Live rock question

[Mutz]

I'm new to this saltwater stuff and I just set up my tank about a week ago. My goal is to set it up as a FOWLR tank. It's a 55 gal. and I've got an Emperor 400 filter and an Aquatic Gardens 200 watt heater. I have the salinity level at 1.021 and the temperature at 78 and now it's time to add some live rock (right?) to start the cycle.

My questions: Is 55lbs of live rock really necessary? Can I get by with 25 lbs of live rock and 25 lbs of base rock? If I decided to go this route - what would be the drawbacks of not having the additional 25 lbs. of live rock?? What will having 55 lbs of live rock give me that only having 25 lbs will not?

Is there anything else I can do to help the cycle along?

Thanks for any input.

 

[fishfreek]

Is 55lbs of live rock really necessary?

No, Its best if you want your LR to be your filter to have close to 1 1/2lbs of LR per gal of water BUT since you have a secondary filter in your emperor 400 then I would say get as much LR as you want to look at.

Can I get by with 25 lbs of live rock and 25 lbs of base rock?

Most definatly. The base rock will quickly develop its own bactera coloneies and in effect become live.

IF you get uncured live rock then you wont need any help with the cycle. If you get cured live rock then you could use the raw shirmp method of cycling your tank.

(See our articles section linked off the home page for more on curing your tank with shrimp and on live rock itself.)

 

[Guest]

Boop FF got it before I did. But here it goes anyway...

Is 55lbs of live rock really necessary?

Neccessary? NO, Beneficial? YES. It would be better if you had LR because it will serve as filtration for your tank.

Can I get by with 25 lbs of live rock and 25 lbs of base rock?

Absolutely, The 25# of base rock will become LR in a short while and be seeded from the LR.

If I decided to go this route - what would be the drawbacks of not having the additional 25 lbs. of live rock?

The only drawback would be the time it takes for the base rock to become LR. If you add the complete 55# LR, you will start out with total bio-diversity instead of half of it.

What will having 55 lbs of live rock give me that only having 25 lbs will not?

This question was answered above.

Is there anything else I can do to help the cycle along?

Well, you can add a fresh dead shrimp in the tank to get it started.

 

[fishfreek]

HEHE,, I WIN!

GLad you agree with me Tim.

Time stamps are the same so it must have been a mater of seconds between our posts.

 

[Mutz]

Thanks guys -

One more quick question about the dead shrimp method...Do I just go to the grocery store and buy a shrimp and throw him in the tank? How long do I leave it in there?

 

[Guest]

He he, I editted it after I submitted and you beat me to it...

One more quick question about the dead shrimp method...Do I just go to the grocery store and buy a shrimp and throw him in the tank? How long do I leave it in there?

The answer to the first part is yes. the second part is, it will disappear before your very eyes. In a few days to a week or so, that is....