new tank set up..

[proff1949]

getting ready to set up a new 55gal swfo and looking for a little guidance.
Im looking for a reputable dealer on line to purchase Live rock/ sand. There are absolutely none around here. Ive read alot of the ratings on some of these sites and some do not sound all that good. I would be very upset if I ordered 50 libs of live rock and it showed up all dried out.

Being from the old school of thought on SW set ups, I need to know if live rock has to be used in conjunction with live sand or can I use one or the other?
Lots of other questions persist but for now this use of live rock or sand is the main one.

Can someone suggest a site that goes into details on the use of these two medias?

Beautiful spring night here on MD Eastern Shore. Hope y'all are enjoying it also.

 

[spoonman]

I have used www.Marcorocks.com and have been very happy. They have a very good reputation in the saltwater world... I think one or the other will work.

 

[PB_Smith]

Live sand isn't needed, nor is live rock.
Live rock carries with it the risk of unwanted critters in your tank.


You should opt for 90% dry rock (you will save a ton of $$$$) and then just enough live rock, that has been properly cured, to seed the tank with the desired bacteria.
Remember whenever buying "live" rock, you are paying for and shipping a lot of water weight as well.. same applies to live sand.
For sand many use simple white play sand available at most hardware stores. Personally I prefer using some type of aragonite sand for the additional buffering capability. but either one works fine and really comes down to personal preference.
But do avoid "gravel", crushed coral or any large, course grained substrate and go for something fine enough that food and poop doesn't fall into the nooks and crannies of the substrate.

Unless you really want hitchhikers and stuff (some folks like it) there is no reason to go to the added expense of "live" rock as within 6 weeks all the rock and sand should be "alive" with BB anyway.




ps. also bear in mind using live rock or sand does not instantly make the tank habitable or remove the need to properly cycle the tank.

 

[PB_Smith]

I have used www.Marcorocks.com and have been very happy. They have a very good reputation in the saltwater world... I think one or the other will work.

Hmmm, they have some pretty good prices on dry rock, especially some of the "specialty" pieces.
May have to order a few pounds of shelf rock.

 

[restartfishkper]

I've ordered live rock from gulf live rock twice the price is better than any other places I've found online and it's very heavily cover in coralline algea and macro algea also various other things