Live Rock Choice.

[taylorab85]

OK, I have a lot of questions........First off What store has the best prices on LR.Second, I am going to be setting up a 100 gal FOWLR within a couple of months and I am looking for a colorful live rock that is easy to shape as a kind of thin mountain in the back of the tank with a couple caves.Also how much live rock do I really need,because, Ill have enough biological filtration with my wet/dry,I am just looking for a more "natural" look with the appearance of the tank.Also if I were to buy live rock from my LFS pre-cured would I still need to cure it again in my tank?

[SaltyDawg]

Well, I have no experience with these people but from what I have read www.liverocks.com is one of the best. The Keys LR is very colorfull and covered with coraleen algae. Setting up a 100gal tank I would look at getting around 125lbs or so. Keep in mind if you are not worried about looks at first you can get man-made rock to make the bulk of your rock and then get 40 or so pounds of the Keys rock and over time, say a year or two you the algae will cover the man-made stuff. Or you can get liverocks live base rock and some keys rock to go with it. Unless you have an unlimited budget it's hard to get all live rock to fill a large tank.

Then again, alot depends on which kind of tank you are setting up. If it's a FOWLR tank then the wet/dry filtration will be ok, but if you plan on changing to corals sometime(and most of us do) I would consider putting a sump in.

What kind of substrait are you going to use? Crushed Coral or Live Sand or a mixture of both?

Are you going to use a Protein skimmer? How many Power heads.

As far as how much LR you will need, you may want to purchase 70lbs or so and see if that is enough for you. You can always buy more later. If you are setting this tank up from scratch with the LR, just use it to cycle the tank and I wouldn't think you would have to cure it, because basically what you are doing by curing the rock is allowing the stuff that dies off to rot and be taken care of by the natural cycle of the tank.

It's good to ask questions before you start a tank. Just take it slow and easy and things will be fine. If you are starting your tank with the LR in it don't put any fish in it until the cycle has fininshed.

[Jimbo]

.Also if I were to buy live rock from my LFS pre-cured would I still need to cure it again in my tank?

you dont need to re-cure it if u just got it from the lfs.. IF it was honestly cured. what some lfs's say is 'cured' sometimes is not that at all. I have a rubberrmaid setup with water, a heater and skimmer for quarrentine, and curing rock... many times ive purchased 'cured' rock, put it in the rubbermaid and had ammonia out the yin yang., :(

so u are best to test and check anything before adding to your tank.. a better way is to ask how long the rock has been there, and maybe pick a few pieces for them to hold.

Good luck with your tank.. what are you planning to keep in there?

;)

[taylorab85]

SO far Im gonna get a saddleback Valentini Puffer,Clown Trigger,Humma Humma trigger,a blueface angel,and a powder blue tang.But, the list changes everyday in my head.Any suggestions on this "LINEUP"?????????? :) :) :?: :idea:

[Paidbychrist0825]

blue4 face angels are great lloking fish. i am intersted in your expeiriences with htem, as i intend to have a tank with angels in it late, and that is one of the possible species.

[icereefer]

keys LR is nice stuff, but I like figi to because it's nice and porous and easy to shape.

[Jimbo]

SO far Im gonna get a saddleback Valentini Puffer,Clown Trigger,Humma Humma trigger,a blueface angel,and a powder blue tang.But, the list changes everyday in my head.Any suggestions on this "LINEUP"?????????? :) :) :?: :idea:


im not to familiar with the puffers and tangs - not my thing. But what advice i can give is try to introduce the fish slowly. Maybe pick one or two from the list and wait a few months to check water quality. If your system seems to be doing fine with low nitrates, ect. Then add more. I too am guilty of trying to add too much to quick, the problem is when u do this there is not enought dennitrifying bacteria to handle the waste of all the fish at once, but adding a bit at a time can allow the bacteria cultures time to builld up and handle tthe bioload.

cheers.
:)

[taylorab85]

Oh................Trust me I think I know that better than anyone,and I do mean anyone.I wiped out an entire 35 gallon tank with overstocking.Just to keep the fish alive that I had ,I added a nitrite detoxifier and ammonia detoxifier everyday.I am definitely going to take my time with this new project.I already have about 1000 invested into everything and that is not including the LR,Fish,Substrate.The only reason I am even being able to afford this is I get my tanks for free, and my uncle is doing all of the plumbing for free.I think I am going to setup a page with all of the stages that I will go through with this tank.pics a journal and everything.Itll be an adventure but I think that I can handle it this time........................

[Jimbo]

Oh................Trust me I think I know that better than anyone,and I do mean anyone.I wiped out an entire 35 gallon tank with overstocking.Just to keep the fish alive that I had ,I added a nitrite detoxifier and ammonia detoxifier everyday.I am definitely going to take my time with this new project.I already have about 1000 invested into everything and that is not including the LR,Fish,Substrate.The only reason I am even being able to afford this is I get my tanks for free, and my uncle is doing all of the plumbing for free.I think I am going to setup a page with all of the stages that I will go through with this tank.pics a journal and everything.Itll be an adventure but I think that I can handle it this time........................


I'm sorry about your tank problems. I spoke to a guy at the lfs who had put 5 tangs in a 4 gal, with a pair of tomato clowns as well. :(

i couldnt beleive it, but, its the lfs fault for not explaining what needs the fish have before he boughtt them.

its sad, but good to hear u are doing it right this time. There is a specialized forum for lions, puffers, ect in my sig, might want to check that out.

and good luck. :)


-jimbo

[leaffish75]

DIY LR. then get a few pounds of LR from the LFS or net. There is a web site that sells coraline algae in different colors. All you have to do is spread it in the tank

[clamknuckle]

what web site are you talking about leaffish?

[leaffish75]

cant remember the site but ill try to search for it.

[leaffish75]

http://www.thesea.org/catalog/index.php

this is the web site i was talking about.

[taylorab85]

Can anyone tell me what the best way to quicken the spread of the coraline algea,what kind of current,what supplements to add?Do I need to run my skimmer while letting it settle??Is there any die off of the algea causing a mini cycle or do I need to take the fish out?

[MikeS]

Point a powerhead directly at the rocks with coralline growth...you'll need to keep your calcium at 400-450ppm, Alk. at 2.5-3.5 meq/L...and make sure your magnesium is between 1200-1300 +/- ppm. It may seem like it takes awhile to get started, but it will take off....in a few months or so you'll get sick of scraping coralline off your glass.... :D

Mike

[ZenKitty]

TAMPABAYSALTWATER.COM---Check out the "packages" they sell by tank size- The most alive and beautiful live rock I have ever seen....