Too much Live Rock

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beermanic

Medium Fish
#1
Feb 5, 2003
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I am setting up a new tank (220 gal) and decided to cycle the tank by buying uncured liverock from LFS. They get their rocks flown in from LA and you pick them up at the stores just 1 hr after getting off the plane at the local airport. They sell the liverocks in boxes of 65lbs. Is this too much for my new tank to handle at once?

I also heard that I should not use anysort of filtration because it will filter out small organisms and will slow the recovery and growth of the live rocks and that a suffiecient sump should be adequate.

I am planing on leaving as much on the rocks as I can because I don't want to remove something that might be living or that might be rivived. I heard that most people clean the rock off with brushes and make it spotless before cycling it but I don't see what harm it is to just leave the stuff on and see what happens. I am not going to add any fish for several months, so as long as I monitor Ammonia and Nitrates and do partial water changes what can the harm be.

Any advise greatly appreciated.
 

D

dattack

Large Fish
#2
Oct 22, 2002
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If you are going to cure live rock, do it all at once so you only have to cycle one time.

I think most people do not clean their live rocks with brushes before cycling. That's the worst thing you can do since you are probably killing more organisms thus increasing the cycle time.

I know 10 people with reefs in my area, and no one ever cleans their live rock with brushes. Just let it be unless there is something that is putridly dead and smelly.

You should also put in a small layer of sand bed also. If you live in the Eastern part of the U.S., Home Depot carries aragonite sand (playsand) that is sold at your LFS. It's $4 for a 50lb bag. Don't get the silica sand.

220lbs of live rock sounds about right for your tank.

You can do partial water changes if the ammonia gets too high because high ammonia will kill what's left on the rock. You only need a low level of ammonia for your tank to fully cycle. You can even run a skimmer in the mean time. Your tank doesn't have to be a sewage tank for it to nicely cycle.
 

B

beermanic

Medium Fish
#5
Feb 5, 2003
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#5
I think you mis-understood me. The aquarium is 220 Gallons and I am getting 65lbs of live rocks. Do you think I need more live rocks. I didn't want to get too much and have it all die on me, since this is my first time starting up a saltwater tank. I have had freshwater tanks for about 15 years and thought it was about time to start witn a saltwater.

I already bought some Caribsea aragonite rocks for the bottom. I got 120lbs. How deep should I make it? Is this home depot sand the same as the Caribsea?? If so, I paid wayyyy toooo much for the sand.

I haven't decided on which type of live rocks to get yet. My LFS sells many types and I don't know yet. Suggestions always welcome.

Pohnpei $2.70/lb
Tonga Shelf Rock, Red Branch, New Tonga all $3.50/lb
Fiji $2.25/lb
Namoli $3.25/lb
 

D

dattack

Large Fish
#6
Oct 22, 2002
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#6
Sounds cool. Just realize some rocks weigh less than others. I only have Fiji but it weighs more than the other.

Those are decent prices so far.

Look into www.ffexpress.com or www.exoticfish.com for rocks too.

The home depot sand is actually caribsea aragonite which is a finer grain. They are both made of aragonite and mined at the same place. It's just the aquarium industry trying to make more money. Cost $4 for a 50 lb bag.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=148917&highlight=southdown+ohio

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=26193&highlight=southdown+ohio

I think some parts of Ohio has them. Not sure they sell sand during the winter time however, but I am sure there are some hobbyiest in the Ohio area that has them. If not, then post on reefcentral asking.

You can buy 65 lbs for now and see how it goes. If you need to add more, than cycle those in the tub and wait til they cycle.

If it's a new tank add in the sand and the live rock and let it cycle.
 

B

beermanic

Medium Fish
#7
Feb 5, 2003
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#7
I thinking about trying to make my own liverocks once I have something going in my tank. It would be nice to customize my reefs. I read an article where they used cement and covered the outside with aragonite rocks. Once the liverocks recover and start to flourish. I was going to give it a try. Who knows, if I have a lot of sucess I might even be able to sell a few, if someone is interested.

As for curing more live rocks in the future, it will not be too big of a problem. I have extra tanks all around my basement. I have a 55gal, 30gal, 2-10gal and all sorts of odds and ends of equipment. I am in no real hurry to start adding fish to the set-up because I am in the middle of remodeling my basement and this reef system will be the central focus of the room. It may take me another year to get the room livable and In that time my tank should be firing on all cylinders.

Thanks for the info on the sand. I paid alot more for my sand. I am embarrased to say. Oh well, live and learn. I would return it but the LFS that I am getting the liverocks has a great selection of critters and I don't want to get on his bad side and cause problems in the future relationship.

Any recommendations on a protien skimmer that would be good for this size tank. I wish, I understood how they worked better, I would try building my own. I am pretty handy when it comes to plumbing and building things. Maybe I will get a smaller one and once I figure it out make myself a DIY job.
 

D

dattack

Large Fish
#8
Oct 22, 2002
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#8
How good are you with acrylic?

The Beckett skimmer is probably the ultimate skimmer that many of the reefers DIY.

I own this one which is also made by a DIYer.

http://www.myreefcreations.com/skimmers.html



If you have the equipment such as a router and table saw, then you should be able to accomplished it.

Do a search for beckett skimmer in the DIY section of reefcentral and there must be 100 threads showing you how to make one.
 

B

beermanic

Medium Fish
#10
Feb 5, 2003
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#10
Thanks, I will do so. Have you ever tried making your own liverocks with concrete or other type materials?

Do you have any pictures of your tank? I love looking at different peoples tanks/setups. Often times it gives me some useful ideas or something to shoot for.
 

B

beermanic

Medium Fish
#12
Feb 5, 2003
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#12
Oh yeah, I remember seeing that stand before when I was reading various threads. Got another question for you. On my freshwater tank I have a CO2 injector for my plants and they have really been growing great since I got it.

I have not seen any information on using one for a saltwater tank. Do you know if any creatures or corals, etc use any of the CO2 to help them grow etc.

Thanks
 

D

dattack

Large Fish
#13
Oct 22, 2002
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#13
Co2 is used in a calcium reactor. The Co2 helps dissolve the calcium carbonate such as crush corals and supply calcium to the main tank. THe corals will need the calcium to form their skeleton/growth.

Looks something like this.

 

B

beermanic

Medium Fish
#15
Feb 5, 2003
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#15
I got a mag 24 sump pump. I think this will be enough circulation for that much water. Plus I am going to get some power heads. I guess I have a lot to learn regarding salt water tanks and equipment. Hope my fresh water tank doesn't suffer too much. Probably will not since it is pretty much running by itself, except for the water changes. The quality of everything is pretty good and the plants keep everything clean and fresh.
 

W

wayne at home

Large Fish
#16
Jan 19, 2003
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#16
65 lbs isn't much for a 220 gallon. You could buy more , or you can, as you've suggested, put in a bunch of limestone, or texas holey rock or similar and let it seed, though this might take a year plus. Bear in mind your live rock will be a big part of your filtration, so if you don't get so much, you keep less fish.
When you get the uncured rock, eyeball each piece - if you see something really hideous and stinky pull it off, but don't overbrush , or anything atached will be killed. Put it in the water, and trn it around to get out any air bubbles.
Stuff will die off, and it will smell for a month or so. Excess ammonia and such from this will kill stuff thats still alive so be prepared to do big water changes, and definitely skim aggressively. This is the process by which commercial rock is cured. Check out curing, and skimmers on wetwebmedia.com
 

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