Live Rock

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

It all depends on how fast you add live rock and what those three fish are. Without knowing those 2 things it would be difficult to properly advise you.

[cocoa_pleco]

Tip for getting cheap cured live rock is post a local ad, lots of people tearing down large reefs will sell live rock for $2-$5/lb

[priebjm]

Thanks for the advice. The 3 fish are:
Maroon Clown
Coral Beauty
Green Chromis

Wouldn't the rock from craigslist or classifieds be a pretty high risk ?

It sounds like just the powerheads and skimmer would not be sufficient without the rock.

[jpesce]

I'm one of the newbies that you are referring to, and I appreciate all the good feedback i got to my post. I'm not trying to be a pest by any means, just trying to get some good information. It just seems like everyone I have spoken to has a different outlook on how i should setup my tank. I have Dead Base Rock, quite a bit of it. I got my setup from a friend of mine, he gave me pretty much what he said would be enough to start up an aquarium. I have a bunch of dead coral, how could i convert this into active live rock?

[deep_blu]

i'm no expert, but i add pieces of LR to my system with no problem. all i do before hand is rince it thoroughly with SW. i have 2 clowns, 4 chromis, 2 goby's, a bunch of hermits, a newly added blue star, a bubble anemone & some small frags of coral. also u can add your dead coral & in about 4-6 weeks it will be seeded & it will be 'Live' but as it was said before, it will not have some of the little "noonoos" as we call it that your 'ocean live rock' would have, but it's almost as good as.
i think the bottom line is there are so many different ways of doing things that you have to find the best way for you. just keep watching your levels and when u do add things - do it slowly!

[oldhead]

i think the bottom line is there are so many different ways of doing things that you have to find the best way for you. just keep watching your levels and when u do add things - do it slowly!

Very well put! I agree 100%

[deep_blu]

But on the topic of LR, does anyone have a good "recipe" for DIY LR? quite keen to try it!

[cocoa_pleco]

But on the topic of LR, does anyone have a good "recipe" for DIY LR? quite keen to try it!

the member jimpierce tried making his own

[tim k]

Very interesting article on live rock .

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...ture/index.php


Tim K

[Researcher]

An aspect of live rick which is often overlooking its that of internal bioeroders. Small to medium sized sesile or mobile organisms that actually feed of the live rock itself or the algae and bacteria contained within.

They do this primarily by either dissolving the CaCO3 or rasping its away forming very small CaCO3 chips, as small as 0.9 microns. It is surprising how much of this actually happens daily, even tho from the outside the rock doesnt look diminished at all, it simply becomes more porous.

Ongoing research shows that the action of these organisms can significantly raise alkalinity and calcium levels. The amount of this calcium released that is available to calcifying organisms is debatable since it is largely oxidized.A UV sterilizer can quickly fix this though.

This function of live rock acts as a brilliant buffer to changes in water parameters and other than phosphates released is non-threatening to your coral (although there are spp of sponges which do feed on live coral tissue, these are rare in an aquarium sense). So the internal bioeroders, being mainly sponges, bivalves and polychaete worms are great to have. BUT difficult to get, you need oceanic live rock that has been transported VERY carefully. Exposure to air, even for seconds leads to massive sponge die-off, which then rots and can quickly contaminate your tank with disastrous results! Live rock we collect (having permits of course) is transported back to the lab completely submerged in temp controlled and filtered water and then cycled for 60 days before being introduced into the tanks. It is wonderful to see the amount of life that comes with the rock, anemones, amphipods, feather stars, brittle stars (many many), fanworms, ext, ext.

If possible, get yourself some true live rock, it is worth the expense!