FiSh123FiSh
Fishaholic
Hi,
Recently there have been a lot of posts concerning live rock. It seems to be quite unknown to newbies who have recently taken to salt water aquariums. This post is also helping me, learn more about it and so I thought I should post everything up which I have learnt. Live rock is limestone which has formed by the death of living corals and other invertebrates, forming either deep ocean or shallow coastal reefs. Live rock was collected by divers who picked up pieces after a storm had been broken off and were lying at the bottom of the ocean. All the pretty "stuff" dies and your lest with basuc organisms. However now there are farms which make rock live. This is probably more eco than picking off wild bits of the reef.
First off I have a list of LR sites which I have found useful:
o LR link 1
o LR link 2
o LR link 3
These are some which I have found quite useful. Google "Live rock" to find loads more!
Whats the difference between "cured" and "uncured"?
Cured rock started off as exactly the same thing as uncured rock exept it has been sitting in a retailers aquarium specificaly for live rock for about 6 weeks. This makes it cured. Curing LR takes alot of time and is hard to do in a small amout of water. Most things will die due to the large amounts of ammonia given off by the rock.
Cured is a much better choice even though it costs more. It is ready to be put in your tank a soon as it is dropped off at your door. Moreover Live rock should not be placed into a already esablished tank unless it is a very small amount; this creates "mini cycles" which are very stressfull for fish and inverts. It is better to add it all at once to a cycling tank. Some people put in small batches of rock over a period of time this only prolongs the cycling period but also works.
In conlusion uncured is rock whch hasent been cured in a tank for a period of time. (to put it simply)
How much LR do I need?
About 1.5-3lbs per gallon. So a 30 gallon tank should have 60lbs rougly.
What on earth has crawled out form my LR?
These are called "Hitchikers"
This is a very good link IMO.
o Hitchhiker link
Some "baddie" crabs can be fun to watch put them into a sump or refugium.
Mantis shrimp are wanted by some marineists, see if anyone wants them!
Bristleworms have been debated as being both good and bad. Some say they sift through the sand and eat left overs while some say they are horrible and eat fish and inverts. IMO I think the little ones are ok unless you are infested but the big 30cm ones should be removed. Its up to you really.
Live sand
Live sand is a waste of money IMO, unless it has been collected from another marine keeper and kept under water. The Live rock will seed normal argonite sand anyway so you can save a few £s or $s!
Here you go, if anyone would like to add anything or comment please do.
Tom.
Recently there have been a lot of posts concerning live rock. It seems to be quite unknown to newbies who have recently taken to salt water aquariums. This post is also helping me, learn more about it and so I thought I should post everything up which I have learnt. Live rock is limestone which has formed by the death of living corals and other invertebrates, forming either deep ocean or shallow coastal reefs. Live rock was collected by divers who picked up pieces after a storm had been broken off and were lying at the bottom of the ocean. All the pretty "stuff" dies and your lest with basuc organisms. However now there are farms which make rock live. This is probably more eco than picking off wild bits of the reef.
First off I have a list of LR sites which I have found useful:
o LR link 1
o LR link 2
o LR link 3
These are some which I have found quite useful. Google "Live rock" to find loads more!
Whats the difference between "cured" and "uncured"?
Cured rock started off as exactly the same thing as uncured rock exept it has been sitting in a retailers aquarium specificaly for live rock for about 6 weeks. This makes it cured. Curing LR takes alot of time and is hard to do in a small amout of water. Most things will die due to the large amounts of ammonia given off by the rock.
Cured is a much better choice even though it costs more. It is ready to be put in your tank a soon as it is dropped off at your door. Moreover Live rock should not be placed into a already esablished tank unless it is a very small amount; this creates "mini cycles" which are very stressfull for fish and inverts. It is better to add it all at once to a cycling tank. Some people put in small batches of rock over a period of time this only prolongs the cycling period but also works.
In conlusion uncured is rock whch hasent been cured in a tank for a period of time. (to put it simply)
How much LR do I need?
About 1.5-3lbs per gallon. So a 30 gallon tank should have 60lbs rougly.
What on earth has crawled out form my LR?
These are called "Hitchikers"
This is a very good link IMO.
o Hitchhiker link
Some "baddie" crabs can be fun to watch put them into a sump or refugium.
Mantis shrimp are wanted by some marineists, see if anyone wants them!
Bristleworms have been debated as being both good and bad. Some say they sift through the sand and eat left overs while some say they are horrible and eat fish and inverts. IMO I think the little ones are ok unless you are infested but the big 30cm ones should be removed. Its up to you really.
Live sand
Live sand is a waste of money IMO, unless it has been collected from another marine keeper and kept under water. The Live rock will seed normal argonite sand anyway so you can save a few £s or $s!
Here you go, if anyone would like to add anything or comment please do.
Tom.
