Is ten to fifteen lbs of liverock enough?

[excited_newby]

Before you laugh here me out,

I have a 30 gallon tank, and it is being set up in my highschool (a project designated to be in my BioAP class) and we have a minimal budget. My question is, is it possible to just add say 10 - 15 lbs of liverock to act as a filter and to start the cycling. We really just want to get it cycled so we can add a couple of Percula's (tank raised).

I don't want it to sound like I am in a rush, because we have been preparing to get it up and going for months, but I do think that our teacher is getting a little impatient.

Thanks for your help!

 

[SaltwaterTeen]

Well if you are very impatient you can try and add bio-spira which takes away new tank syndrome overnight, I dunno if ull have success cuz not all bio-spira works. Are you going for a reef or fowlr? I would reccomend 2-4lbs of live rock a gallon unless u have a good filter, but I would not recommend bio-spira cuz I used it 3 times to get it workin...

 

[SaltwaterTeen]

bio-spira is abou 20-30 dollars a pack

 

[excited_newby]

Ok, well i can absolutely assure you that I will not be getting 2 to 4 lbs of LR per gallon despite how much I would love to. It is just a cost thing. How much filter do you think we would need just to keep a couple of tank raised perc clowns and maybe a tang once the tank has established? I would like to get a little live rock but more than 15lbs is out of the question unfortunately...

Suggestions please!

 

[loganj]

I would go with whatever quantity of good LR that I could afford. Then, I would add enough base rock (much cheaper) to bring the total amount of rock up to between 30 and 45lbs. The base rock will grow bacteria fairly quickly and will, over a period of about 4-5 months (assuming you have adequate lighting and water parameters are good), become LR.
Also, a 30 gal tank is not large enough for a tang. The smallest tangs need at least a 75gal tank when they're grown. If you got a very small yellow tang, you could probably keep it in the 30 for a little while, but you'd have to be prepared to upgrade to a larger tank or return the tang to the LFS. I think a pair of TR percs or ocellaris clowns would be great though. You might look into a small goby or blenny as well. One of the lysmata cleaner shrimp would be a good addtion too. Just take your time and make sure the tank is cycled and ready for livestock. Patience is the most important thing with reef tanks.

 

[duaumun]

15-25 lbs might be better.

 

[excited_newby]

Haha ok, I will see what I can do, if I were buying this with my own money I would just hold on and work for a few more hours to pay of the increased need, but since this is a school thing all the money that we have for this project is that which we can raise (through science competitions and things like that) and the little bit our teacher can squeeze out of the school board.

I am going to ask around if there is anywhere that will give us a deal because this is a school project. Anyone who may know someone online that distributes LR and might be able to give us a deal that would be magnificent if I could get a name.

Thanks alot.

 

[loganj]

Check with Zack at liverocks.com. You can find him in the sponsor forum here. I don't know what kind of arrangement he has for shipping rock to Canada, but I'm sure he would try to work something out with you.

 

[excited_newby]

Allright cool,

I will talk with him, but I don't want to sound like a charity case looking for handouts. I have a feeling that shipping maybe be the only deterent in getting it from him. One of the things that I dislike about living in Canada (one of the very few). Or else maybe I could put the word out that I am looking for LR and if anyone in my area is dissassembling a tank I could pick it up, maybe for a small fee.

Anyways thanks for the help!

 

[RogerMcAllen]

A bit off topic, but how will you care for the tank when school is out?

 

[excited_newby]

I am going to take it home I think. I sort of dreaded the project as I started it, but now I find myself in there almost every day, checking water levels and envisioning. While we are on the topic, does anyone know the best way to move a tank like that?

 

[RogerMcAllen]

We have an article in our articles section, there is a link at the top of the page, about moving a tank, and there are a couple of threads about it too.

 

[excited_newby]

Alright cool,

I will have a read through that. I have read some of the other articles that are there, but did not notice the tank moving one.