Just got new rock!!

LionFish47 · Dec 13, 2015

I just got some new rock online and placed it in the tank 12/12/15. It is Figi live rock. The tank is now yellow and I can't tell if that is an optical illusion of the water or if the rock is so full of debris it seems to change the water. Anyhow here's the tank now and what should be done about it?

redfishbluefish · Dec 13, 2015

WOW!

Run carbon.

LionFish47 · Dec 13, 2015

Do what to it?

redfishbluefish · Dec 13, 2015

Ideally you'd want to run carbon in a reactor. If you don't have a reactor, put it in a media bag....a fine mesh bag, rinse it off, and now put that bag in a flow area....maybe in your overflow.

LionFish47 · Dec 13, 2015

OK. Thanks 4 the help.

pondman · Dec 13, 2015

Yea wow I've never seen that before send them an email and ask them if maybe they treated with something? Was it wrapped in newspaper it could be ink from the paper. But yea get some carbon running that's first thing

Dtackett · Dec 13, 2015

well, first thing, youre going to want to remove a good deal of that rock and open up the area behind It and under it. you've basically got a large wall preventing any flow which will cause issues in the long run. second, did you rinse or cure the rock prior to placing it in your tank? third, do as mentioned above. run carbon to pull it out.

twilliard · Dec 13, 2015

Or get a skimmer running overtime!

Shell · Dec 13, 2015

The rock should have been rinsed and I agree to much rock in the tank.

LionFish47 · Dec 13, 2015

On the amount of rock: I did as many places say to do, put about 150 lbs of rock in a 75 gallon tank.
On the newspaper, yes, I hadn't thought of that

Dtackett · Dec 13, 2015

the 2 pounds per gallon rule is useful for cheap base rock and even then its normally too much rock, but figi rock is much more porous than base rock and you don't need near as much. you could probably get away with about half of what you have in the tank. are you running a sump? I would pull as much rock out of there as you can and place it in the sump. you want open areas for flow to get through and prevent buildup of detritus and bacteria.

LionFish47 · Dec 13, 2015

Dtackett said:
well, first thing, youre going to want to remove a good deal of that rock and open up the area behind It and under it. you've basically got a large wall preventing any flow which will cause issues in the long run. second, did you rinse or cure the rock prior to placing it in your tank? third, do as mentioned above. run carbon to pull it out.

How mug rock do you suggest?

twilliard · Dec 13, 2015

Without a ton of flow you may get anaerobic areas

Dtackett · Dec 13, 2015

LionFish47 said:
How mug rock do you suggest?

honestly, with a good figi like yours and a sump with skimmer you could probably get away with 1 pound per gallon or less but to be safe I always put in between 1-1.5 pounds per gallon. in your case I would keep about 60-80 pounds in your display. basically, pull all the rock out, do a rockscape however you want. if you want 1 tower and nothing else, then do it. then place as much of the rest in your sump as you can while ensuring flow can get through the rock in the sump as well. my last tank was a 29. I had about 35 pounds in my display and another 15 pounds in my sump. it was way overkill but I liked how it looked.

LionFish47 · Dec 13, 2015

Thx. I'm gonna try that. I'll keep you posted on the progress. So about 70 pounds of rock in the tank and up to how much in the bottom? (It's a ?25? Gallon tank)

Dtackett · Dec 13, 2015

honestly you don't have to have any in the sump. it just helps. and 70 isn't a magical number either. just setup your rock how you want it to look, post a pic and we can tell you if you should add more or if youre ok. set it up however you like it and then add from there. chances are you need less than you think.

LionFish47 · Dec 13, 2015

OK. Good to know. I'm gonna still put rocks in the sump though.

LionFish47 · Dec 13, 2015

FYI: this is going to be a community reef tank with a possible anemonea and other coral. I don't know if this changes anything.

Breakthecycle2 · Dec 13, 2015

LionFish47 said:
FYI: this is going to be a community reef tank with a possible anemonea and other coral. I don't know if this changes anything.

It doesn't.

Cment · Dec 13, 2015

Do a google search for "aquascaping a reef tank" You can find a bunch of ideas, find one you like and copy it to some extent if you can. Very few people still use 1.5-2lbs of Rock per gallon. A lot of aquascapes are now minimalistic to optimize flow and reduce dead spots in the tank. Tank your time with it and don't get frustrated if it takes you 2,3,4,5,6..... times before you settle on one.