Any Live Rock Experts That can Help Here....

[Carz]

Getting ready to start up 29 gallon customized Bio Cube with a sump. You can see the build here:

High End BioCube Reef Tank Build.

Every one loves to see a DIY tank build so here is my plan.......... Being locked up at home has got a lot of stuff done at home. Now I decided to start up the old BioCube once again. It is just sitting in the basement collecting dust so I have decided to turn it into a separate system to...

www.reef2reef.com

With all of the tanks I started, I never used Live Rock. I plan on ordering the 50 LBS of live rock from Gulf Live Rock. Just not sure which rock to get. They have the coralline base live rock and the Premo Deco live rock. Not sure I want all the plants (or do I) I am looking to give this tank a good healthy start and let cycle for a few weeks with the live rock. Is it safe to assume that all this rock has the same bacteria which is what I need to start this off?? Any advice

 

[cshouston]

Getting ready to start up 29 gallon customized Bio Cube with a sump. You can see the build here:

High End BioCube Reef Tank Build.

Every one loves to see a DIY tank build so here is my plan.......... Being locked up at home has got a lot of stuff done at home. Now I decided to start up the old BioCube once again. It is just sitting in the basement collecting dust so I have decided to turn it into a separate system to...

www.reef2reef.com

With all of the tanks I started, I never used Live Rock. I plan on ordering the 50 LBS of live rock from Gulf Live Rock. Just not sure which rock to get. They have the coralline base live rock and the Premo Deco live rock. Not sure I want all the plants (or do I) I am looking to give this tank a good healthy start and let cycle for a few weeks with the live rock. Is it safe to assume that all this rock has the same bacteria which is what I need to start this off?? Any advice

yes. In fact, it has a much greater diversity of bacteria than you’d get using bottled bacteria with dry rock. You’ll need to cure the rock in your tank, monitor ammonia, and do water changes when necessary so as not to kill off the life on/in the rocks.

I’d suggest getting your rock from KP Aquatics because gulf rock can have aiptasia, while the Keys rocks are aiptasia-free. I just got some from them yesterday and it’s outstanding quality rock.

 

[Oldreefer44]

Got 50lbs from Gulf and had no Aiptasia but full of other life.

 

[cshouston]

Getting ready to start up 29 gallon customized Bio Cube with a sump. You can see the build here:

High End BioCube Reef Tank Build.

Every one loves to see a DIY tank build so here is my plan.......... Being locked up at home has got a lot of stuff done at home. Now I decided to start up the old BioCube once again. It is just sitting in the basement collecting dust so I have decided to turn it into a separate system to...

www.reef2reef.com

With all of the tanks I started, I never used Live Rock. I plan on ordering the 50 LBS of live rock from Gulf Live Rock. Just not sure which rock to get. They have the coralline base live rock and the Premo Deco live rock. Not sure I want all the plants (or do I) I am looking to give this tank a good healthy start and let cycle for a few weeks with the live rock. Is it safe to assume that all this rock has the same bacteria which is what I need to start this off?? Any advice

One more thing, about the macro-algae on the premium deco rock: it’s a good thing. Benign macro and micro-algae prevents pest algae from taking hold by outcompeting it. Also, even if you don’t like the look of a lot of macro-algae, your CUC and herbivorous fish will likely strip the rock of a majority in time.

 

[Midrats]

I started a tank with 50lbs of KP a couple of months ago and last night I noticed what appear to be a couple of aiptasia. Now maybe there is some other glass anemone species at their aquaculture site, but they look like good ole aiptasia to me. Don't shy away from live rock however, the occasional unwanted guest is far outweighed by the instant stability your tank will have.

 

[Carz]

Live sand or bag sand. I like the looks of the bag sand and thinking 50 lbs of live rock will do the trick for the bacteria

 

[cshouston]

Live sand or bag sand. I like the looks of the bag sand and thinking 50 lbs of live rock will do the trick for the bacteria

It’s the same stuff, really. Unless it’s live sand directly from the ocean without being sifted, then it’s dry sand which is sifted and bagged with water/bacteria. I’d just go with dry sand of a medium coarseness, well rinsed beforehand.

Or bare bottom

 

[jda]

Live sand in a bag for a year is hardly live anymore. Any sand is fine to start... if you have live rock, it will get populated with all of the worms, pods, etc. that it needs. If you can get some unwashed fresh live sand, then that can be really good and teeming with life.

I do not usually like all of the macro life on the rocks. Plants, some trash corals, etc. are not what I am looking for, but to each their own and other people love this stuff. The bacteria and microfauna are what I am interested in. Perhaps the most important thing is the porous, phosphate free structure of the rock that is ready to do it's job in the tank.

Whatever you choose, you are going to get pests. Ask the people who started with dry/dead rock about their pest dino, diatom or hair algae outbreaks that would gladly trade for just a few aiptasia. Nothing is pest or risk free. The worst thing that I have ever had to do is to trap some shrimp and crabs with a bottle trap, but I prefer live rock shipped 1 day in newspaper so that most of the nasty shrimp and crabs crawl out - this stuff needs cured a bit, but that is what I am wanting.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Live rock and sand is the way to go. I place any dry rock in sump allowing it to seed while the live does its' thing in the display tank.
Just make sure it IS live rock and not that in which a store threw in a tank and calls it live.

 

[Dr. Jim]

I bought rock from KP and LiveRockNReef. The first was nice shaped rock but not much macro life on it, and took a week or more to cure. The second was loaded with life: feather dusters; sponges; gorgonian, 2 Rose Corals, spaghetti worms....but the shape wasn't quite as nice and it had a few aiptasia (which was no big deal to get rid of). Also, LiveRockNReef insists that you put the rock right into your tank. Scary, but I did it and everything lived and no problems.

If I was to do this again, I would get a 50:50 mix again.