Just added live rock - Opinions PLease?
- Thread starter mterrace
- Start date
lexluethar
Active Member
IMO i would create spaces inbetween some of the rocks. Right now everything is crammed together, i think it has a more appealing look when there are larger gaps between rocks - doing so will also make it look like you have more rock.
Tank looks great though! Good luck!
Tank looks great though! Good luck!
mace
Member
Originally Posted by LexLuethar
IMO i would create spaces inbetween some of the rocks. Right now everything is crammed together, i think it has a more appealing look when there are larger gaps between rocks - doing so will also make it look like you have more rock.
Tank looks great though! Good luck!
I would agree. Fish like their caves and such. But you are off to a good start.
IMO i would create spaces inbetween some of the rocks. Right now everything is crammed together, i think it has a more appealing look when there are larger gaps between rocks - doing so will also make it look like you have more rock.
Tank looks great though! Good luck!
I would agree. Fish like their caves and such. But you are off to a good start.
mterrace
Member
Thanks for the feedback....I ran out and bought 20lbs of Haiti rock from LFS to go with the Fiji....I picked out 4 nice curved pieces -- I think it looks a lot better now. Quick question....when I bought the uncured Fiji, I rinsed it in salt water, removed any sponges - but I didn't scrub the rock --should I have scrubbed it? Thanks - Mark.
spanko
Active Member
Can't really tell from the new picture but it still looks like not enough space between the rock. You want this not only for the fish and critters but to enhance the flow throughout you tank and keep away from dead spots that tend to invite things like a lot of detritus which will raise your nitrates, and the dreaded cyano. Flow is the name of the game.
stanlalee
Active Member
Originally Posted by mterrace
- but I didn't scrub the rock --should I have scrubbed it? Thanks - Mark.
I dont scrub I do about what you do. I pick off anything soft or black with a flathead screw driver, then I spray it down with saltwater, then for good measure I fill a 5gallon bucket half full of fresh saltwater and dunk it several times in the bucket. then I give it a once over and repeat as neccessary. then I drain the bucket water and pick the small rubble rock pieces one by one by hand and throw that in my sump.
- but I didn't scrub the rock --should I have scrubbed it? Thanks - Mark.
I dont scrub I do about what you do. I pick off anything soft or black with a flathead screw driver, then I spray it down with saltwater, then for good measure I fill a 5gallon bucket half full of fresh saltwater and dunk it several times in the bucket. then I give it a once over and repeat as neccessary. then I drain the bucket water and pick the small rubble rock pieces one by one by hand and throw that in my sump.
sexyfishers
Member
have read a lot about the scrubbing.. in short, this is what I hear and what I have followed. If you have a new tank that is going to cycle... try to pick off what you do not want on the rock and give it a slight scrub. You don't have to do this, but you might keep hair algea or something that you don't want out of your tank, that is going to bloom later.
You have to leave rock only in your new tank until your cycle is complete. Also, if you are putting a sand bed in, do it once you get your rock in place, that way it is more sturdy and cant be kocked over as easy.
I agree about spacing your rock out some more. I put one big chunk in, and then sorta angled them where I had 1-4 inch spaces between so my fishes inverts ect could feel more at home AND clean between them.
We have 125g and had all fake stuff at first, so just recently started adding the rock. I alredy knew the swim patterns and likes of my fish, starfish etc. So I tred to accomodate them. You can also super glue together what will not stay in place. However, I think you have more bigger than smaller pieces so for you this may not be an issue.
You have to leave rock only in your new tank until your cycle is complete. Also, if you are putting a sand bed in, do it once you get your rock in place, that way it is more sturdy and cant be kocked over as easy.
I agree about spacing your rock out some more. I put one big chunk in, and then sorta angled them where I had 1-4 inch spaces between so my fishes inverts ect could feel more at home AND clean between them.
