Almost there....

[John J in Pickens]

A couple of (maybe dumb) questions... Is there any advantage in using coraline reef rock over the white rock in building the reef structure? I'm about ready to crank up my BioCube 16 tank my wife got me for Christmas, but looking at the coralline rock, it's about twice as expensive as the white stuff (which is man-made, right?). I'd like to buy enough rick to do a decent reef setup, but I just don't have the dough to go with the Coraline rock. Should I go ahead and buy the white rock, or continue to save my money for another few weeks? I also need the live seawater, but I want to do the construction of the reef first.

Saturday, I took my better half with me to the LFS where I had been looking at rock and showed her the difference between the rock types. Since my birthday is coming up on the 21st, she generously offered to buy the corralline rock I will need, so I get to pick it up next Saturday! Yay! I still need to buy the seawater that the LFS sells, and I already picked up a 20 lb bag of ARAG-ALIVE Fiji pink reef sand, so I should be set to get my system up next weekend.

I just have one more thing to ask, then I’ll try my best to stop bugging you all. I know the sand has some nitrifying bacteria to help cycle the tank. M son had sent me some Dr, Tim’s One and Only live nitrifying bacteria to also cycle the tank, but I forgot to purchase the Ammonium Hydrate to use with the One and Only. However, my 10 gal tank with my two Clownfish that I intend to transfer to my BioCube contains a bag of tiny bio-balls in the filter that has been in there for the past 7 years, so I’m sure there has to be a fair amount of bacteria as well. I thought I would put this bag in the rear chamber, along with another bag of 1-inch ceramic bio balls my son also bought for me (he’s a good son). If I transfer the clowns over to the BioCube a day or two after it has started up, will I need to buy any of the Dr. Tim’s Ammonium Hydrate to use (or do I even need to use the Dr. Tim’s at all). I just don’t want to screw anything up at the last minute. I’ve been waiting patiently since Christmas to pull the trigger on firing up this tank. I can wait a little longer! Sorry for the rambling epistle I have dumped here TIA!

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Is the rock wet or dry? If its dry rock, then the red is just paint, its no different than the white rock which has no paint. Its just aesthetics, its up to you.

If the rock is wet, then definately go for the coraline covered rock.

If you transfer your bioballs and rocks, should be ok to transfer the fish as well with the Tims, no need to add ammonia. Bring the rocks to the new tank, the rocks have much more bacteria than then bioballs.