Salty Bottom Live Rock

[ying yang]

I think live rock is the easiest and best way to go. The gulf stuff isn't as porous as the real reef rock but far more environmentally friendly. Aside from being better for the environment the gulf isn't home to many of most feared Fiji hitchhikers like peacock and other big mantis, or extremely prolific aiptasia. Gulf mantis species with only one exception are small smashers and the aiptasia like species are manageable. Most other things in liverock are getting in anyways like copepods, bristleworms, various algae etc.

If you are aiming for absolute perfection and will qt and dip everything every time 100% no matter what, go dry rock. Most mortals eventually wind up with typical liverock after years of adding stuff anyways.

Plan was 100% dry rock/ dry sand
Qt fish and corals in seperate tanks.
Dip corals/ peroxide rocks corals on or cut them or frag plugs off.
But as time goes on im reading others say i had such an agressive qt system but this fish diesese gkt through or this hitch hiker got through on my corals even though did this did that and x amount months observation but never noticed it.so think should i even bother qt anything pffft

 

[BeltedCoyote]

Problem with an aggressive qt is similar to what we humans face. Trying to completely prevent every single contingency leaves our creatures weaker when a small issue comes in. Plus there’s a ton of evidence that slamming a new fish with meds that are known to suppress hunger, possibly have long term damage, etc when there weren’t initial symptoms causes die off. (Imagine treating someone with chemo when there isn’t evidence of cancer).

don’t follow me but I believe an observation qt is better than slamming with antibiotics and meds. A) it is possible to create resistant pathogens and B) fish that come in are already so stressed that such stresses added by harsh meds can push them over the edge.

nature created immune systems for a reason. Live rock does have hitch hikers, but other than the odd mantis shrimp or hobbit worm, most of what people are afraid of will be encountered eventually anyway. I’d rather introduce such risks with enough microfauna to immediately create healthy competition than simply going completely sterile

 

[ying yang]

But look my first 2 fish i bought.well only one of them.lfs at first lot pics i sent them saying looks like some kind of burn from not acliminating them properley,and looks like burn from salt ^_^ .( took me 50 minutes) then next morning i sent them pics of the parasite slightly moved with indentation in head where one of parasites was ( was on both sides of head) so they said could have full refund or swap them with 2 from same batch or wait few days get some from new batch.
I ended up swapping for 2 healthy looking ones ( even though first 2 i looked over so much at the lfs but once home under zoom on phone noticed the lumps on head.and shortky after clamped fins.and next day peeling on back of fish.
So far 2 new fish looking/ acting/ eating good but i feel like as they from same tank at lfs and going in same qt i had first 2 fish in.i should went fallow for least 6 weeks then got 2 more fish.but as i said earlier im thinking is there any point to qt fish/ corals as seems so many new fish carrying dieseses and can intriduce from corals even after agressive qt.( probably rare but seen a few posts) so im in the shoukd i or shouldn't i stage ^_^

 

[ying yang]

Lfs ended up saying looks like some kind fluke but as you say treating every fish every med when no need ( well just may not be needed so i think im like coming upto 2 week mark of 2 new fish just observing in qt and no meds.and one thing i can observe is the bigger one such a bloody jerk to the little one.but he gives in most the time but occasionally see the little one give big one a little nip ha ha but all in all seems like they sorting it out between them ok so far.sorry for hijacking thread,not intentionally ^_^

 

[BeltedCoyote]

I’m not saying don’t treat at all. I’m saying I’m not a fan of automatically subjecting every fish to the heavy round of medications a fish that needs it (like those poor guys in your pics) when there’s no sign of a need. That’s why I plan to have an observation period of “qt”. I will by all means treat if there are signs of something wrong. I’m just saying I don’t buy into the school of treating fish like they all have diseases when there isn’t any indication of such.

Edit: hence observation.

And DISCLAIMER: this is just how I view things. Which is also why I’m all about adding the amount of live rock I can afford to my sterile tank. You have no obligation to listen to me. I’m just sharing my thoughts because I, as someone still in the early stages of the hobby (after two years of research), wish I had more people weigh in with their honest opinions instead of giving a blanket answer. No one is wrong. We all just find what works. I’m sharing my mindset because perhaps it helps. If not, awesome. We learn from eachother

 

[ying yang]

Yeah i get ya.