Where Can I Get Cheap Base Rock?

[Rcpilot]

I need a good base for my reef and I can't find anything cheap.

I found this:
Saltwater Aquarium Live Rock for Marine Reef Aquariums: Fiji Foundation Rock

But, thats gonna cost me $100 (shipping has got to be at least $30-$40) just so I can bury it all.

Can a guy use PVC pipe or concrete blocks or ANYTHING else? Or where can I get cheap base rock?

I was thinking of cutting PVC pipe and placing smaller and smaller diameter pieces inside others. If they were all, say 4" high, it would build a base that I could just fill in the gaps with crushed coral.

Like this:
Image of PVC - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Maybe? :shock:
Thanks

 

[LionFish]

go to your LFS and ask for LaceRock!

it is Very Cheap! like $1 a Lb .

 

[JBReef]

Is it healthier, filtration wise, to buy actual live rock as base rock or atleast buy the expensive base rock? or does it not really matter?

 

[yote]

Its cheaper to buy lace rock and seed it with live rock.After a while all your lace will be live rock.

 

[Rcpilot]

Is it healthier, filtration wise, to buy actual live rock as base rock or atleast buy the expensive base rock? or does it not really matter?

I specifically do not want live rock because I'm going to bury it under 4-6" of sand. It would just die. It's my foundation for building the entire reef on top of it. No light under the sand. No water circulation. Big ammonia spike. Dead rock. Waste of money.

 

[LionFish]

then ya lace rock or PVC, or egg crate

 

[Rcpilot]

I found lace rock at the LFS. It's a 50 pound box and he wants $53 for it. I can live with that.

I was thinking about just cutting up PVC pipes into 6" lengths and put smaller diameter pipes inside others. Make a sort of shelf from the PVC pipes.

Image of PVC - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

 

[Bifferwine]

If you are planning on burying part of the live rock, lots of people use PVC for that so they don't "waste" their rock.

 

[Rcpilot]

I am going to bury almost all of the rock. Seams a waste of $$ to buy rock and then bury it, but I'm such a newb. Already made a couple mistales and don't want to waste anymore money.

Did you click my link to photobucket?
Thats what I was thinking of doing. Just cut pieces of 4" PVC pipe about 5" or 6" long and place them in the tank. The length of the PVC will determine how deep my sand bed is. Then cut smaller diameter pieces and place them inside the 4" diameter pieces. Then cut smaller diameter pieces and stick them inside. Of course, all the pieces would be the same length, just smaller and smaller diameter pieces to fit inside each other. Hope that makes sense.

Seams cheaper than buying rocks to bury under the sand.

 

[reeffreak]

If your using the PVC to keep the rocks slightly off the sand bed than that should be fine.Personally,sitting whatever choice of rocks on the sand bed will be just fine too.I really don't understand your fear,the sand already makes a good foundation.I heard alot of good things about this sites dry rocks.....Products

 

[Bifferwine]

I have all my live rock (about 100 lbs of it) just slightly buried in the sand so that it doesn't wobble. Maybe 1/2 to 1 inch of it is buried.

 

[Rcpilot]

If your using the PVC to keep the rocks slightly off the sand bed than that should be fine.Personally,sitting whatever choice of rocks on the sand bed will be just fine too.I really don't understand your fear,the sand already makes a good foundation.I heard alot of good things about this sites dry rocks.....Products

Thanks for the link.

I was just worried about the sand not being a good enough foundation and settling over time. I was afraid that my reef could possibly topple over at a later date and do some damage.

If you all think that just putting my reef down into the sand bed a few inches will be stable enough, I'll take your advice. I'm just getting back into it after so much time off, and I never had live rocks or a reef before. I only kept fish back when I was a kid. I don't want to make any stupid mistakes, so I guess I'm being a bit paranoid. I don't want to reinvent the wheel, just want to follow the standard practices that have been proven.

Thanks everyone for the help. I've registered on a few different forums to discuss reefs, and you guys/gals on Living Reefs are by far the kindest and most helpful. Really appreciate all the help and patience you've shown me. :Cheers:

 

[Bifferwine]

The rocks are heavy, and they seem to interlock pretty easily once you arrange them. When I was aquascaping, I'd grab them once they were put in place and wiggle them back and forth. If they moved too much, I'd reposition them. Really, they are not going to go anywhere over time. Especially if you have some of them stacked up against the back glass.

 

[reeffreak]

Epoxy works well in locking the rocks together.I have a few pieces held together like that.

 

[Bifferwine]

Or you can use cable ties to hold them together and cut off any extra at the end.

 

[Rcpilot]

Might I assume this epoxy available online? I'll do a search for it.

Good idea on the zip ties. I'll bet they disappear within a few months from being covered in algea and critters.

 

[Bifferwine]

The epoxy is available at Ace Hardware, Home Depot or Lowe's. There are many different brands and types available, be sure to buy a kind that says it's safe for potable water.

 

[reeffreak]

They sell them online and at most LFS......AquaStik: Epoxy Putty