coral questions and concerns

[saltyfish]

Hi I have some Questions fot you as I am a new saltwater tank owner and I am in the process of starting it up. I want to have a reef tank and the tank that I have bought was used and came with $400 worth of coral. So my first question is how can I save the coral while my tank cycles? Also if you have coral do you need LR ? I want to get some but if it is over kill or if the coral does the same thing as LR then I don't need it. Or if I need to use Less LR then 1 lbs per gal.. . I have a 75 gal tank. Do I need 75lbs of LR? I want to use a biologacal filter system. If I use LR and LS with a protien skimmer is that enough filtering or do I need a wet/dry as well? I've been reading alot of stuff but the combonation of equipment or filtering styles I have not found. So With the intent of having coral what combonation of filtration will get the job done. I plan on useing a sump for easy access to the mantiance the tank needs.
Any help you can offer will be apreated...
Aaron

 

[saltyfish]

OK I know that I'm not ready to set up a reef tank but I don't have a choice right now. I just bought a 75 gal tank nice from a guy that didn't want to do it any more. It came with some stuff and about $400 worth of corral. now I have never set A tank up before messed with the water levels in the diferent things you look for and that has been my focaus this last mouth but now I have to set up a reef tank as soon as I get the tank so they don't die off. I guess if they do then no biggy because this is a sweet deal on the tank alone but I was wanting a reef tank at some point when I was ready. So there wasn't alot of info on this shight about maintaining corral so I need a crash course. Things like how can I store them while I set the tank up anre they hard ect??? I'm lost here. noraa777@surfbest.net is my email if you want to take me under your wing. I need as much advice as I can get here so please no one hold back...
Aaron
<img src="graemlins//eek.gif" border="0" alt="[eek]" />

 

[carrie1429]

It is better to have LR and LS IMO. It really helps with the biological filteration but you would still need another source such as just a wet/dry filter. And while your tank cycles there really is not much you can do with the coral except have the LFS keep it until your tank is ready, and if you put the coral in right away I am sure that it will not do well since after you add LS and LR your tank will be cloudy witch irritates the corals and plus the ammonia and nitrate spikes, not a good idea.
Also for the LR you need 1-2 pounds of rock per gallon so I would say at least 75 pounds or more.

 

[bradburycf]

Did you just get the tank and the corals? It seems strange that there was no lr or at least some cc that would come with those also <img src="graemlins//confused2.gif" border="0" alt="[confused2]" /> . Did he already have the tank torn down? If so, where were the corals kept? Let us know axactly what the tank came with other than the corals (what corals are they?). Right now the best thing you can probably do is take them (corals) to your lfs until you are set up and cycled and the tank has matured a few months. If you have the original substrate w/ the tank and the water, this can drastically decrease your set up time. Let us know the other equipment you have also (lights, etc.)

 

[saltyfish]

Thats cool. I just bought the tank and is waiting for me to go get it. 100mi trip. So i'm not sure if it is set up or what it comes with. I'm sure i comes with a heater and other stuff. Prob a hood with a light that is rated for coral I would assume. Now if I take the coral to a lfs will the coral still be mine? Do they hold stuff for you or rent a tank or what? how does that work? I was thinking about my small 10 gal that I'm gpoing to use as a sump. I'm not sure what kinds of coral I'm getting or if there is any subscreat with it. Depending on how big the coral is, $400 worth, Could I just use the water they come in and matain that for a mouth with a filter and light and a powerhead? If not can i buy what coral eat in a store and add it to the water? I'm trying to be creative here.