We have 125g and had all fake stuff at first, so just recently started adding the rock. I alredy knew the swim patterns and likes of my fish, starfish etc. So I tred to accomodate them. You can also super glue together what will not stay in place. However, I think you have more bigger than smaller pieces so for you this may not be an issue.
mterrace
Member
Yeah - I was struggling because the pieces are so big...I took out two pieces and moved them to my fuge..spaced everything out now -- I will need to get some epoxy for some of the arches (any recommendations on epoxy?) - but overall it is stable...How does it look now? I want to thank everyone again -- looking at the original pictures and what it looks like now - it looks so much better -- each time it is getting better 
Mark
Mark
coolguy818
Member
It looks great...... :joy:
But is there a sand bed?
But is there a sand bed?
adroitmind
Member
You will rearrange them again i'll bet. I arranged my rocks four times before i was 100% happy. Look'n good though.
spanko
Active Member
^^^^^^I agree you will be rearranging, I just can't seem to keep my hands out. I have my wife notified that if she catches me doing it again she has my permission to take whatever action she deems necessary.
Yours are looking better. The next thing to check is if they are too close to the glass so that cleaning with a magfloat or whatever you choose to clean with will fit between them and the glass.
Oh yea, how about sand? Are you going bare bottom?
Yours are looking better. The next thing to check is if they are too close to the glass so that cleaning with a magfloat or whatever you choose to clean with will fit between them and the glass.
Oh yea, how about sand? Are you going bare bottom?
mterrace
Member
Originally Posted by Coolguy818
It looks great...... :joy:
But is there a sand bed?
I have 100 Lbs of sand coming in on Tuesday - I wanted to put the rock in first then the sand....I was up in the air about which way to do it sand/rock or rock then sand...So when I saw the prices at the LFS for sand ($over $2/lb - Dry) that made up my mind real quick -- So I ordered the sand online....I have 60Lbs of Dry sand and 40 Lbs of live coming in for the DT (I also have a 55gal fuge - so I ordered another 30 dry + 20 live for that) So I have a total of 150lbs coming in....will be adding it Tuesday night/Wednesday. I am sure I'll be moving the rock around again then
Any good advice on what epoxy to use?
Thanks,
Mark
It looks great...... :joy:
But is there a sand bed?
I have 100 Lbs of sand coming in on Tuesday - I wanted to put the rock in first then the sand....I was up in the air about which way to do it sand/rock or rock then sand...So when I saw the prices at the LFS for sand ($over $2/lb - Dry) that made up my mind real quick
-- So I ordered the sand online....I have 60Lbs of Dry sand and 40 Lbs of live coming in for the DT (I also have a 55gal fuge - so I ordered another 30 dry + 20 live for that) So I have a total of 150lbs coming in....will be adding it Tuesday night/Wednesday. I am sure I'll be moving the rock around again then Any good advice on what epoxy to use?
Thanks,
Mark
sexyfishers
Member
good advice spank..... I was about to say the same thing.
I too have moved rock around. As for the apoxy... the gorilla glue is good and it dries pretty fast. What I did was put a little tank water in a small cooler and sit the bigger rock in while the smaller rock was drying so moisture was on the rock.
If you are going bare bottom great! If not, then keep in mind sand is going to fill some of those crevices. BUT.. looks hot.
... I was about to say the same thing.I too have moved rock around. As for the apoxy... the gorilla glue is good and it dries pretty fast. What I did was put a little tank water in a small cooler and sit the bigger rock in while the smaller rock was drying so moisture was on the rock.
If you are going bare bottom great! If not, then keep in mind sand is going to fill some of those crevices. BUT.. looks hot.
sexyfishers
Member
looks like our posts crossed. so I see your putting in sand. ya.. just try to get all of your moving done before you add fish. they arent too cool with all the movement. also, when you get your magfloat, get one bigger than what your tank is. like if it says for 125 and below.. get the 350. you will see much better results!
puffer32
Active Member
I would take those 3 pieces you got up close to the glass and use them to make the rock work higher. You will want sand to be up against the glass front and it will be hard with the rocks so close. Besides, eventually you might want to add some sand dwelling corals like brains, clams etc and you will need more sand surface for them then you have. Nice so far though
