LR or No LR??

[cashemin44]

My finace and I were looking in to getting some LR for our 55g FO tank. We currently have a powerhead, 2 emperor 400 bio wheel filters and we use tap water. We've heard the cost of LR is unecessary when you have FO setup because all it adds is a grazing ground for your fish, yet others have swore that it greatly improves the biological enviornment. Are we going to have to invest into any other equipment to maintain the LR such as an RO unit, protein skimmer or special lighting? I currently have no fish because they all died from ich. We have a few shrimp and crabs we have been looking at for the past month. We are ready to go another round at this and want to do it right this time. We have QT tank completely cycled ready to go to introduce new fish. I am willing to take time to setup the right enviorment with the right equipment and shop for the right fish for a 55 gal. Should I get this LR? Should I get any other new equipment with or without LR?

 

[puffer32]

Yes, get the LR! Its great filtration for your tank. Also, you shouldn't use tap water whether you have LR or not, you can still get an algae bloom on your sand, and glass with tap water. i would recommend a good skimmer also.

 

[cashemin44]

on a budget, what would you get first? Is it necessary to have a protein skimmer if you have LR?

 

[rkmayphd]

I think the live rock is a very good idea as well. It greatly improves the biological filtration, in addition to providing grazing/hiding for your fish.
To save money- as you are doing a fish only tank, you could get away with a few live rocks and more base rock. The base rock is much less expensive than live, and after time it will become "live" as well.
I also would reccomend RO water whether or not you choose to add live rock, as it will bue much better for the overall health of your tank. But, I do not think you would need to buy any additional equipment.

 

[rkmayphd]

I went rock (again more base than live) and now have a skimmer oredered after my tank has been going for 2 months.

 

[cgrant]

IMO...I would do the skimmer if you dont have money for both.

 

[jaybird101]

Originally Posted by cashemin44
on a budget, what would you get first? Is it necessary to have a protein skimmer if you have LR?
As long as you keep your boi wheel filters going, you don't need a skimmer for now.
I have LR and use a topfin carbon filter and the tank and water is clean and water quality is all good. A clean up crew is also a must to a clean tank.

 

[anthropo]

alls i'm gonna say is when i first started a while ago i only used live sand and whatever fake decor that i thought looked good. i had nothing but problems with my ph, ammonia would never go to zero completely(always stayed at .25), i had fish that were doing good but not great, since i got liverock, i saw a vast improvement and have been using it for the last 5 years.

 

[bedabug0]

get the live rock and then a protien skimmer then after a few weeks and the salt and ph is right get a few damsels then keep them for a few weeks then get more fish :happyfish

 

[payton 350]

Originally Posted by puffer32
Yes, get the LR! Its great filtration for your tank. Also, you shouldn't use tap water whether you have LR or not, you can still get an algae bloom on your sand, and glass with tap water. i would recommend a good skimmer also.
you can continue using tap if you want....majority prefer not to....and there are many more factors than the water in whether you get algae or not.....everyone that has ro/di water gets algae on the sand, glass, etc..still........
NO DAMSELS....unless that's what you want...but don't cycle with them

 

[hammerhed7]

Live Rock can sometimes be a double edge sword, if you do not have a QT or hospital tank, any didease treatment will be next to impossible, as the live rock, and inverts it contains will be killed by most medications including meds for ich such as copper.
however live rock offers a tremendous amout of biological stability to the tank and nothing looks better for aquascape, but I would only reccomend it if you have a QT or hospital set up due to your restricted treatment options with the rock in the display.

 

[nigerbang]

Originally Posted by CGRANT
IMO...I would do the skimmer if you dont have money for both.
Intresting...I have never used a Protien Skimmer and have always had great sucess. Ive never been able to understand that..again I always use about 2lbs of LR per gallon, and filter about 3 times the amount of water I have 30gl=120gl worth of filter