Smashey Smashey?

[Anonymous]

I'm about ready to set up my aquarium. Fikkin finally! One question tho: I was sorta thinking of taking one of the crappier peices of live rock when I finally get some, and using a big mallet to smash it into frags, because i'll need a few for in my 'fugium ... however, smashing a whole chunk of live rock for like 5 frags in a small refugium isn't all that cool. I was thinking of putting some of the other frags in my display tank, like scatter some rubble around the base of the reef, etc, or maybe a neat pile in a corner .. who knows.

1. Is this cool?
2. Will growing stuff "creep" over the frag over time, not just the face but the inner facets from where it was chipped off?
3. Bloop?

 

[Anonymous]

Why don't you just buy some rubble rock?

 

[liquid]

That should be perfectly fine to do what you're talking about. If it's soft corals, make sure that the flow is really low in that area as the frags will blow around otherwise. I have seen people take smallish rubbermaid trays, fill them with sand/rubble, stick it in a corner of your display tank on the sand, and then just drop their frags in that.

Shane

 

[Anonymous]

Shane-

It will work to smash up pieces of live rock, but why do so when you can buy rubble rock from your LFS for cheaper than bigger pieces? It's the same thing except you don't to do the work and save money.

 

[liquid]

Some LFS' sell rubble for the same price as full sized rock.

Shane

 

[Anonymous]

Hmm ... I guess I will have to visit the LFS and doublecheck, but I don't think I have seen rubble rock at any of the LFS' around here. And now that I think of it, I bet they would use that as a reason to charge me more or give me low quality stuff ...

 

[Anonymous]

Righty has that same kind of set up as liquid mentioned, but in his sump (that's under the house--The Sump Fort!). IIRC, he's got the trays (they actually look like litterboxes) with a very deep sand bed, >4", I believe he tosses in anything that looks iffy, or has broken off, or anything he's intentionally fragged. Anyway, the sand is very fine by the looks of it, and I think he's getting great results.

As to the l/r, you could also use a drill to better control how and where the rock breaks up. I see no reason why you can't do this, either.

 

[Kara]

A lot of LFS don't actually sell 'rubble' normally, but if you ask them about it, they are usually more than willing to dig some out for you and usually at a discounted price.

I made a pile of rubble in one of the back corners of my tank. I call it the 'pod palace'. It is literally swarming with 'pods, worms, mysid shrimp and other tiny tank creatures. These rubble piles are great for 'pod farming!

 

[DOGMAI]

You can buy rubble off the net for very cheap. I boutght two pounds from http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant ... ROCKRUBBLE and it was very good looking stuff. It is only $1.49 a pound and you can have it shipped standard ground which is a lot cheaper. I was very satisfied with what I got from them.

Shane