Adding Corals

[angelapound]

I want to eventually start adding some easy keeper corals to my tank. Is it necessary to start out with a lot of live rock or can I add that a little at a time along with corals? I have a 15 gal tall tank with about 20 lbs base rock, 5 lbs live rock, 2" sandbed (not live sand). I have two powerheads and a Marineland 3000 HOB wet/dry filter. This is a new tank so I"m in the middle of the cycle right now. I have to upgrade my lights and I"m planning on getting 96 watt power compacts...i think...still looking into that. Would it be better to get the lights first, then add some easy to keep corals and more live rock later? Or get the live rock first, then the lights, then the corals?
Thanks!

 

[mopar9012]

If it was me. I would get either the LR or the light first. THEN add corals.
Its just not a good idea to add the LR LAST. To me anyway, and definitly wait for the corals till you get that light.

 

[nick76]

Originally Posted by AngelaPound
I want to eventually start adding some easy keeper corals to my tank. Is it necessary to start out with a lot of live rock or can I add that a little at a time along with corals? I have a 15 gal tall tank with about 20 lbs base rock, 5 lbs live rock, 2" sandbed (not live sand). I have two powerheads and a Marineland 3000 HOB wet/dry filter. This is a new tank so I"m in the middle of the cycle right now. I have to upgrade my lights and I"m planning on getting 96 watt power compacts...i think...still looking into that. Would it be better to get the lights first, then add some easy to keep corals and more live rock later? Or get the live rock first, then the lights, then the corals?
Thanks!
It sounds like you have enough rock already, Invest in lights. They will need them to survive and grow well.

 

[earlybird]

If you add rock later it would have to be cured to prevent a spike/mini cycle. I'd get LR first, then lights, and down the road when your tank has matured add corals.

 

[aztec reef]

Sounds to me like you have enuf liverock, i would get the lights, get a crew & maybe a fish(after cycle) then let it mature for a few months and add corals..

 

[angelapound]

I've added 3 more pounds of live rock today which brings me to a total of 8 pounds of live rock and 20 pounds of base rock. That base rock will turn into live rock over time, right? Is that enough for now? I would like for my next investment to be the lights if the amount of live rock I have now will sustain corals. I don't plan on adding any corals until my tank is more mature. How many months after the cycle is complete should I wait to add corals? Also, if I add live rock that is already cured, will that still cause a mini-cycle?
Thanks for all your help!

 

[spanko]

How about some pic's? As far as weight that seems to be enough rock. But you never know because some rodk is lighter-more porous-bigger than the heavier-denser-smaller rock.

 

[mopar9012]

you dont need rocks to keep corals(if that was what your asking). If you add rock that is TOTALLY cured it wont cause another cycle, but if you go to your LFS and they say they have "cured" live rock, i would still cure it. I bought some "cured" LR once from my LFS and put it in a 10 gallon and it was not cured like they said....
Once the cycle is over i would get a clown fish or something like that, see how it does then maybe add something like shrooms.

 

[angelapound]

I've added some pics. Please tell me what you think. I think I'm happy with the amount of rock I have in there now. I'm going to go ahead and see about ordering lights. I think i want the Coralife 18 Inch Aqualight Compact Fluorescent Retrofit Kit W/ 1-96W Quad 50/50 Lamp Square Pin. Does 'retrofit' mean I can mount those directly to the wood hood? (see the pics of the hood and current lights below) And from the pics, would those lights work? I was thinking of the T5s, but I haven't found any that were 18 inches.
Thanks!

 

[aztec reef]

tank looks good to me..retrofit means that they come ready to PLUG & PLAY you might be able to fit the kit inside hood or you can hang from ceiling depending on the Model you get or heat uses if any.. t5's are good you might be able to hang those i'm not sure if they make any that are 18"..

 

[angelapound]

Just bumping this up....I want to order lights today but I want to make sure they are going to work in my tank.
Thanks!

 

[reefforbrains]

I might be wrong, but some of the rock looks like Haiwiian waterfall rock. its fine for display purposes but it usually isnt porus enough to really make good live rock. Also beware if you purchased it dry because of the lychen that is known to grow on it can be unknown. Keep in mind this is just my opinion, but if it is indeed Haiwiian waterfall rock, I would opt for a different base material. JMO

 

[angelapound]

I'm not sure if that is what it is or not, but I will check with the fish store where I bought it and find out for sure.

 

[reefforbrains]

Please dont let my post be an alarm, just looks like freshwater rock. Are the pieces heavy even when dry? if broken they are like bright grey inside almost like granite looking? If so then its most likley Waterfall rock and while it will indeed look the same, its biological function of what is normally considered "Live Rock" wont be present since the porus properties of typical LR is the whole point of having it beyond asthetics.
As for the lychen, does it have like field moss growing on it? Short very hard brightly colored scrub growth?
Get some others imput also before you worry about it.

 

[angelapound]

Thanks...I will check into it just to be on the safe side. I've only had the tank setup for a few days so taking it out now if need be won't be a problem.
Also, can anyone suggest which one of these lights are better? I'm looking at either the 18" SUNPAQ RETRO 1X96 watt or the 18" Aqualight Retro 96W Quad Square Pin (Coralife).
Thanks!

 

[bemrocs]

Is lychen a bad thing? If I remember correctly, some of my base rock did have this on it. but I scrubbed the heck out of it! The rocks that it was on are the most porous rocks I have ever seen so I dont think I have freshwater rock.

 

[reefkprz]

Originally Posted by AngelaPound
I've added some pics. Please tell me what you think.

I saw these pictures now I'm going to have aquascaping nightmares, dreams of trying to stack rock all the way to the top and not dropping anything behind the rock and having to tear it all down to get it back...... reminds me of my old 45g high only way scarier. Good luck to you with this.

 

[aztec reef]

you can make it shorter by doing a deep sandbed..