I have no idea why you are not doing this... GO VERTICAL!

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
As usual you are coming out with inspiring ideas :)
I can't stand my tow brrding Females golden severumes ;) any more and i was thinking of having a whole non cichlid African tank with bichirs , Leopard climbing perch and maybe a couple of smaller African catfish if i can find any
Thanks for the inspiration
 
While I agree that it's a much underappreciated object? for your tank.. a few things one should take into mind when useing it.

A. It's almost impossible to sterilize w/out days of drying and soaking.

B. Scaless fish can and will often destroy their bodies on this type of deco.

It also works quite well in a filter for bio-media if you take a hammer to it and bust it into pecies ( obviousely rinseing dust away before useing it in your tank). Offers a good place for certain species of plants to root onto.

only other concern I would have is a silica based peice is goign to likely encourage algae growth in your tank. Not 100% sure it'd be as bad as silica sand is, but I doubt it would have 0 effect.

I got rid of my porus rock years ago when I switched from cichlids to more scaless fish.
 
Thanks! I did it for all the reasons in your op. I was inspired by the "reefers"
 
MonsterMinis;5138135; said:
While I agree that it's a much underappreciated object? for your tank.. a few things one should take into mind when useing it.

A. It's almost impossible to sterilize w/out days of drying and soaking.

B. Scaless fish can and will often destroy their bodies on this type of deco.

It also works quite well in a filter for bio-media if you take a hammer to it and bust it into pecies ( obviousely rinseing dust away before useing it in your tank). Offers a good place for certain species of plants to root onto.

only other concern I would have is a silica based peice is goign to likely encourage algae growth in your tank. Not 100% sure it'd be as bad as silica sand is, but I doubt it would have 0 effect.

I got rid of my porus rock years ago when I switched from cichlids to more scaless fish.
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I'm not sure of the effect on scaleless fish, i'd tend to agree with you though - however, my loaches seem ok so far, but I guess you never know with an abrasive surface. But i've had no problem at all with scaled fish. Sterilize? i think my process was a garden hose. Algae can be a problem I guess. But my java ferns out compete other lower plant life forms, and truth be told, alage on the rocks doesn't bother me much.
 
The coolest effect would be to have an open top on a tall tank, and having the peaks of the lava rock sticking out of the water on top. Here, you could theoretically plant plants that don't require soil, or you could hollow out the peaks to add potting substrate.

I see this on a GIANT scale, planted on the peaks above the water with various grasses and cactus style succulents or something, and below planted with java fern, on a 7 foot tall, two foot wide tank, filtered by 4 FX5s. drooly! drooly!
 
Redearsunfish;5138169; said:
I'm not sure of the effect on scaleless fish, i'd tend to agree with you though - however, my loaches seem ok so far, but I guess you never know with an abrasive surface. But i've had no problem at all with scaled fish. Sterilize? i think my process was a garden hose. Algae can be a problem I guess. But my java ferns out compete other lower plant life forms, and truth be told, alage on the rocks doesn't bother me much.
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Sterilize such as if you have an outbreak of Ick or another parasite. It tends to hide very deep and well into the rock. a bleach soak and a complete dry takes days.

Truth be told the algae never really bothered me either but some people are OCD about no algae hehe.. and most africans I found appreciated the natural grazeing available.

Just saying it is not for every tank.

I think a reason why most people avoid it particularly large predetory fish keepers is the algae and the potential for damage to their fish.

I'm actually looking at setting up a 20L in the "babies room" with some old dead liverock I have in storage and putting a pair of small africans in it.

I have had skittish community fish in the past "tweek out" and bash into the rock and do a nice number on themselves.

Just like anything else porus rock has it's up-sides and downsides to being put in your aquarium.
 
MonsterMinis;5138193; said:
Sterilize such as if you have an outbreak of Ick or another parasite. It tends to hide very deep and well into the rock. a bleach soak and a complete dry takes days.

Truth be told the algae never really bothered me either but some people are OCD about no algae hehe.. and most africans I found appreciated the natural grazeing available.

Just saying it is not for every tank.

I think a reason why most people avoid it particularly large predetory fish keepers is the algae and the potential for damage to their fish.

I'm actually looking at setting up a 20L in the "babies room" with some old dead liverock I have in storage and putting a pair of small africans in it.

I have had skittish community fish in the past "tweek out" and bash into the rock and do a nice number on themselves.

Just like anything else porus rock has it's up-sides and downsides to being put in your aquarium.
Click to expand...


I completely agree with you.

My suggseted setup is only for small/smallish cylindrical shaped African cichlids and such, that can get in and out of crevices.
 
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