Buying lfs water

Jade.a.deacon · Sep 6, 2013

If I buy water from the lfs and get live rock from the same place will I still have to wash and cure the live rock? As it has been in the water it is going back into? My lfs has live rock in with the fish so surely it is ready to put straight into the tank? Will this also apply to coral and fish? Many thanks. Jade.

Tahoe61 · Sep 6, 2013

The rock is most likely fully cured. You will need to check the rock for pest and nuisance algae. The fact that you get your water there makes really no difference, the water chemistry of your tank will be different to a certain degree than water you get from the store, you still need to acclimate fish and inverts. If the rock is clean and pest free (watch out for aiptasia and majano anemones) you can add it directly to your system.

birdsnest · Sep 6, 2013

You wouldn't have to wash or cure it but you may still go through a nitrogen cycle from any die off that happens in transport. I would get the rocks and water in your tank and then monitor your perams for a bit to make sure you do not get any spikes in NH4 or NO2. Take a few weeks before you add any fish or corals.

Jade.a.deacon · Sep 6, 2013

Thank you how can you tell if it has pests on it? Are there signs to watch out for when buying live rock? How long do you recommend me leaving the tank to settle before getting fish and coral? (Once the water balance is right too of corse)

Jade.a.deacon · Sep 6, 2013

Thank you birdsnest you just answered my next question!

robbrouse · Sep 6, 2013

I'd talk to you LFS.. IF they have already cured the rock and if you are setting up a new tank it will not matter anyway. What ever die off come from the rock will help you cycle you tank..

No you can no just come hope and plop the coral and fish right into you tank. When you have you tank set up things will change. You will need to drip at minimum to make sure salt levels / temp / PH and all that get closer to what the fish came from. I drip my new add ones anywhere from 1 to 3 hours. I also run a water test on the water when get a new fish to see what the LFS keeps there tanks at.

Anyway good luck.

Jade.a.deacon · Sep 6, 2013

Thanks! This is all great advice, so when I get live rock I can ask to take a sample of the lfs water so I can then match them up?

Tahoe61 · Sep 6, 2013

Water chemistry is dynamic, it's constantly changing from temp to pH to salinity... and then it get even more complicated. You can not by pass the acclimation process. In reality if you changed out all the water in your system with newly acquired water from the fish store in a short period of time then yes, but that is not how it works. You do not need to acclimate the rock just make sure your parameters are all in line:

Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

You're going to need to test for Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates to see if your tank can sucessfully complete the Nitrogen cycle before adding livestock and then add livestock slowly.

There is no insta tank in this hobby that is sucessful.

robbrouse · Sep 6, 2013

I would ask them to place the rock in some of the water from the tank. Don't know about the UK but most of my LFS will do this for you. I have never bought rock out of a display tank at the store. I'm assuming if you took a small container with you they would let you have some test water. If you have more than one LFS I'd check all them out and see what one treats you best and ask questions and then come here to see if the answers are right. Remember most LFS are there to make money and might not be totally honest with you.

Jade.a.deacon · Sep 6, 2013

That is true I have about 3 or 4 near me so I will have a look at all of them, one store offered to test my water for me free of charge might get them to do that before getting any fish until I'm more experienced and can do it myself? I think I'll set it up and wait a while just to make sure the tank is 100% ready, don't want to rush but also don't want things to get too complicated with buying new water for each water change e.c.t keeping the tank in my room so big containers for water changes are out of the question, I think a small container under my desk will do, if I get the ro system I will just get the water ready a few days before and then keep a separate container for topping up evaporated non salted water, although I've then got to buy another heater? How do you reccomend I keep and sort out water changes?

robbrouse · Sep 6, 2013

I would get a test kit as soon as you can. Most LFS will test but I l like to be able to test my self. Getting you own unit is the way to go, but I've know a few people that did get their water from a LFS..

glb · Sep 6, 2013

I've always had a little die off on my live rock. Even if yours is totally cured, I'd keep an eye on the water and test it frequently to make sure you don't have any ammonia or nitrites. Since the tank won't have anything else in it you'll be fine. As far as critters in the rock, if it's live, they'll be there. There's a link about critters that hopefully someone will post. I haven't figured out how to do that yet. It talks about which ones are helpful and which ones aren't.

Jade.a.deacon · Sep 6, 2013

Thank you! I am getting a hydrometer with the starter tank, and ill buy a PH testing kit online prob anything else needed to test the water? Think i will stick to lfs water for a while...

Jade.a.deacon · Sep 6, 2013

glb said:
I've always had a little die off on my live rock. Even if yours is totally cured, I'd keep an eye on the water and test it frequently to make sure you don't have any ammonia or nitrites. Since the tank won't have anything else in it you'll be fine. As far as critters in the rock, if it's live, they'll be there. There's a link about critters that hopefully someone will post. I haven't figured out how to do that yet. It talks about which ones are helpful and which ones aren't.

I can search and find it through google probably, heard you need to put coral in dips before adding to tank is this same for live rock and what dips are needed? Take it coral has its own you can buy at lfs? Sorry for all these questions!

robbrouse · Sep 6, 2013

When you are first starting I would not worry about doing anything to your rock. I'd add it and arrange it like you need and let the system start cycling.

Jade.a.deacon · Sep 6, 2013

I get the tank delivered Monday, which ill then add water and add live rock and sand when water seems okay and tests fine

glb · Sep 6, 2013

Some people dip in Coral Rx before adding a new piece to their tank. I'm sure others will add to the list.

glb · Sep 6, 2013

Jade.a.deacon said:
I get the tank delivered Monday, which ill then add water and add live rock and sand when water seems okay and tests fine

Here's a good order to add things. First arrange the live rock in the tank before you put water in it. It's a lot easier that way and the rock does take up some volume in the tank.

glb · Sep 6, 2013

Second, add the water. After the water is in, open the bag of live sand and gently place it (full) on the bottom of the tank. Gently pour the sand out and distribute it over the bottom of the tank. This method reduces the sediment in the water. If you add the sand before you add water it's going to go everywhere!