Empty Tank...what next... - Aquarium Advice

mfed · 02-19-2006, 01:31 PM

So i set up my 55 gal tank...I plan on putting in about 80 lbs aragonite substrate and filling my tank about 3/4 of the way full with salt water at 78 deg and a salinity of 1.024.

I would like to order lr tonight...about 35 lbs foundation baserock and 45 lbs fiji select lr from liveaquaria.com. At the same time, i was thinking about buying 20 lbs of fiji pink live sand from intmarinefish.com....can i add that live sand the same time i add my lr this week without screwing things up???

also, should i run my emperor 400 biowheel filter and protein pump for the few days while i wait for my lr to arrive??

"Tanks" alot!

Mike

ColdFish · 02-19-2006, 05:28 PM

I don't think adding the live sand is really necessary. Your LR should give you plenty of biofiltration and the bacteria will eventually colonize the regular sand anyway. Wouldn't hurt anything, but unless I was getting it extremely cheap I wouldn't bother with it.

I'm at the same place myself now with my new 90 gallon, ordering LR from liveaquaria today for delivery on Thursday. Trying to get the tank ready in the meantime. Lot of work huh?

mfed · 02-19-2006, 07:12 PM

yea, it is a lot of work

...hopefully all will go rather smoothly from here on out. i think youre right as far as the live sand...i actually bought 80 lbs of the aragonite and only used about half of that to get a 2" bottom so i think more sand would just be overkill....

I bought 35 lbs of the foundation rock and 45 lbs of the premium fiji select lr this afternoon...what type did you get??

keep telling yourself it will all be worth it in the end, right?? haha

good luck over the next few days...will get back once my stock gets in on thurs

Mike

vsnsofadrgn · 02-19-2006, 07:23 PM

the live rock will seed the sand if its not live already. it will be worth it in the end when you have a beautiful tank to look at, lol. set up is the most time consuming, once everything is up and running, its just minor maintence from there.

mfed · 02-20-2006, 03:28 PM

So it seems as though liveaquaria.com is out of stock of the foundation rock...so i have to postpone my order of LR as well....hopefully ill get the confirmation email soon!! Any suggestions on what to work with in the meantime??

"Tanks" alot!!
Mike

tjara03 · 02-20-2006, 04:44 PM

if your just looking for rock to use as base rock you can try www.hirocks.com its a great price and after time it will look just like any other live rock you can find... HTH.

**lando** · 02-20-2006, 05:59 PM

I agree that there is no need to buy the LS as well. Go to a few reputable LFS in your area and ask for a couple of cups of sand from their established tanks. This will help seed the sand bed.

ColdFish · 02-20-2006, 06:18 PM

I was placing the same order as you Mike, 45 lbs of fiji premium and 35 lbs of foundation rock. I also got informed that the foundation rock is out of stock. I went ahead with the 45 lb order and will probably supplement that with some rock from a LFS and maybe some excess LR from my other tank. I was even thinking of using some of that "lava" rock that you can get in places like Petco. The stuff that usually has a hole through it. That stuff comes in really large pieces. Ugly but can be hidden under better rock. I used a few pieces of that in my 50 gallon setup and it now looks a lot better. It took a long time though. Now if I could just get my plumbing done...

Will keep you posted on progress

Don

clexman · 02-21-2006, 06:57 AM

Wow LiveAquaria is selling tons of rock this week. I just ordered 60lbs. of the Lalo rock for my new 90g. I'm planning to get a few select big pieces from one of the LFS after the shipped stuff cures.

LiveAquaria and some other sites say that you can use 1/2lb a gallon less of Lalo live rock compared to Fiji rock because it is less dense(3/4 - 1 1/4 lbs/gal for Lalo and 1 1/4 - 1 3/4 lbs/gal for Fiji). If true, gallon for gallon the Lalo rock works out cheaper than the Select Fiji Premium. About $5.93 a gallon for the Fiji and $5.29 a gallon for the Lalo, shipped (based on 1lb of Lalo/gal and 1.5lbs. of Fiji).

You recover the higher price of the product in the reduced shipping weight.

mfed · 02-21-2006, 11:49 AM

Are there any real advantages to either the fiji rock or the Lalo rock?? or is it really just personal preference?? Everyone i had talked to suggested the fiji so that was what i was gonna go with.

Good ideas with the hirocks.com and/or petco. I think i may look into doing one of those options rather than wait! I want to get this tank moving!

