OK...Here we go...LR question.

[LoveMeSomeFish]

So, like I was saying in my last post I have a 75 gallon that has african cichlids right now, that are doing great...I hate to get rid of them when my tank is still doing so good, but I've had them for quite some time now, theyre getting bigger, and I'm ready for salt water...Anyway, back on track...I live in FL, and when I first started the tank my petshop manager buddy and I went to his apartment (thats on the water) and grabbed a bunch of larger size rocks from the sea wall and they make up the back of my tank, from the gravel to the top, so esencially my backround is big rocks...We took the rocks and pressure washed them, and then I set them up in the tank, and let it cycle for about a month before I put any fish in there...Now, when my salt water tank junkie friends come over they all say how well they should work for my 'LR' when I convert to salt...I will try to get a pic on here, to make it easier for you guys to help out, but does this sound like it COULD work??? Some of the rocks are large and flat, others are large and very 'crevisy' (is that a word? ) to the point that the fish can swim through...They already have lots of growth on them, granted I'm sure it may die off once I do salt, but fortunitly time is all I have so I'm more than willing to let my tank cycle for weeks before I do anything...I've found that aside from filter maintence and partial water changes, the less I do the better the tank runs, buuuut with salt do I need to add any chemicals to the water while cycling for the LR's sake? Thanks again people!!!! *PEACE!*

 

[FroggyFox]

Live rock is called such because it is alive, covered with bacteria and critters from the ocean. You can leave your existing rock in the tank...eventually it will become live rock...but it is not a substitute for live rock. You will need to get some actual live rock for your tank.

As far as chemicals while cycling, dechlor/water conditioner, and to make sure your SG is around 1.024

 

[Lotus]

Are you saying you have rock from the ocean in a freshwater tank? If so, I believe it will be useless for a salt tank since it has been in freshwater. Maybe I misunderstood you, though

 

[Mushroomman]

Agree with froggy, and -edit- yeah is this in fresh water like lotus pointed out? If so, everything you want on it will die

You took this rock from the sea? just curious, where do you live? Depending where you are this might not be a good idea.

The problem with the large & flat rocks is that it has no porostiy thus limiting nitrifying bacteria, etc that would live deep inside the crevices, and it cuts down the amount of surface area the rock has. It could be used to build up as base rock however, or used to support live rock, but you could definately use some porous stuff.

You say you have gravel? Id take it out and buy a more sandy substrate, such as aragonite

What are you running for filter, have you thought about a skimmer

If you used RO water you dont really need to add a stress coat/conditioner, just mix it up with salt on the waterchanges and let sit a day, salinity can be anywhere from 1.023-1.026

 

[LoveMeSomeFish]

I pulled it right from tampa bay...we power washed it and all that, and its been in my tank with 12 cichlids for over and year...no problems what so ever...after i first set it up (w/ tampa bay rocks) i let it run for a good 5 weeks before i put anything in...havent lost a fish yet, in over a year...ir has fresh right now but im gonna go salt with in the next month or so...i have 2 aquaclear 70s, hang ons, a heater, and thats it....i wanna get the AquaC Remora Pro with the mag pump skimmer...and im obviously going to take the gravel out and us crushed coral....filteration is another thing..probably just do a sump...im just cursious though if there is anyway i can use my 2 aquaclears along with the skimmer, and not have to go buy all new filteration...*PEACE!*

 

[LoveMeSomeFish]

sorry, in the pic you can see all the algae on back, where my magna float cant get, because of the rocks.... oops

 

[aresgod]

dont use crushed coral...use argonite sand or something similiar.

 

[FroggyFox]

For your filtration etc why dont you read some of the stickies at the top of this forum? There's a great one on live rock, another on skimmers and then some suggestions about filtration. Usually using HOB filters is OK as long as you take all the filter media out and just use them for water movement...but they can produce extra nitrate which is bad in a SW system.

 

[Mushroomman]

You can use the 2 AC's for surface agitation/water movement and the skimmer for filtration. Take out the spongy media & carbon in the AC's and run them empty.

 

[LoveMeSomeFish]

what if i were to leave the media in the aquaclears? i wouldnt/couldnt hard anything good it?*PEACE!*

 

[FroggyFox]

Again...leaving that media will create nitrates in the tank which is 'good' in FW and bad in SW.

 

[aresgod]

yea...take the media out, it is a pretty basic principle to understand....nitrates are bad for inverts and fish...sponges/media = nitrate traps...which makes everybody in your tank unhappy.