Live rock questions

[jcnflies]

Hi and thanks in advance for the help.
I have kept Africans (mostly tropheus) for a few years and love them, but now I want to add a sw tank. I have been reading a couple of recommended books - all of which recommend adding some live rock to a sw tank.
Locally on LI, we have a high end pet store, Country Critters, that has a pretty big sw fish section. They said that I should not mix fish with live rock. I told them whta the book said. The salesman countered that water for live rock has a higher salinity that invites parasites and problems for the fish. This I did not read in any book.
I am hoping to make a tank with some live rock as well as some open space, eventually maybe add a couple of corals (or other bright colored plants / animals). The tank would be a 75 gallon RR with a skimmer and a refegium (sp?) sump underneath. I don't want incredibly expensive lighting but would still like to have some colorful additions to the live rock base and maybe 8 fish or so in the tank. Does this sound like a set up I can have - or is the guy at the store right : live rock or fish but not both. Thx again.

 

[nofish4u!!]

Definately sounds like a set up you can have. Live Rock is highly recommended in all tanks because it helps with filtration, etc. IMO he doesn't sounds like a good resource.

 

[mag395]

That'll be a good setup. As far as the "water for live rock has a higher salinity that invites parasites and problems for the fish," it doesn't even make sense to me. Most people who have SW tanks have LR in them. LR acts as the one of the primary filters for the tank because it hosts the nitrifying bacteria which breaks down ammonia. So, I'm not sure what that guy was talking about and I don't think he does either.
Most anyone on here will tell you the same thing that your book does. LR only helps a SW tank.
In regards to the lighting, are you planning on keeping any corals?

 

[jcnflies]

Yes, I would like to keep some corals and other gorgeous invertabreates. Are there any that thrive on strong lighting, but not necessarily such intense lighting that it blows my electric bill through the roof (I live on Long Island, in NY, which has some of the highest electric cost in the universe! and I have two kids in or about to be in college

 

[timdaddie]

All as I can say is look at the photo section on this site. All the tanks that you'll see have LR in the tank. The fish guy you were talking to doesn't sound like the guy to talk to. I am living proof that the people on this site won't steer you in the wrong direction. (also use live sand not crushed coral) found that out the hard way.

 

[mag395]

Clams, anemones and high light corals generally all need MH to really thrive. However, there have been some people who have been able to make them work with Power Compacts or VHO's but they are few.
The expense of the lighting depends on if you have a hood/canopy or not. If you have a hood/canopy, you will need a retro-fit kit. These are typically less expensive than the full length fixtures.
Metal halides are more expensive than Power Compacts but the upside is that you will be able to keep anything lighting-wise. The problem that I had is that I didn't want to buy the MH from the beginning because they were too expensive so I went with the PC's. I then upgraded to the MH later. Could have saved some money if I had planned better.
Also, as far as the electric bill goes, you should probably go with MH. MH are much stronger per watt. That is to say that corals and other inverts can use their light better than PC's and VHO's. Therefore, 500 watts of MH are better photosynthetically than 500 watts of fluorescent and the electric company still charges you for 500 watts.

 

[jcnflies]

I have an Oceanic tank with canopy. Do the MH get too hot under the canopy? Also, how many hours a day?
I guess they are a must as the family would kill me if I went this far with no clownfish / anemonoe combo!
Thx.

 

[mag395]

Is it like a wood cannopy? or is it like a plastic cover?
A lttle suggestion, if you want a clownfish/anemone combo, don't get a tank raised clown. Some people have had success with them hosting but it's a toss up. I don't know where it is but I remember seeing a post on here listing most probable clownfish/anemone combonations.

 

[mag395]

Found it: https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthread.php?t=180020

 

[namas05]

Anyone that tells you LR or fish not both is an idiot.
Haven't they ever seen a reef tank?
Every reef tank I have ever seen has fish and LR.
And where does he think the Fish and LR come from different oceans?
As far as the fish parasite thing. You can keep fish at a lower salinity than corals, but I would not reccomend this.
SG recommended for most fish and corals is 1.020 - 1.025 with most keeping their tanks at the higher end.
Stick with this site for info and tell that guy to go read up on fish and corals before speaking again.

 

[theappe]

I would def have to agree with that. Eventually even if you use "dead" rock it will become live. So no matter what you will always have live rock evetually. The guy in the LFS is :thinking: