how to make live rock more alive

[flanque]

hello,

my live rock... how can one make it more alive. thinking of having things growing all over it etc



thx

 

[Fluff]

Not sure I understand what you want. If you want corals and macros growing all over the rock, then you only need to add them. If your looking for things like sponges and coralline, you just need to give it time. Or add more quality liverock to help seed the old.

 

[flanque]

It's not so much about coral, since I have low lighting levels, it's more about sponges and coralline, etc. I guess I am not sure what I mean either. I look at other's tanks and the rock seems more alive ignoring the coral and anemones, however mine seems rather barron.

 

[atjohns84]

Time is the biggest thing. Add some good live rock and let it grow. There are additives like Coral-Vit that will speed it up.

 

[flanque]

Yeah the thing is I have had this tank for over two years now... perhaps I should add some more live rock.

What are the rules on adding more live rock that has stuff growing all over it?

 

[melosu58]

Depends how much you are going to add. If its just a few pieces,you just scrub off the outside and put it in your tank and hopefully you wont have a mini spike. If you do a bunch then you`ll have to cure it in a tub for a few weeks.

 

[flanque]

Okay well that pretty much confirms what I thought, but then that poses the next question... if you cure it, wont it kill the life on the rock?

 

[afilter]

I think a key you mention is low lighting. How do you define low lighting? Coraline will need some light to flourish. Also check you calc and alk levels. These also need to be in balance to promote growth.

I had my tank about 2 years before upgrading lightinf and monitoring the calc/alk levels more closely with the addition of corals. Once I adjusted I could see coraline new growth within a couple of weeks.

Just adding more LR may not accomplish what you want.

HTH,

 

[flanque]

1x35w white, 1x30w actinic. Like I said, very low light, though I have this one coral looking thing which has grown from a pin prick into three thumbnail size creatures. My coralmorphs are also (all two of them) come out every day.

I guess a tank with a lot more coralamorphs would be nice.

 

[afilter]

OK, so with a 46g tank you are just under 2wpg. You may be able to get some coraline growth with that, bit I would suggest about 2 times that. How about those calc/alk levels?

 

[Brenden]

More light would definitely help. How often do you monitor your CA and alk and what are they now?

 

[flanque]

I will have to check and get back to you. Last I checked cal was 450, alt was 200. Been a number of weeks since that but during that time I have added the "weekly advised dosage" on the bottle of each so who knows.

Poor attitude I know and I must become more vigelant.