Live Rock?

[Connie]

I'm starting a FO tank and want to know if I need special lighting to have live rock. If so what kind?

Can a tank be cycled with LR without fish?

 

[kribbz]

i would do a couple of NO's to encourage coraline growth.

 

[sokhamik]

if the rock is uncured then the stuff dying off of it will boost up the process a little.. the more uncured you have the more dead things in 'em.. throw in a shrimp to help it go even faster.. all this is done with absolutely fish or inverts in the tank..

 

[loganj]

I would use at least two NO tubes on it. Probably one actinic and one white bulb. You could probably go with one PC instead. What size tank is it?

 

[Connie]

I have an 80 gal. with a 2 light hood. I have been reading everthing I can about saltwater fish, sometimes I find info that is contradicting. I read that even cured LR has to be cleaned and cured again before it is put into the tank.
The only place I can get advice is Petco or the internet the other LFS was so bad that I wouldn't except anything they have to tell me!
So far I'm going to have 1" deep Carib Sea Aragamax (sugar-size) Sand. Build a reef like structure with base rock and live rock. I want to get some kind of cleaning pkg. I haven't
decided on the fish yet, still reading about them.

ANY sugestions will be appreciated!!!

 

[d9hp]

Well, you are smart not trusting most fish stores, and welcome to AA, hope you find all the answers you need. As for the lighting with LR I would also get two 96 watt bulbs, you can get a retro on ebay for less than 150

 

[steve-s]

If your tank is still in the "planning" stage and no animals are yet invovled, you need not cure the rock prior to placing it in the tank.

The live rock will add to the cycle process and would be fine adding it from the get-go. Just make sure the tank is set up to place the rock in once it arrives. Like I said though, providing the tank is not already running with animals in it now.

Cheers
Steve

 

[kribbz]

yeah and about the contridicting stuff. you'll find alot of that in this hobby. not everything is fact just different theory so you have to pick something that makes since to you. remember that just because i say something works for me doesn't mean that it is going to work for you. that why my advice to you would be to read as MUCH as you can and develop your own theory as long as it makes sense to you.

 

[BrianH]

Connie,

I think you'll find a lot of contradictory info regarding SW tanks. Just keep reading(I recommend The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by R. Fenner) and researching(on the web, lfs etc) and soon enough you'll be able to sort out the good from the bad(and the grey areas) yourself.
Regarding cured live rock, I think most of the confusion comes from the retailers who sell LR throwing around the terms "cured" and "pre-cured". IMHO you can not realisticly expect to buy truly cured LR by mail order. The shipping process alone will create die off and therefore generate some ammonia. If you buy any MO rock, I would suggest putting it in a cycling tank or curing it yourself in a separate container. I know some MO companies suggest adding the rock directly to your cycled tank, but IMHO they did not spend the time and money setting it up so I wil always take the cautious route. You can get MO rock in various conditions. Florida aquacultured rock shipped directly to your door can arrive almost fully cured. Almost meaning that it will probably still have some die off and cause an ammonia spike. It may be a much lower spike than pacific rock, but a spike none the less. For this reason I always place my MO rock in a separte container for at least a week performing water tests and changes when needed. After the ammonia & nitrites are at 0, I will add it to my tank.
Buying cured LR from an lfs should be no problem. Just make sure your buying from a reputable lfs who is telling the truth about the condition of the rock. The rock should not have a nasty smell. Cured LR usually as a smell similar to the ocean where as uncured rock will plain stink. Also bring some SW in buckets with you to place the rock in for the trip home. This way you can make sure there is no die off due to air exposure.
These are just my opinions and as I said earlier, don't take this info as gospel, just add it to the other info you have received to come up with your own conclusion.

Good Luck

Brian

 

[r95rdstr]

Can a tank be cycled with LR without fish?

During the LR cycle, don't have anything else in the tank except for the substrate, as huge spikes will occur and kill your fish, et el. If your tank is already set up with fish, cycle the LR in another tank, a plastic trash can, or a big rubbermaid container.