New school vs old school!?

[Bccarty151]

I also bailed from the hobby around 10 years ago and am currently building a new cube tank.

I'm all in on the new stuff. For example I couldn't be happier with with "BeanAnimal" style overflow and DC return pump I'm using. Did a leak test the other day and couldn't believe how quiet the system was. Would never go back to a Durso or External AC return pump.

I also plan to go LEDs for my lighting and won't miss my 5' long T5s.

I'm going the dry rock route this time vs the Tonga Live Rock that I used last time. Only time will tell on this one. One thing for sure is the Dry rock is so much easier to aquascape than the live rock. The Base rock that is cut flat lays perfectly on the bottom of the tank making the aquascape very stable.

Have you already purchased the rock? I'm no expert but based on my past (live rock) and current (dry rock) I'd go live rock all the way as it's more diverse and stable. New tank (2 years old) dynos will pop up never had that issue b4. New tank has no copapods, amphipods, feather dusters, bristle worms, sponges, sea squirts, its sterile and fragile....my two cents

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

If you can't keep up with water changes. You can do a.fowlr and soft coral tank.
Hths you.
-d

 

[mike89t]

Have you already purchased the rock? I'm no expert but based on my past (live rock) and current (dry rock) I'd go live rock all the way as it's more diverse and stable. New tank (2 years old) dynos will pop up never had that issue b4. New tank has no copapods, amphipods, feather dusters, bristle worms, sponges, sea squirts, its sterile and fragile....my two cents

yeah I purchased it almost 2 months ago and it's been "curing" or whatever you want to call it in my garage with bottled bacteria and periodic "feeding". So by the time my display tank is finally put together, it will have been in water for at least 3 months.

I also plan on seeding with pods and other life once it is up and running.

 

[Subsea]

Mike,
As a new setup, I cured diver collected rock from GLR in my display. As I now have 500G in six systems, I decided on air freight of 50 lbs of live sand and 120 lbs of live rock. Prior to delivery, I started up two tanks (55G &30G), both are skimmerless & sumpless with zero water change. Phase 1 consisted in establishing the nitrification cycle using ammonia & bottled bacteria. When sand & rock came in, the better pieces went into established mature tanks with tangs as the curator of this live rock. That‘s correct, no quarantine for maximum diversity.

Here are the 55G & 30Gaftwr 4 months.

 

[Subsea]

Your insight and experience is invaluable thanks again! I am lighting fuge opposite of the display. When I removed the filter socks I got noisy waterfalls. Are you using phytoplankton in your program?

yes, I cultivate Tetraselmis phytoplankton and Apocalypse pods for zooplankton.

 

[Bccarty151]

Mike,
As a new setup, I cured diver collected rock from GLR in my display. As I now have 500G in six systems, I decided on air freight of 50 lbs of live sand and 120 lbs of live rock. Prior to delivery, I started up two tanks (55G &30G), both are skimmerless & sumpless with zero water change. Phase 1 consisted in establishing the nitrification cycle using ammonia & bottled bacteria. When sand & rock came in, the better pieces went into established mature tanks with tangs as the curator of this live rock. That‘s correct, no quarantine for maximum diversity.

Here are the 55G & 30Gaftwr 4 months.

Nice setups!....my rock should be here any minute! Had it overnighted and planned on putting it right into the tank if it's not to stinky or has too much die off.

 

[Bccarty151]

It has arrived and in good shape!

 

[Midrats]

Your insight and experience is invaluable thanks again! I am lighting fuge opposite of the display. When I removed the filter socks I got noisy waterfalls. Are you using phytoplankton in your program?

I had noisy waterfalls too so I cut the bottoms off of the socks. Now I have quiet waterfalls.

 

[Subsea]

I had my well (880ft deep) tested prior to buying my place and there test found no toxic substances. Yes I'm using well water (yikes). I have ran basic tests on it and it came back pretty close to target numbers on alk phos and Nitrate. I did have a pretty cruddy (turbofloter?) Skimmer on my last reef tank but it didn't work all that well if at all.

My well is at 1000’ into an ancient inland sea, Edwards Aquifier. TDS at 999ppm. No nitrogen, phosphate, potassium or iron. It goes straight into the tank to make up for evaporation. Large water change is performed once a year (regardless if I need it or not) to bring parameters back to standard reef numbers.