More Questions

[Uriel]

1. What can't you keep with just T5 lights rather than metal Halide ?

2. How can you tell if live rock is Good Quality. Looked at some today in petshop and didn't have any purple algea on it or anything just looked like grey rock.

3. Alot of people seem to reccomend deltec mce 300/600 as good Hob Skimmers are the also the best skimmers for in sump ?

4. Do you calculate the water volumn for stocking and live rock including sump or without sump ?

Sorry for the constant barrage of questions.

 

[seffieuk]

1. What can't you keep with just T5 lights rather than metal Halide ?

Quite a lot actually, many softies and some hard corals, I even keep bubbletips under t5 x 4

2. How can you tell if live rock is Good Quality. Looked at some today in petshop and didn't have any purple algea on it or anything just looked like grey rock.

Good question, look for signs of life, smell it, does it smell like the sea or rotting eggs?, coraline is not always the best sign of healthy life, it just looks pretty. Try not to buy from a lfs, take your time and source from a reefer breaking down a tank

3. Alot of people seem to reccomend deltec mce 300/600 as good Hob Skimmers are the also the best skimmers for in sump ?

Yep, you can use them in a sump

4. Do you calculate the water volumn for stocking and live rock including sump or without sump ?

I would just use the display tank as my guide, however it means you have a bit of leaway to play with.

Sorry for the constant barrage of questions.

Questions are good Seffie x

 

[Stampos]

1. What can't you keep with just T5 lights rather than metal Halide ?

2. How can you tell if live rock is Good Quality. Looked at some today in petshop and didn't have any purple algea on it or anything just looked like grey rock.

3. Alot of people seem to reccomend deltec mce 300/600 as good Hob Skimmers are the also the best skimmers for in sump ?

4. Do you calculate the water volumn for stocking and live rock including sump or without sump ?

Sorry for the constant barrage of questions.

Hi Uriel,

I don't profess to be an expert by any means having recently set up my first tank, but here's my take on your questions:

1.) I believe it's mainly SPS (Small Polyp Stony) corals which require MH lighting. T5's are fine for Soft coral and I believe most LPS.

2.) Good quality live rock should not smell bad (if it does it is uncured and takes longer to cycle) when picking mine I mainly looked for nice shapes and coraline algae presence. Also, try to avoid pieces which appear to be solid as opposed to porous which will only reduce volume and not be as efficient a filter.

3.) Can't comment from experience but I read Deltec make some of the best equipment going.

4.) I have always calculated volume including a sump

Simon

 

[Uriel]

Cheers Guys

I was looking at getting live rock from a reefer breaking down a tank. Just need some idea of what i'm buying. Don't want to end up buying a load of base rock covered in salt water

Also can live rock be kept "live" with just flow and a heater ?

 

[seffieuk]

Also can live rock be kept "live" with just flow and a heater ?

It can indeed and even in a bath!! Just nip over to Happygeorges thread to see

Seffie x