base or live rock?

[spencelee10]

I am contemplating either getting 15 pounds of live rock or 25pounds of base rock from Marco rocks for my 15 tall. I have a few questions. First how much longer will my cycle be with the base rock and will adding 3lbs of live rock from petco help? Second would the 15 lbs be enough for a decent aquascape in my tank or would I need more? Third do I need to cure the base rock before using it or will I be able to just let the tank cycle with it in there and have it cure over time? If it has to cure first how long will that take and does anyone have any good links on how to cure it? Thanks for any help.

 

[thominil]

How much rock you will need depends on how dense the rock is and how big you want your scape to be. Generally, I would say 20lbs. +- a pound or two for that sized tank. I would go for the base rock and just seed it with a few pound of live rock, or rubble. You may want to check the tanks at PetCo and take a look at their rock before you make your decision. Some stores take care of their tanks better than others, so it never hurts to check. Look for hitchhikers, click on the link in my signature to get an idea of what to look for. If you don't have a mobile device with a browser, you can print it and take it with you if you feel like you may need a reminder. Hope I helped.

 

[spencelee10]

Yeah thanks that helped a lot! If I get the base rock can I cycle and add fish before it starts to grow coraline?

 

[thominil]

Coraline takes a while (around 2 months) to take a substantial foothold. Inside that time, your cycle should be done long before that, and then you can add fish.

 

[spencelee10]

So the absence of coraline won't hurt my tank? Can I place corals on the rock without it?

 

[thominil]

Coraline just adds an aesthetic value, nothing more. It's basically just eye candy and not needed for anything.

 

[spencelee10]

Ok awesome. So u think the 25 lb nano rocks from Marco rocks will b good if I seed it with 3 lbs of live? Also about how much sand will I need to have about a 3 inch sand bed? It has the same foot print as a 10: 20 by 12

 

[thominil]

The 25lbs. should be fine. For sand, figure about 1-2 pounds per gallon.