live rock question

[krustytheclownfish]

Hey everyone. I just registered although I've been reading this forum for a while. I think it's great and very informative. Anyhow the question, I have a 30 gallon FO and would like to add LR. The question is do I need to add any extra trace elements or anything like that? Also, what about the lighting? I only have the 20W hood that came with the tank. Oh, if anyone has a good sight to order from let me know.
jrausch90@netscape.net
Thanks and keep up the good advice.

 

[tacks]

Welcome to the board,
You will need about 3-5 watts per gallon for live rock. Don't make the same mistake I made. I put live rock in when my lighting was a little less than 1 watt per gallon. Everything on my rock died. Upgrade your lights first. You can add calcium once you put your live rock in. This will encourage coraline algea.

 

[shel]

Up-grade your lighting first. Then at your lr. Otherwise you have a bunch of ugly lr. It will eventually come back, but it will take a while.
Shel

 

[b_ball12_99]

I only have 1.6 watts per gallon and have been growing coraline for some time. You are aware the new LR will cause your tank to cycle again?

 

[krustytheclownfish]

Thanks for the advice. I think I'll upgrade my lights first. Got any idea how I would do that with the standard top that came with the tank...it's a brown plastic top, not a glass top.

 

[gnelson]

You need to get rid of the plastic hood that came with your tank. You cannot really upgrade your lights with the stock hood on there. You can get a glass top fairly cheap, and then put any kind of lights on top that you want.
Graham

 

[krustytheclownfish]

Yes, I know that the tank may cycle again. Right now I just have two perculas in there. I cycled with raw shrimp...works great by the way(smells awful though). I was just going to add a little bit at a time and try to get cured rock to help avoid going through a cycle again. Thanks for the reminder though.

 

[jacrmill]

many people say you need 3-5 watts per gallon. i dont believe this to be so for LR. if your talking corals than you do, but not for LR. i have about 1 watt per gallon and my LR is doing good. ive been told if you add calcium it will do even better and im going to try that soon.

 

[cactus jack]

fiji coralline will spread like wildfire with any lighting. you don't need special lighting for fiji. but better lighting gives you more options down the road. it isn't necessary though.