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	Purpose Of Base Rock?
newowner Fingerling Posts: 42 Kudos: 14 Votes: 0 Registered: 24-Sep-2003	Could anyone kindly inform me if there is a particular purpose or benefit to having base rock in a tank, besides taking up space? For example, does it keep chemical levels low, or anything like that? Does it have any advantages as opposed to fish furniture?
Posted 29-Jan-2006 07:08
LITTLE_FISH *** Little Fish *** Master of Something Posts: 7303 Kudos: 1997 Votes: 670 Registered: 20-May-2005	newowner, I wish I could help you, but I have no idea what you mean with base rock. Neither do I know what fish furniture are. Would you mind explaining both entities to me? Thanks in advance, Ingo Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club
Posted 29-Jan-2006 19:51
newowner Fingerling Posts: 42 Kudos: 14 Votes: 0 Registered: 24-Sep-2003	Oh, sorry. base rock is just regular rock (as opposed to live rock). Fish furniture is for example the houses, and bridges, and boats, etc. that people put in their tanks for decoration. Let me know if that still doesn't make sense.
Posted 29-Jan-2006 20:47
Bob Wesolowski Mega Fish Posts: 1379 Kudos: 1462 Registered: 14-Oct-2004	Edited by Bob Wesolowski base rock is then the same as fish furniture to use your terms. It provides an aesthetic hardscape for the aquarium just as castles, bridges and sunken ships do for some people. The best rock for most hobbyists is neutral, it changes none of the attributes of the hobbyists water. Rock should always be tested for an alkaline or carbonate reaction prior to its use. The simplest way to test for such a reaction is to use vinegar and watch for fizzing... __________ "To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research." researched from Steven Wright
Posted 29-Jan-2006 20:57
bcwcat22 Big Fish Posts: 395 Kudos: 314 Votes: 34 Registered: 16-Jul-2005	I believe that base rock can sometimes be used to buffer ph. It can also be used simply for aesthetics. "A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man" Simpsons
Posted 29-Jan-2006 21:04
newowner Fingerling Posts: 42 Kudos: 14 Votes: 0 Registered: 24-Sep-2003	oh, ok. Thanks for your input! :-)
Posted 29-Jan-2006 22:18
nattereri Mega Fish Posts: 1075 Kudos: 1157 Votes: 39 Registered: 16-Aug-2003	If you use base rock in a marine aquarium, it is a cheap alternative to live rock. As long as there is a bit of live rock in the tank, the base rock will be seeded by that and slowly become "live" as well. That way, you don't have to buy, say 50 pounds of live rock, you can buy 25 pounds base rock at a much cheaper price and 25lbs of live rock. But in freshwater, base rock is decoration and/or can be used as a buffer, keeping the pH higher, for ie: African cichlids.
Posted 30-Jan-2006 04:31
So_Very_Sneaky Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 3238 Kudos: 2272 Votes: 201 Registered: 10-Mar-2004	Also, gravel substrate on a tanks bottom, as well as sand or other forms of stone, allows for beneficial bacterial to populate and help to keep ammonia and nitrite levels low. The majority of nitrobacter bacteria in a tank resides in the substrate, the rest in the filter media. Come Play Yahtzee With Me! http://games.atari.com Http://www.myleague.com/yahtgames
Posted 30-Jan-2006 13:35


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