Base Rock & Macroalgae | Aquascape

[KSum89]

Just wondering where everyone purchases their base rock. I have around 52 pounds base and around 15 live throughout my system (55 gallon aquarium and a sump). My rock is probably all live now. I have some carraline spreading nicely.

My tank looks a little dull and i have been looking at random tanks on youtube and i like how people have rock walls/montains against the back glass and small openings throughout. So i may buy some more base.

I will attach pictures soon so you guys can see what im working with. :bigsmile:

-Where does everyone buy their macroalgae and what kind do you recommended?

 

[TinaFoster]

Mine came with the tank. I have chaeto. It's fast growing, but not out of control.

 

[poolkeeper1]

Just wondering where everyone purchases their base rock. I have around 52 pounds base and around 15 live throughout my system (55 gallon aquarium and a sump). My rock is probably all live now. I have some carraline spreading nicely.

My tank looks a little dull and i have been looking at random tanks on youtube and i like how people have rock walls/montains against the back glass and small openings throughout. So i may buy some more base.

I will attach pictures soon so you guys can see what im working with. :bigsmile:

-Where does everyone buy their macroalgae and what kind do you recommended?

If you need some Chaeto I can bring you some to the meeting for free, This item is usually given away to club members by those who need to trim it back some and i do.
Bill

 

[KSum89]

Know anywhere i can buy some chaeto? I want to add more algae to my sump, i just have alot of rock there.

and heres my aquariums aquascape for right now.

-Just seen bill's post. Thanks, i will glady take whatever you guys can give me. I just have to find out when are where the meeting is..i haven't been to active on the boards lately haha.

 

[mapn4reef]

I think your aquascape looks good the way it is...just add corals

 

[Gitsoe]

I think it looks good also!
if your gonna add corals, i think it would fill real nicely , but if it's a fowlr I can see how it may be dull, look up Marco rocks I added a few shelf pieces to mine

 

[p woodard]

A 55 gal is hard to aquascape like you would look to do just not that deep the rock will be real close the the glass it can be done but if you would like to get a tang it will not have alot of room to swim I like your tank looks good to me and I also need some a chaeto

 

[KSum89]

Thanks! I don't get the whole "coral thing" so far. The fragging stuff looks like too much work, not REAL interested in that from what I know..if that's what a reef tank is. I do want a RBTA, im just waiting on eBay to get one in. Other than that don't have much else planned but adding at least some rock for more height and adding on another rock wall on the left side where that one big rock is.

ANY Advice greatly appreciated.

-EDIT: And if anyone notices the Black spot on the rock to the right. Its a big urchin, I had it since it was the size of about a penny and he's growing fast. I was thinking bout selling him back to AC, but talked with jennifier and decided to keep it.

 

[gmoney243]

Well u don't have to frag your corals but with sps and branching lps types its as simple as breaking off a branch. But not everyone likes corals so fowle tanks are cool too. And u can have a different fish list also there's lots of nice fish that aren't reef safe. Id only advise getting more rock if u wanted corals cause as of now u got good room for lots of small fish or few cool bigger ones. Main thing I think people like about corals id of corse the colors but the ease of propagation to get money back or to make profit to support more corals fish and tanks

 

[KSum89]

In a 55, figuring as when i add my RBTA. Will it take over my tank and not allow me to add corals? because i read that they can multiply and sting anything it touches, and moves as it pleases.

-Also, What would you recommended me getting to start me off with a reef tank? I asked the guy at eBay do "corals" eat anything or grow. he basically said what you typed out, + stated something about a frag rack. This hobby gets more complicated by the minute..lol

& my livestock is: 2 percula clowns, mandarin goby and shrimp/goby pair. +2 shrimps..pep/cleaner (and a yellowfin wrasse that im returning, was sold to me as a carpenter wrasse)

 

[gmoney243]

Yes anemones will sting corals but lot of people mix them with success. Id say mostly depends how heavily stocked with corals u are. U can always sell ur rbta if it splits or reproduces. But if u mix be prepared to move corals around which generally isn't that hard long as u got room. Now in a tank like bills where u can't even see rock through all the coral id def wouldn't put a anemone. Also I don't own any just speaking what I've read and seen online hehe .. research is the key. Corals do eat some feed and some don't mostly its lps u feed but corals grab particle food from the collumn and also eat the plankton. So with a fuge with chaeto u probly wouldn't need to worry bout extra feeding. Coral keeping isn't as hard as it seems . And u don't even really need all the supplements like calk/mg/alk unless you are sps dominant but I don't think anyone recomends starting out on sps. Long as u got decent lighting u can grow lps and softies with minimal effort to get your feet wet. And some lps are just cool watching them eat so its fun to target feed sometimes.

 

[KSum89]

Ok cool. I'll look around for some kind of lps coral to start me off. I want the rbta regardless, hoping my clownfish will host it. I have a 4 bulb t5 nova current (thanks Chris) and i have coral filter food.. Its in a long black container. I think its cytopleeze, i thought it was anemone food but read its coral food... Not sure if pods eat it or if im suppose to feed pods at all. Because my filter sock will catch all loose food from my aquarium right.

-edit: i cant figure out what a lps coral is lol..
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- Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[angrycubano]

LPS and softies are like candy cane, frogspawn, leathers, mushrooms, zoas and palys, ricordea and many more. You can go on liveaquaria.com for example and they have it listed by LPS, SPS, soft corals, etc. and it will give you a starting point on what things are and what they look like. These are all very easy to take care of and are really beautifull to look at.

 

[gmoney243]

where your ready for corals there is lots of people in the club who sell for good prices and have a wide selection. also make sure your nitrates are very low before adding corals. dont worry bout feeding them they will eat what u feed your fish both the RBTA and Corals.

 

[Dowtish]

SPS/LPS Hard Corals 101 (With Pictures!)!)

 

[Zef004]

Nems do need to be feed 2-3x a week. Small nems can be feed mysis but when they get bigger you'll need to feed them silversides. Oh and clownfish poop. Also your clownfish will feed his/her Nem.
Also some lps like acan lobo scolys. Also need to be feed. Now zoas & polyp will grow fast and be happier if feed too. Pellets or mysis Also all corals need cal/alk/mag. This how they grow and build there skeleton which build the reefs in the oceans. Some don't need alote tho

 

[Zef004]

Also be carefull where you buy your rbta. Wild ones are lil harder to keep and there sould be some very hardy ones around the club. PickuOman / Lindsey. Had a very hardy one that mine can from. I sold mine to make room for this sunburst BTA

If I was you I would start with laether shrooms and some zoa/polyps.

 

[angrycubano]

Jay's clowns host his hairy shrooms so if hosting is your target you can accomplish it with easier corals like frogspawn, torch, hairy shrooms or things like that. I would stay away from nems as they can be sometimes tough to care for. Just my $.02

 

[Zef004]

The trick to get clownfish to host. Is at night turn off all the lights house and tank. Then shin a flashlight from the top on to what ever you want them to host in. Make sure they see it. Some will do it right away some may take an hour. But I gotten my clownfish host in everything. But I wouldn't do any lps. They will kill it. Clownfish are hard on them when there host. I've seen clownfish rip apart Nem,shroom. But can handle it. Lps can't. My 1cent. Lol