A Few Live Rock Questions

[SkinnyPete]

Got everything I need for my new 11 gallon. Putting down DSB. I've got 60lbs of base rock and the last bit of planning I haven't really decided on is my live rock and I wanted some advice.

I'm going for fowlr and I'm looking to get about 100-120lbs more rock. I know people swear by liverocks.com and from the pictures I've seen, they're amazing looking rocks. I visited a local fish store today that is very reasonably priced and seems very knowledgable. They are a saltwater store. No freshwater. Real cool place. Anyway, they offered me a mix of 50lbs Fiji, 50lbs Tonga - 100lbs total for $4.50/lb. That would save me a little bit of money and I plan to use the rock to cycle my tank so I'm assuming most of my hitchhikers from lr.com would die anyway.

I'm torn. For my purposes, fowlr - no reef, cycling with rock and shrimp, would it be worth the extra $100 or so for lr.com rocks?

AND what should the ratio for base rock / live rock be? 60lbs so far of base. I plan on having about 175lbs in my tank. How much more base rock should I be getting.

AAAAAND, one more thing. Some of my base rock is really solid and heavy. Very dense. Is this better or worse for filtration purposes? Should I try to stick the dense rock in the middle as the skeleton?

Sorry so long. Just the last decision I have to make before I start this thing.

Thanks.

- Skins

 

[austinsdad]

What kinda fish you thinkin' abut anyway? 180 lbs of live rock is up there in the reef proportions, I believe. Doing a just in case "I wanna go reef", the filtration, or just pure aquascape thing with that much rock?

I also think the LR.com thing is about the young reef colonies that come on it in addition the the inverts. Your fish only, again depending on which kind, may make your full of life rock thing void anyway IMO. Well, except for corraline and the color it'll bring.

 

[midiman]

For me, if I could see the rock first at an LFS and select at least some of the pieces I wanted, I'd take it in a second. Besides, that price is less than I paid per pound from LR.com.

 

[SkinnyPete]

Well, the only fish I really WANT and have wanted for a while is a Zebra Moray - other than that, I'm keeping my options open for possiblity of a reef tank down the line so I'm basically looking at community fish that are for the most part, reef safe. I want to have the reef option for when I get the bug. I hear its inevitable. Also, my tank is pretty high so I'm looking to get one or two bigger show pieces. I don't want the top 75% of my tank to be void of landscape.

Oh, and I am doing it for filtration. I'm running sumpless due to space restraints. Using the Remora Pro hang-on which people have told me is a little under-rated for my tank as it is.

Maybe I could go half and half - 50 from lfs, 50 from lr.com.


- Skins

 

[midiman]

You could always cycle your tank with less rock and then add some cured rock later, if you thought the hitchhikers would be important to you.

 

[SkinnyPete]

So, what would be the ratio that most do the base/live rock thing? 50/50?

 

[lando]

So, what would be the ratio that most do the base/live rock thing? 50/50?

that is fine. But the more LR the better. If the rock from the LFS looks okay, then get it. Cycle with that and then get 60lbs or so from liverocks.com after the cycle.

 

[SkinnyPete]

Good solution. I thought of that - but, will my tank go through a mini-cycle when adding that much new rock from liverocks.com? I'm assuming.

 

[midiman]

You may get a small spike - more than likely - some some of the critters that get squahed in transit, especially shellfish that get cracked open, maybe some air-killed sponges, etc. I did, but all I had in my tank at the time was live sand. My nitrites got up to about .25, ammonia came and went very quickly - it barely registered as a color change in my kit. If you have a base of LR, the spike should be minimal. Mine had run its course in 4 days after adding the rock.

 

[lando]

The spike you will see from liverocks.com LR wil be very slight if any t all. Nothing to worry about in a new tank.

 

[ASpec]

Agreed, the spike will be minimal. Worst case you'd need to do a couple water changes (10% to 20%) for 3-5 days.

Also keep in mind when ordering rock from LR.com that if you can plan it right, be home when the box is delivered so the rock can go straight into your tank. This will help minimize potential dieoff.

 

[midiman]

Agreed, the spike will be minimal. Worst case you'd need to do a couple water changes (10% to 20%) for 3-5 days.

Also keep in mind when ordering rock from LR.com that if you can plan it right, be home when the box is delivered so the rock can go straight into your tank. This will help minimize potential dieoff.

The water changes is how I handled it, with the addition of Prime, which supposedly renders non-toxic the nitrites in the water. Others may question this move, but I know people who swear by it.

Also .. be aware that DHL may REQUIRE you to be home ... else it goes back with the driver. Check it out and be sure!!! Besides, you'll want to be there when it comes - I paced the floor for hours waiting for mine!!