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My 280g build....
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- Start date
Are you going to use the Jack-o-lantern as a waste container for the skimmer? LOL
Pukani......
was ready to order another type of dry rock but a good friend suggested I really consider the Pukani rock from BRS. After a few emails with BRS I decided to take my friends advice and ordered 100lbs of Pukani and 30 lbs of the shelf rock they sell. The boxes arrived yesterday and my expectations have been exceeded. I thought for sure there would be a lot of breakage but I had no more than two handfuls and most of the pieces that broke are perfect for frags. The way they packed the rocks was amazing....I now have enough packing peanuts to start my own shipping company
For the 100lbs of Pukani I received 20 pieces of rock with about 5 of them being true large show pieces.
There's only a few boxes left to be delivered at this point and they are just small parts and supplies. I still need to order my plumbing fixtures and have been thinking about getting my ball valves from Savko. I have one right now that was given to me and the valve is so easy to open and close...not like the ones I have gotten from HD.
TANK UPDATE....
Glass should be in next week and they will start building the tank. The builder said they will forward progress pictures.
was ready to order another type of dry rock but a good friend suggested I really consider the Pukani rock from BRS. After a few emails with BRS I decided to take my friends advice and ordered 100lbs of Pukani and 30 lbs of the shelf rock they sell. The boxes arrived yesterday and my expectations have been exceeded. I thought for sure there would be a lot of breakage but I had no more than two handfuls and most of the pieces that broke are perfect for frags. The way they packed the rocks was amazing....I now have enough packing peanuts to start my own shipping company
For the 100lbs of Pukani I received 20 pieces of rock with about 5 of them being true large show pieces.
There's only a few boxes left to be delivered at this point and they are just small parts and supplies. I still need to order my plumbing fixtures and have been thinking about getting my ball valves from Savko. I have one right now that was given to me and the valve is so easy to open and close...not like the ones I have gotten from HD.
TANK UPDATE....
Glass should be in next week and they will start building the tank. The builder said they will forward progress pictures.
Thanks Darren. I have some minor adjustments and finishing touches to do on the stand and then I can set up the frag tank which I will use as a transition tank for my existing set up. Builders are planning on start right around xmas.
Steve
Steve,
This is really great rock, but will need some work before you place it in your tank. This rock is very porous and lacey, and as a result, although dried, still contains a lot of dried, dead organic matter. I could see much of this dried matter consists of sponges and brittle/serpent stars and a lot of stuff I couldn't identify. Once you re-introduce this rock to water it will start to rehydrate this matter and it will begin to rot. I would suggest that you take the rock and pick out as much of the visible matter as possible, then take either your garden hose or a high pressure washer and clean it again. Then, I would etch it in a vinegar bath for a couple of days, to remove as much of the remaining matter as possible and then do the pressure wash again. At this point if your going to introduce it to an existing system I'd put it in a separate container and let it cure for a couple of weeks.
This is really great rock, but will need some work before you place it in your tank. This rock is very porous and lacey, and as a result, although dried, still contains a lot of dried, dead organic matter. I could see much of this dried matter consists of sponges and brittle/serpent stars and a lot of stuff I couldn't identify. Once you re-introduce this rock to water it will start to rehydrate this matter and it will begin to rot. I would suggest that you take the rock and pick out as much of the visible matter as possible, then take either your garden hose or a high pressure washer and clean it again. Then, I would etch it in a vinegar bath for a couple of days, to remove as much of the remaining matter as possible and then do the pressure wash again. At this point if your going to introduce it to an existing system I'd put it in a separate container and let it cure for a couple of weeks.
Jim,
Your post is very timely because I was looking to see what others have done with this rock before putting it into a system. All of this rock will go into a brand new system so does that change anything you suggested above? I was going to put it in a brute with some vinegar and hit it with a strong stream of water...nervous about using my powerwasher because of the chemicals that have run thru it. The one thing I have read about the pukani is people have had serious P04 problems because they didnt take the proper steps to clean it and I definitely want to avoid this happening.
Your post is very timely because I was looking to see what others have done with this rock before putting it into a system. All of this rock will go into a brand new system so does that change anything you suggested above? I was going to put it in a brute with some vinegar and hit it with a strong stream of water...nervous about using my powerwasher because of the chemicals that have run thru it. The one thing I have read about the pukani is people have had serious P04 problems because they didnt take the proper steps to clean it and I definitely want to avoid this happening.
If you have the time/patience to invest, I would do all the above. But, since it's not an established system already, you could bypass the final "curing" process, and just introduce it into the new tank and let it all cure together. If you have to do the etching process in small batches, make sure you make new vinegar solution for each batch because it will neutralize itself each time. I used a solution of 2 part water to 1 part vinegar, with a couple of PH's, and left it run for two days. I just used a garden hose with a high pressure nozzle.
You may want to consider cycling your rock in a separate container using lanthanum chloride to reduce the phosphates.
Too funny on both comments.....I've been reading that thread already and have posted a few questions there. Seems like lanthanum chloride or seaklear coupled with patience when cooking the rocks is the answer. Fortunately I'm still about 4-6 weeks away from having the tank ready. So I will cook until the po4 is acceptable.
that pukani dish sounds awesome...I'll have some of that too!
Steve
Picked up the new transition/frag tank last night from Trop.....
| Getting one step closer....last night I picked up the DeepBlue Professional 80 gallon frag tank. My plan is to move everything from current set up into this tank and then when the new tank is ready move everything again leaving this tank to be a frag/holding tank. I need to have it done by next weekend because the contractor for the basement will begin a week from Monday. So I need to move this...... 
and this mess..... 
To here..... 
How much of the sand should I move? I would like to not move any of it. |