Liverock Questions

[Joemama16341]

Hey guys I am getting ready to place my order for live rock next week. I think I am going to order 40 pounds of keys rock from liverock.com and 50 pounds of this base rock http://www.thatpetplace.com/Products/KW/rock/Class//T1/F43+0532+0013/EDP/1843/Itemdy00.aspx . I just have a couple of questions before I oder my rock.

#1 Rock from liverock.com what is the average size of the rock?

#2 My tank is already cycled what is the best way to add it?

#3 Do I need to buy any new test kits or food to feed the stuff on the liverock?

#4 Is a normal output flouresent light ok for the liverock or do I need to upgrade to a MH or PC light?

oh by the way I have a 55 gallon standard tank, with 60 pounds of livesand, jebo 180 protein skimmer, 2 300 gal an hour powerheads, and a wisper filter. I have 2 false clowns, 1 long tentical anemone, 1 blue devil damsel, 1 yellow damsel, 1 yellowtail damsel, 1 stripped damsel, 1 peppermint shrimp, 6 turbo snails, and 5 red leg hermits.

Thanks for all your advise

 

[Thumper]

All you will need to do is add it to the tank and keep an eye on the amonia for the first week or two and be ready for water changes as needed. You may want to get a calcium test kit and keep that up around 400-450 range. Other than that your lights should be fine,

 

[Thumper]

I'm ordering 240 pounds of rock from them Wed. 120 pounds of keys and 120 of base rock I'll keep you informed on conditions of rock.

 

[Brad]

Talk rock sizes over with LR.com. They're great and should be able to get appropriate sized pieces for your needs.

Straight into your tank is what they'll recommend for the rock. I agree. Any die off on the rock should be able to be handled by your existing filtration. They do all that they can to minimize any die off on the rock.

It will be a bit of a shock to your existing inhabitants. That's the risk. I would bet that the fish will be fine. I would worry most about the anemone and the pep shrimp.

 

[jaiden]

I'd run some carbon and have lots of water change water on hand to do big (20% maybe) changes

 

[RocketSeason]

Liverocks.com will be able to accomidate nearly any size and shape you want. My rock ranges from a couple of pounds to 25 lbs in size. and I have one rock which is very tall and very thin which makes it look like I have more rock than I do.

The Rock from Liverocks.com is very fresh with very little die off. You may not even see an amonia spike! Just run some carbon in a filter for a week, and do a couple of water changes while watching your parameters closely and you will be fine.

No feeding needed. And you should have at least the basic testing kits. (High end PH, amonia, nitrates, and nitrites.) and your existing lighting hood should be just fine. I do not have a great lighting setup and my rock is beautiful!!!

Check out my Gallery for Pics of my rock from Liverocks.com

 

[EBR]

LR.com is the way to go -- they were my first and only experience with ordring rock online, and I have no reason to go elsewhere for the next order. All of the rock was fresh, minimal die-off, and they made good on an ordering mistake. I even called with questions, and they were great.

Lighting: I also have a 55 gal, with 120# of rock. I got the rock last April and had the normal 50/50 flourecent lighting as well -- and it sufficed for a while. However, over the 8 months since then, I noticed that a lot of the growth on the rocks (plants, coralline algea, spomges, and other fun critters below the very top rocks) simply faded away. I recently upgraded to an Orbit 4x65W and most of the corraline has returned, even at the bottom of the tank. In hindsight, I wish I had sustained the lighting the rock was used to from the beginning. Oh well.

The rock is a huge investment, but you might consider the lighting for your next one.

Good luck and enjoy!
Matt

 

[Joemama16341]

Thanks guys as usual your help was an A+ effort and greatly needed. Thanks for everything I'll be posting some picts as soon as I get the Liverock situated