stabilize, planning on moderate to heavy fish load.
If I only did 1/3rd Fiji liverock and the rest LBTR, how well would this accomplish the main function of biological filtration?
Any idea how long it would take to be a fully functioning, stabilized biological filter?
How long would it take to look like Fiji live rock?
Any other suggestions or strategy?
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bbeck4x4
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Posted: February 15 2006 at 4:37pm |
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here is a utah rock that I picked up out of the desert and washed and placed in my tank about 4 months ago.
(still trying to get images resized correctly, pm me and I send a better copy)
Brian
(deleted photo for the one below)
Edited by bbeck4x4
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bbeck4x4
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Posted: February 15 2006 at 4:44pm |
 here I'll try this one.
(I don't have image resizing down just right yet, but you get the idea.)
Edited by bbeck4x4
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Rocky
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Posted: February 15 2006 at 8:23pm |
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The 1/3 mix of fiji and LBTR should work out great, you could probably even do less fiji if you wanted to. All rock placed in the tank will eventually become live rock which will help with your bio filtration.
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Rocky Phillips
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Mark Peterson
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Posted: February 15 2006 at 9:58pm |
Did you know that coral are easier to keep than fish? Coral filter the water while fish pollute it. Any marine fish tank is better if coral are growing in it. There are some fish that love to eat coral, like Puffers and large Angels, but a Trigger - Eel -Lionfish tank looks even better when it has live coral for decoration.
Click on this link to go to the thread that tells how to set up a saltwater tank using LBTR and Utah Oolitic sand. http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244
LBTR colors up pretty good within 6 months. Before and after pics are in that thread.
Edited by Mark Peterson
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mcox
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Posted: February 16 2006 at 1:11pm |
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4 months, not bad at all. I was just concerned that I would be waiting 1-2 years for the LBTR to be a fully functioning bio filter/look like regular live rock.
I have definitely been considering coral vs. fish and/or both. My main hang up is on the cost of ongoing lighting. There is the initial cost, replacing bulbs once to twice yrly, and then the power bill. I figure on this size tank 72"x30"x30" I would need a bare minimum of 3 250w MH to get the flexibility needed for the eventual stocking I would like.
Could picasso, humu humu, and or clown triggers be kept safely in a reef/coral tank? I love those fish, but am concerned they might destroy everything.
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dkle
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Posted: February 16 2006 at 5:55pm |
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Those triggers are NOT reef-safe. There are several that are
safe; blue-jaw trigger is one. These reef-safe triggers are
really expensive though.
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If you can't bedazzle them with your brilliance, baffle them with your bs!
Dinhkim Le - Procrastinator extra-ordinare
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bbeck4x4
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Posted: February 16 2006 at 6:10pm |
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I have heard/read that the "dead" rock becomes a "live" filter in
roughly two to three weeks, I am sure that others can give us the
details....... anyone out there know for sure?
Brian
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Mark Peterson
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Posted: February 16 2006 at 7:26pm |
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Well... it's not like a switch is thrown at x weeks and the LBTR becomes LR. It's like an empty apartment building that needs tenants. The time it takes for it to become populated by bacteria, worms, and other tiny inverts varies according to several factors. It populates faster when it is placed with a larger amount of LR and/or LS, when it is placed in good light, and when it starts out completely cleaned.
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bbeck4x4
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Posted: February 16 2006 at 7:51pm |
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I agree, what I remember about what had read was that if the rock was
added to a existing tank, then it becomes live around that time,
at the time that I read that I was also thinking that it would take
years.
more along the lines of starting to become benificial?
Brian
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Mark Peterson
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Posted: February 16 2006 at 8:13pm |
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mcox
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Posted: February 17 2006 at 5:45pm |
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With regard to cleaning LBTR:
Does anyone know what the ave psi that the car wash sprayers use? The reason I am asking, is that my brother has a pressure washer and I am wondering if this would generate enough pressure to clean the rock. Putting down a $1 every 30 seconds to wash the rock could get pricey.
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bbeck4x4
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Posted: February 17 2006 at 6:36pm |
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I also have a pressure washer and if it is like mine it is probably
better than a carwash sprayer, in fact if you have the zero degree
nozzle you could also create a rock that has larger holes and other
shapes.
Brian
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sshm
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Posted: February 17 2006 at 8:21pm |
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I got some LBTR from Mark, they were already in his tank when I got them
but I dont know for how long. Those colored to purple within 45 days in
my little tank. Ive got more rock from Mark to use as base rock in my new
tank, these were dry so I dont know how long they will take.
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Mark Peterson
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Posted: February 17 2006 at 9:50pm |
 mcox wrote:
...Putting down a $1 every 30 seconds to wash the rock could get pricey. |
I think I pay $1.75 twice to get about 40 lbs of rock cleaned at the car wash. Definitely try your own power wash and see how clean it gets the rock. I spread all the rock out on the cement, up against the side wall of the carwash before inserting the coins. Spray it all real good and up close too, then turn it over and spray it on the other side. Then turn it back over to give it one last close spray. If you have a helper it goes faster/easier. 
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