Mike

02-19-2006, 01:31 PM	#1
mfed Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Agawam, MA Posts: 37	Empty Tank...what next... So i set up my 55 gal tank...I plan on putting in about 80 lbs aragonite substrate and filling my tank about 3/4 of the way full with salt water at 78 deg and a salinity of 1.024. I would like to order lr tonight...about 35 lbs foundation baserock and 45 lbs fiji select lr from liveaquaria.com. At the same time, i was thinking about buying 20 lbs of fiji pink live sand from intmarinefish.com....can i add that live sand the same time i add my lr this week without screwing things up??? also, should i run my emperor 400 biowheel filter and protein pump for the few days while i wait for my lr to arrive?? "Tanks" alot! Mike

02-19-2006, 07:23 PM	#4
vsnsofadrgn Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 975 Images: 9	the live rock will seed the sand if its not live already. it will be worth it in the end when you have a beautiful tank to look at, lol. set up is the most time consuming, once everything is up and running, its just minor maintence from there. __________________ visions of a dragon hope dies last

02-20-2006, 05:59 PM	#7
lando Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Savage, MN Posts: 7,669 Images: 46	I agree that there is no need to buy the LS as well. Go to a few reputable LFS in your area and ask for a couple of cups of sand from their established tanks. This will help seed the sand bed. __________________ Some people are like slinkies...they serve no real purpose yet can still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs! Have a great day! Brian

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02-19-2006, 05:28 PM	#2
ColdFish Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Anchorage Alaska Posts: 173	I don't think adding the live sand is really necessary. Your LR should give you plenty of biofiltration and the bacteria will eventually colonize the regular sand anyway. Wouldn't hurt anything, but unless I was getting it extremely cheap I wouldn't bother with it. I'm at the same place myself now with my new 90 gallon, ordering LR from liveaquaria today for delivery on Thursday. Trying to get the tank ready in the meantime. Lot of work huh?

02-19-2006, 07:12 PM	#3
mfed Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Agawam, MA Posts: 37	yea, it is a lot of work ...hopefully all will go rather smoothly from here on out. i think youre right as far as the live sand...i actually bought 80 lbs of the aragonite and only used about half of that to get a 2" bottom so i think more sand would just be overkill.... I bought 35 lbs of the foundation rock and 45 lbs of the premium fiji select lr this afternoon...what type did you get?? keep telling yourself it will all be worth it in the end, right?? haha good luck over the next few days...will get back once my stock gets in on thurs Mike

02-20-2006, 03:28 PM	#5
mfed Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Agawam, MA Posts: 37	So it seems as though liveaquaria.com is out of stock of the foundation rock...so i have to postpone my order of LR as well....hopefully ill get the confirmation email soon!! Any suggestions on what to work with in the meantime?? "Tanks" alot!! Mike

02-20-2006, 04:44 PM	#6
tjara03 Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Spokane, Wa Posts: 298	if your just looking for rock to use as base rock you can try www.hirocks.com its a great price and after time it will look just like any other live rock you can find... HTH.

02-20-2006, 06:18 PM	#8
ColdFish Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Anchorage Alaska Posts: 173	I was placing the same order as you Mike, 45 lbs of fiji premium and 35 lbs of foundation rock. I also got informed that the foundation rock is out of stock. I went ahead with the 45 lb order and will probably supplement that with some rock from a LFS and maybe some excess LR from my other tank. I was even thinking of using some of that "lava" rock that you can get in places like Petco. The stuff that usually has a hole through it. That stuff comes in really large pieces. Ugly but can be hidden under better rock. I used a few pieces of that in my 50 gallon setup and it now looks a lot better. It took a long time though. Now if I could just get my plumbing done... Will keep you posted on progress Don

02-21-2006, 06:57 AM	#9
clexman Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 12 Images: 1	Wow LiveAquaria is selling tons of rock this week. I just ordered 60lbs. of the Lalo rock for my new 90g. I'm planning to get a few select big pieces from one of the LFS after the shipped stuff cures. LiveAquaria and some other sites say that you can use 1/2lb a gallon less of Lalo live rock compared to Fiji rock because it is less dense(3/4 - 1 1/4 lbs/gal for Lalo and 1 1/4 - 1 3/4 lbs/gal for Fiji). If true, gallon for gallon the Lalo rock works out cheaper than the Select Fiji Premium. About $5.93 a gallon for the Fiji and $5.29 a gallon for the Lalo, shipped (based on 1lb of Lalo/gal and 1.5lbs. of Fiji). You recover the higher price of the product in the reduced shipping weight.

02-21-2006, 11:49 AM	#10
mfed Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Agawam, MA Posts: 37	Are there any real advantages to either the fiji rock or the Lalo rock?? or is it really just personal preference?? Everyone i had talked to suggested the fiji so that was what i was gonna go with. Good ideas with the hirocks.com and/or petco. I think i may look into doing one of those options rather than wait! I want to get this tank moving! Mike