Too Many Resorces... Lol

[Nalaundi]

Hey everyone.
I will be getting my live rock (from that petplace)on Friday and have seen many different oppinionson which I should put in first and how long inbetween. I have got a bare glass bottom right now and was going to put in my LR first and let it cure the rest of the way and then put in the sand... reason being that I dont want to create any dead spots underneath the rocks or have them shift and hurt or heaven forbid kill any of my inhabatants...... so should I go ahead and put the sand it to let it settle (will rinse first obviously) I will be using regular reefgrade argonite and maybe a bag of agra-live by carab-sea... (maybe) I will be using a 1 1/2"deep bed

sooo put in LR first and then worry about sand or do it together?

then when things are pretty much stable I will put inverts in first (clean up crew) when ever that time comes Im guessing earlist a week and most likely 2-3 weeks just have to see on how quickly it cures.

then next qustion... which came first the chicken or the egg lol JK

should I put the fish in to stablelize the ammonia and nitrate... ge those stabalized then put in corals (spred out ofcorse I will do one fish a month I think caus of funding.... from my LRS and quarantene the next fish for a good week or two before putitng it in the main tank.

so finish getting fish in .... finish stablizing then add corals?

orrrrr should I put the corals in first..... I am reading everything I can on corals as we speak (Ive got like 4 browsers up as Im writing this lol)
and wait on the fish.... I have heard both


and I hear tons on how to spread out the fish as to avoid ammonia spikes but havnt heard anything on Corals..... is it the same rate as the fish or is it like inverts
cause Im guessing you can put all your invrts aka clean up crew in (providing you are not over killing the total load)

soo yeah... once I figure out what my live rock is going to look like in the tank (space for corals provided) I will once and for all decide on my corals.... cause I wanna do it right and give each coral ample space cause of all the nasty weapons I keep hearing they have hidden... sweeprs, projectile stinggy stuff, constant toxens....ect....

so yeah.. summery of random thoughts... put in rock or sand first... then..... cuc (how many at a time till max) then do I put fish or corals in first?


(wipes sweat from forehead)



just FYI this is how it will be soo far unless I hear differently by all you experts outthere

20g long 30" long 12" deep 13" wide
2 65Watt compact flourecents
30 X turnover water circulation (two pumps and renastar x 1.9 (up to 45g tank)



20lbs Fiji live rock (from website thatfishplace.com)
15lbs reef grade carab-sea argonite
15lbs reef grade agra-live argonite

3 red leg hermets
1 blue leg hermet
1 pepperment shrimp
1 scarlet skunk shrimp
5 cerith snails
4 nassaris snails
1 bumbble bee snail


1 neon blue goby
1 yellow watchman goby
1 six line warasse

corals yet to be decided

 

[Mr Miagi]

sooo put in LR first and then worry about sand or do it together?

Id place a thini layer of sand, so the LR is not sitting on the glass bottum, then get your LR in, and srted where you want the base pieves to go, then add just another thin layer of your sand around the pieces. If your worried about rock falls, this is probably a safer way than placing all your LR ontop of sand. I placed my LR on sand, and I have never had a fall. My pair of Barrier Reef clowns moved all it to one side, so they removed sand form beneath some, and it still didnt topple, fix them well, and get them stable, and ou shouldnt have issues.

then when things are pretty much stable I will put inverts in first (clean up crew) when ever that time comes Im guessing earlist a week and most likely 2-3 weeks just have to see on how quickly it cures.

should I put the fish in to stablelize the ammonia and nitrate... ge those stabalized then put in corals (spred out ofcorse I will do one fish a month I think caus of funding.... from my LRS and quarantene the next fish for a good week or two before putitng it in the main tank.

Yep, once your parameters become stable, and your cycle finishes, clean up crew first, fish second, corals last. Your LR should be able to cope with a certain amount of fish straight away, but adding like you propose is even better. Your parameters shoulndt swing THAT much because they are small fish, not produciong huge waste.

cause I wanna do it right and give each coral ample space cause of all the nasty weapons I keep hearing they have hidden... sweeprs, projectile stinggy stuff, constant toxens....ect....

That depends on what species you want. Id just wait until youve got clean up crew, LR, sand etc sorted, then worry about corals after fish.

just FYI this is how it will be soo far unless I hear differently by all you experts outthere

20g long 30" long 12" deep 13" wide
2 65Watt compact flourecents
30 X turnover water circulation (two pumps and renastar x 1.9 (up to 45g tank)



20lbs Fiji live rock (from website thatfishplace.com)
15lbs reef grade carab-sea argonite
15lbs reef grade agra-live argonite

3 red leg hermets
1 blue leg hermet
1 pepperment shrimp
1 scarlet skunk shrimp
5 cerith snails
4 nassaris snails
1 bumbble bee snail


1 neon blue goby
1 yellow watchman goby
1 six line warasse

corals yet to be decided

Sounds good. I wouldnt worry about the Live Sand, but thats me. All sand, especially aragonite will seed from your LR. Mine has. Its got copius worms, crustaceans, algae etc in it. Save your $$$. What they claim is "live" has sat on shelf after shelf at the LFS, the distributor, and the exporter un-refrigerated/un-heated for weeks. You should ask how long your LFS has had those bags there!

 

[Nalaundi]

ahhh I get it I get it!!! sounds good! ... then sand tomarrow it is hehe... (Im not excited at all am iI.) Just because I have been trying to get this thing "off and swimming" for almost 3 months... now. so it is about darned time! hehe

Ive got 6.5 watts per gallon the two 65 compacts and a shallow tank from light to sand will be only about 15 or 16 inches. max... does that make it so I have "moderate lighting" "low lighting" or could it be on the low side of "High lighting" I know it isnt a ton but Im trying to guage what corals I can keep.

 

[Mr Miagi]

Id say low to moderate. I deffinately wouldnt class it as high, but later, when your more comfortable with keeping corals, you could attempt something that requires a little more light. I wouldnt try SPS, Clams, or Anemones with that lighting. Do you have any idea about what corals you like?