What do I need to do

[me1newman]

I have a 75 gal. tank. I added 65 lbs. of live rock to my tank about 1 month ago. I was told that I could use calcium to help it grow stuff quicker and also phytoplankton. Can anyone tell me if either one of these are going to help my rock and if not what i need to be using in it for the rock. My Rock is not doing anything.
Melissa

 

[JG]

What is on your rock? Was it bare looking when you put it in the tank or were there critters growing on it.

Also, do you have any lights, fish, inverts, etc.

 

[electrikat]

It will only grow what is there already. If it didn't have any life on it to start with it won't have any now. However, I have had things grow and come out of mine after several months. The water conditions have to be right for them to thrive. Please don't feed your tank phyto unless you have something in there to eat it, and I don't mean rock. And unless you are testing for calcium, please don't keep adding it. It will totally screw up the system if you have nothing that is using it. Such as corals, clams, etc. Has this tank only been set up for a month, or did you only add the rock a month ago?

 

[me1newman]

Re: what do I need to do

As Far as when I got my Rock what it looked like... Let me explain this some so you really understand what is going on.. When i bought it i got it from a lfs and a friend of mine knows him so the guy was going to give me a "GOOD DEAL" if that is what you want to call it. Because it started out that way but I ordered it on a Saturday and on and on Ended up get it on a Wednesday NIGHT at like 6:45 Supposedly he didn't get it ordered until Monday and Lost it on Tuesday and Wednesday found it at him HOUSE outside in a Box.. So I don't really know how long it was out of water because it was not in water when i got it and it stunk REALLY BAD and there was nothing on it at all. When i rinsed it off to put in the tank it was just a bunch of black stuff and i guess the green algae that it had on it Dirt is what it looked like but i really don't know much.. I had Read a forum on here that i thought some one had stated Phytoplankton would help so I got some of that and snails and a few baby Crabs that are helping clean the rock so I just don't know if it is going to take a long time because it was probably out for sometime and i don't know or if there is something that I can use to speed it up so I can get my fish..SORRY I just kept going about the LFS I am just a little frustrated with them.
Thanks for your help
Melissa

 

[electrikat]

So you added uncured live rock and your ammonia is probably spiking. You didn't say how long the tank has been set up so I'm going to assume it's still cycling. If that is correct here goes. You probably have another 2 to 4 weeks to cycle out the crap on the live rock. You may be looking at several months until anything comes back on the rock if ever. Several days in a box could be very bad especially since you say it smelled bad. You will have lots of die off. Keep an eye on the snails and crabs because the ammonia can and will kill them if it gets high. Stop feeding the tank and let the snails and crabs eat the crap on the rock. Maybe feed once or twice a week till it clears up. I've never heard of a lfs giving "good deals" on live rock and having it delivered to their house instead of the business. Sounds kinda funny. You can cut corners on some things but be careful what you cut them on from now on. Please don't rush this and be absolutely sure your ammonia and nitrites are at absolute zero before you get any fish or corals. And never add large amounts of live rock after you add your livestock. It has to be fully cured or only add one piece at a time. Good luck and be patient. I know it's hard.

 

[me1newman]

Yes i am going to assume that is was uncured like you said... But as far as the Ammonia and the Nitrites they are at zero and have been for some time now. The Tank has been set up since Dec. 2004 and i added the Sand in Jan. 2005 then I added the rock March 22 so it has been in there for about a month.. The smell was my main concern as well I don't know much about Saltwater but I did know that it should not smell that way at all. Or so I do not think it needed to. You said I may be looking at several months before something comes out of the rock if ever.. SO I GUESS this means that i might not ever have anything come out of it. Then I am going to be Really Pissed ....
And about the lfs having a good deal it was a really good deal since my best friend knew him and like you said on the other not really sure about the hole thing since it was delivered to his house made me wonder also.
And I knew that the chemicals had to be at zero.. that is why i do not have any fish in now i am wanting about 50 more lbs. of live rock. so i guess when i get that it would help bring my other rock i am having problems with come back alive right.
It is Very hard to be Patient but I am Trying!!!! I want the "PRETTY " Fish in then Now just can not yet.
One more thing you said that my snails and crabs needed food I am going to look stupid I know but I didn't know that they needed it since i have them eating on the rock (what is it that i need to be giving them once a week or so?)
Thanks for all the help
Melissa

 

[me1newman]

what was on my rock

There was nothing on my rock when I got it . You can read my other post to get full details but it wa a bad deal needless to say
as far as what else is in my tank there are only snails and little crabs
My lighting well i am not really sure what kind of lighting i have i know one bulb is a regular Florescent Bulb and another bulb with a purple tent to it but it is in a black light or anything like that
No Fish in it at all... Just live sand and live rock and the snails & crabs I was just telling you about
Thanks for the Help
Melissa

 

[electrikat]

If you feed them you can use any sinking kind of food. But like I said, they are probably getting what they need off of the live rock for now. When it starts to get bare you will need to drop something in there. Some kind of granule that will sink will be good. Something with both algae and meat in it like an omnivore formula. They won't need much. The snails will probably have algae on the glass to eat. You really need to figure out what kind of lighting you have and how many total watts you have. That is one of the most important things in saltwater because you have a good size tank and will need quite a bit of light. You are going to need between 225 and 375 watts approximately. And from what you say about your lights I'm going to guess that you are sadly under lighted by quite a bit. The bulbs or the fixture should say how many watts they are each. The white is a daylight bulb and the blue is called an actinic.

 

[me1newman]

ok this is what my lighting says on it
I have 2 different bulbs ......
first one says:
Plant and Aquarium
F40PL/AQ
Wide Spectrum

The other one says:
FR40T12
Actinic White
CE 4288

SO I do not know what i need to be looking at to see the watts on them. And any help with my lighting would be great like i said I dont know much just wanted a saltwater tank for years and now i am trying to get one together!!!!
Thank you for all the help
Melissa

 

[electrikat]

The 40 is the wattage of each bulb. You have a standard 40 watt fluorescent fixture which means you have 80 watts of light. That's barely enough for a freshwater tank and maybe, just maybe enough for fish only saltwater. You are never going to be able to have any corals, anemones, etc that require light, without upgrading the lighting. Like I said you need between 3 to 5 watts per gallon or wpg. For this you are going to have to buy one or two new fixtures. In order to get this much light on your tank you will have 3 choices. Vho, pc, or mh. I recommend power compact(pc) but it depends on your budget and what you want to have in your tank. Pc will do for most any coral you might want. Mh is best but can be expensive and isn't absolutely necessary for most corals. So, as I said, you need to look for a light or a combination of lights that will add up to between 225w and 375w or more if you want with 225w being absolutely the minimum and 375 being best. Do a google search for "power compact lighting" and you will find every light imaginable. Find one or more that you can afford and meet your needs(white and actinic) then come back to AA and start a post about what we think about that particular one. Or you could just start a post now and get some ideas on brand names. My pc on my 20 gallon is a Jebo brand which is inexpensive and I got it on EBAY. There are many good brands in every different price range so look around and ask lots of questions.

 

[me1newman]

Thanks for all the help and I will Get on top of the lighting... Do you think that will also help with my Rock problem once i get better lighting for it too.
Thanks again You have been alot of help
Melissa

 

[electrikat]

Yes you will need the lighting to get the corralline algae to grow and if you have any inverts and corals hiding in your rock, they will need it too. The coralline, if you didn't know, is the purple algae that is very desirable on your rock.

 

[electrikat]

And anyways, we Texas girls gotta stick together. Waco here.