LIVE ROCK

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nightrydaz04

Medium Fish
#1
Sep 30, 2004
83
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40
Niwot, CO.
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#1
I just went out and bought some more live rock from the local pet store they said they get their rock from fiji, thank god it wasn't Florida's I've heard bad things about florida's rocks and parasites, but anyways I was wondering this piece of rock has a TON of what looks like little coral budding out of it. How can I increase the growing speed, currently I'm adding about 1/2 tsp. of calcium everyday, i quit using phyto-plex because I was getting high nitrite levels with it. Any suggestions, oh... and I talked to a guy at Exotic Aquatics (very knowledgable) and I told them what type of setup i had for my little 20 gallon and the guy said i should be able to keep a mini reef and maybe an anenome as long as i don't go fish crazy. He also said that most 20 gallon setups aren't reef safe well at least the ones he's seen. Was he just trying to sell me some coral and anenome or could i keep a 20 gallon reef tank? I would gladly give up my damsels for some pretty coral and 2 fish.

TANK STATS:
20 GALLON FOWLR
PENGUIN 330 Power Filter
PENGUIN 550 Power Head
30 Gallon Heater (don't remember the wattage)
15-20 lbs of live rock
10,000 K Lighting
 

W

wayne

Elite Fish
#2
Oct 22, 2002
4,077
3
0
#2
OK, first of all beware anything that looksl ike little anemonaes or coral - check out some photos of aiptaisia. Having said that i have found and grown out frags of sps that have come along for free on live rock and in live rock rubble.
Glad you stopped using phytoplex if you were getting bad test numbers from the 'pollution in a bottle'. Maybe you just needed to use less, but if you haven't got anything actively using it, why put it in. And really, not that much will use it in a 20 gall fowler.

As far as a mini reef setup goes, the main thing you will want to look at is lighting intensity, and I don't recall what you have. You can grow stuff under most any lighting , but more lighting = more options.
 

D

DSK

Large Fish
#3
Oct 12, 2004
202
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Michigan
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#3
SOFT CORALS = 3 - 4 watts per gallon
HARD CORALS= 7 - 8 watts per gallon.

Specta Vital will help grow dusters, scalups, and purple sponge algea. if you want to grow it.

If it is aiptaisia you can get cleaner shrimp to get ride of it. But, yes you could have a mini reef if you wanted to. as long as you have enough light and put in your additives and have proper filtration. but... coral or a lot more expensive then damsel's.
 

N

nightrydaz04

Medium Fish
#4
Sep 30, 2004
83
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40
Niwot, CO.
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#4
I couldn't find any pics of aiptaisia, what does it look like?
Currently I have a 10,000 K Coralife bulb from what I read it's plenty of light I just hope it's not 2 much. Great for growing coraline algae though... I'm really conserned about this aiptaisia stuff now, from what i found out it actually filters your water really good but can kill other coral in the tank... What should I be looking for?
 

1979camaro

1979camaro

Ultimate Fish
#6
Oct 22, 2002
5,862
2
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42
San Ramon, CA
#6
aiptasia in my experience are not pink, though they are a redish brown...interesting stuff youve got growing on there...a pic would help, but if you cant get one i reckon all you can od is let it grow in and see
 

dbacksrat

dbacksrat

Superstar Fish
#7
Jun 3, 2003
1,865
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Glendale, AZ
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#7
i saw aiptasia (and bristleworms) for the first time at a really good lfs (actually it wasnt so local)--it was small a transparent brown...i knew exactly what it was when i saw it
i have heard peppermint shrimp eat aiptasia and are great cleaner shrimps, but are very very shy and hide in the rock 95% of the time
 

S.Reef

S.Reef

Superstar Fish
#9
Dec 1, 2003
1,830
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36
Michigan
#9
I have a 20 gallon tall reef right now. It contains 4 small fish a clean-up crew and a Deresa Clam, LPS corals, leather corals, Mushrooms and zoo rocks. All of it is under 65 watts of power compact.
 

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