How long until add a RFA?

[olonmv]

May just leave it. I would never want to risk anything in the tank that could kill anything else. Of course that’s a risk with Everything, but I’d like to not take large avoidable risks. Plus, keeping everything at a healthy and happy capacity, caring for things properly is important.

That’s basically the mindset I have. I made a mistake once at buying a neon dottyback and adding him into my tank. I had 2 sexy shrimp that I loved. They were both gone within 2 weeks of adding the dottyback. I still have the dottyback and will not get anymore sexy shrimp until he parishes. He’s lucky he’s a pretty fish, otherwise I would have hosted the worlds smallest fish fry.

 

[yanni]

That’s basically the mindset I have. I made a mistake once at buying a neon dottyback and adding him into my tank. I had 2 sexy shrimp that I loved. They were both gone within 2 weeks of adding the dottyback. I still have the dottyback and will not get anymore sexy shrimp until he parishes. He’s lucky he’s a pretty fish, otherwise I would have hosted the worlds smallest fish fry.

Yeah exactly. So many things id love to own, but I could never own them safely, without risking their lives, or some other critters life in the tank.

 

[JoJosReef]

Only worry is expense, and I’m paranoid after dealing with lobophora and gha outbreaks. On the topic, how long do you recommend waiting for a tube anemone?

I'd go with live rock to AVOID gha. Dry rock is a GHA magnet--so much free space unoccupied by any other living thing to park right on and grow.

RFAs can be a bit bothered by excess GHA. If you're going minimal scape, a good source of live rock might be best--you'd be instantly cycled and can add the RFAs (and other corals) right away.

 

[yanni]

I'd go with live rock to AVOID gha. Dry rock is a GHA magnet--so much free space unoccupied by any other living thing to park right on and grow.

RFAs can be a bit bothered by excess GHA. If you're going minimal scape, a good source of live rock might be best--you'd be instantly cycled and can add the RFAs (and other corals) right away.

Risking adding pests is scary though, considering the absolute nightmare I’ve had with hitchhikers and pests so far

 

[JoJosReef]

Risking adding pests is scary though, considering the absolute nightmare I’ve had with hitchhikers and pests so far

Do tell. I've had ocean live rock complete with crabs, ulva, eunice worms, 10 other types of worms and things that just appear 10 months later. And another system that started with Caribsea "Liferock". The latter is the one that gives me more headaches 100x over.

 

[yanni]

Do tell. I've had ocean live rock complete with crabs, ulva, eunice worms, 10 other types of worms and things that just appear 10 months later. And another system that started with Caribsea "Liferock". The latter is the one that gives me more headaches 100x over.

God no thanks. Just dealing with lobophora algae, aggressive GHA, aiptasia, those pesky lil tube worms that l forget the name of now, majanos. Such a pain in the butt, would rather avoid it, wish I could guarantee a pest free source haha

 

[olonmv]

Risking adding pests is scary though, considering the absolute nightmare I’ve had with hitchhikers and pests so far

A way to expel said critters is to add live rock to low salinity water….something like 1.020 range. They’ll leave the rock work in search of better water.

 

[yanni]

A way to expel said critters is to add live rock to low salinity water….something like 1.020 range. They’ll leave the rock work in search of better water.

Does this not risk the bacteria inside the rock that we’d want to keep?

 

[olonmv]

Does this not risk the bacteria inside the rock that we’d want to keep?

No risk to bac.

 

[yanni]

No risk to bac.

May be worth a shot. Almost seems too good to be true haha

 

[olonmv]

May be worth a shot. Almost seems too good to be true haha

You live in Australia…..where awesome live rock is sought from. I’d go live rock and save all the headaches @JoJosReef mentioned.

 

[yanni]

You live in Australia…..where awesome live rock is sought from. I’d go live rock and save all the headaches @JoJosReef mentioned.

Will do some more research and see what I can come up with, I’m sure there’ll be some good options around with some looking

 

[JoJosReef]

God no thanks. Just dealing with lobophora algae, aggressive GHA, aiptasia, those pesky lil tube worms that l forget the name of now, majanos. Such a pain in the butt, would rather avoid it, wish I could guarantee a pest free source haha

Uff, that's horrible stuff. I see now you're shopping in Australian waters--got mine from Florida waters, so no aiptasia or majanos (or rare at least). Spirorbid worms? Definitely annoying. Any alternative places to get your rocks that you can see them first?

 

[yanni]

Uff, that's horrible stuff. I see now you're shopping in Australian waters--got mine from Florida waters, so no aiptasia or majanos (or rare at least). Spirorbid worms? Definitely annoying. Any alternative places to get your rocks that you can see them first?

Vermetid worms!! That’s the one. Frustrating to deal with, had em all over, exploded seemingly overnight. Not really, I live on the West Coast, and the best live rock comes over east, so not feasible to see prior to buying. The places near me are quite good, but they’re the ones that have me lobophora and other assorted pests to begin with, so I try avoid buying rock from them, and very carefully select coral from there

 

[Ryebreadiest]

I started my 14g nano with a few pounds of dry rock and a few of KP aquatics base live rock. Did a Microbacter 7 cycle with ammonia chloride, was just reading nitrates within a few days. Corals went in immediately after and had RFAs within a few weeks. No issues and no uglies.

It’s 5 months on now and i honestly have no real issues. I’d get live rock if you can, it really is a shortcut to a successful tank.

 

[jabberwock]

FWIW, if you go with live rock, there’s virtually no waiting period for cycling.

I really feel like we need to define "live rock" for the purposes of this discussion.

Which is it OP?

1. wet live rock from the LFS (very little life other than potentially bacteria)
2. real live ocean rock (with all the hitchhikers and algae)
3. "life rock" (dead rock, painted purple)
4. white dry, dead rock and bottled bacteria

I added 5 RFAs about a month ago in a 3 month old set up. They are doing great, BUT, I started with real live ocean rock with tons of micro and macro life (some good, some unwanted). The way you started will change the answer to your question.

 

[yanni]

I started my 14g nano with a few pounds of dry rock and a few of KP aquatics base live rock. Did a Microbacter 7 cycle with ammonia chloride, was just reading nitrates within a few days. Corals went in immediately after and had RFAs within a few weeks. No issues and no uglies.

It’s 5 months on now and i honestly have no real issues. I’d get live rock if you can, it really is a shortcut to a successful tank.

This is quite a good insight since I have a similar tank size (Waterbox 20). Might try get a mix of live n dry

 

[yanni]

I really feel like we need to define "live rock" for the purposes of this discussion.

Which is it OP?

1. wet live rock from the LFS (very little life other than potentially bacteria)
2. real live ocean rock (with all the hitchhikers and algae)
3. "life rock" (dead rock, painted purple)
4. white dry, dead rock and bottled bacteria

I added 5 RFAs about a month ago in a 3 month old set up. They are doing great, BUT, I started with real live ocean rock with tons of micro and macro life (some good, some unwanted). The way you started will change the answer to your question.

Dry rock = white dry rock, bottled bac
Live rock = ocean rock/LFS rock/fellow reefer rock

 

[olonmv]

I really feel like we need to define "live rock" for the purposes of this discussion.

Which is it OP?

1. wet live rock from the LFS (very little life other than potentially bacteria)
2. real live ocean rock (with all the hitchhikers and algae)
3. "life rock" (dead rock, painted purple)
4. white dry, dead rock and bottled bacteria

I added 5 RFAs about a month ago in a 3 month old set up. They are doing great, BUT, I started with real live ocean rock with tons of micro and macro life (some good, some unwanted). The way you started will change the answer to your question.

Agree, my definition of live rock is rock sourced from the ocean filled with biodiversity. I started with dry hoping to learn the ropes. I learned a lot but it was a lot of stress tied to it. Not worth it.

 

[yanni]

Agree, my definition of live rock is rock sourced from the ocean filled with biodiversity. I started with dry hoping to learn the ropes. I learned a lot but it was a lot of stress tied to it. Not worth it.

I’d love to get ocean rock, but outside of sourcing it illegally, it’s very expensive to get here