Live Rock

[oceanfishfan]

:notsure: I have waited till my cycle is over to add my lr for a fear of killing it and having to start over.
1.Do you think this is smart or dumb?
2.Have any of you ordered the rock from here in the past?

 

[reefkprz]

If you order your rock online your going to have to cure it even if it says fully cured there will be die off in shipping.
If your buying fully cured rock locally then you'll be fine.

 

[oceanfishfan]

So don't add the lr from this site directly to my tank?Sorry if I sound lost but I am

 

[kevin34]

If you order lr online it will need to be cured again before going into your tank. If you have nothing in the tank now you can order the lr, put it right into the tank, and the lr will cure and cycle your tank at the same time.

 

[oceanfishfan]

Ok I got you I did it backwards I cycled my tank and then ordered my lr for fear of killing it but I have nothing in my tank anyway but will it throw it into a full blown cycle again?

 

[kevin34]

Yes it will but dont worry. Recycling a tank will cause no problems. It will simply cycle again and once the spikes come down you are ready and the lr is cured.

 

[oceanfishfan]

Funny part is that yesterday my tank finished cycling oh well!Thanks for your help!

 

[dinks]

ok, A couple of questions.
The previous poster asked if it was ok to add LR to an existing tank. I have not had my tank long, but it has gone through the cycle stage.
I have a maintenace guy (well, I may have HAD a maintenance guy) I think I am getting my bum busted .....lol
Any way, my monthly sevice charge was 65$. Last month I got handed a $200.00 bill......yikes...No telling me in advance or anything. Good thing I had the bucks and and not poor yet...although I may be with this new hobby

1. I mentioned I would would like to add some LR to my tank. Just an idea. He brings me over three small pieces, and a yellow tang I had not ordered but of course fell in love with. I asked him whether my light was ok for the LR, he looked at it and said it should be fine (he also works for the guy where I bought the tank and fish) I also asked well, when I was sold this I was told it was reef ready, he said it was because I had a sump......ok duh me.
Well, back to my question. He added uncured rocked (told ya that is why he probably brought just a few pieces) now my tank looks hideious!. It is very cloudy. I am about ready to give him a ten pound ear hole!~!
He makes darn sure I don't see what he is doing. BUt, I have seen him do some water changes, but after reading here, he is not taking out enough, and I was not told how or what to do between when I am severiced, only if I have a problem to call and they will fix it...well how in the bloody _____
am I suppose to know if I have a problem unless I start to loose fish!
I asked if I needed any testing equipment...oh no, we will take care of that.
uh........once a week????? I am learning so much from you guys
1. What do I need to buy. I did buy some books
2. I eventually want to go reef, do I need a new ballast or can I just buy the right bulbs?
3. Can I add cured rock to my tank now, the local lfs has great rock, that is on display and youu can look it. The tank is crystal clear. Or should I wait for this yucky cloudiness to go away in my tank?
4. I read to lay LR on the glass itself...good thing I barely have any coral base After I have it in, can I add more coral base so it will look prettier. Looking at a bare glass bottom with a lilttle coral is UGLY!
I really need to know about the lights. I don't think I would need to worry about heat build up, I have a large canopy. The ballast is a good distance from the water, plus the back of the canopy is open.
In my 75 g I have a yellow tang (rather large) a tomato clown, a pink tailed trigger....which they did not tell me is exactly community safe......oh they did tell me they were the least aggressive of their species..... and 3 damsels. 2 blue, 1 four striped
I am beginniing to think I can do some of this if not all with yalls help.
so please anser above questions.
lighting
LR (can I add more if it is cured)
equipment I need (ps...I have NEVER seen him test my tank)
Thanks bunches,
dinks

 

[thoroughbred]

Heres what I would say to do first. Kick that "maintenance" guy to the curb. Maintaining a 75 gal isn't that much work, you could easily do it yourself, save money and learn alot more. For the lighting your most likely gonna need new lights completely, check how many watts your lights are, your probably gonna need 3-5 watts per gallon for a reef tank. For the LR if its fully cured you could throw it in your tank right away though it might be a good idea to throw it in a rubbermade for a few days and test the water. If everything is 0 your set to add it to your display tank. With that said GET A TEST KIT! That will be one of your most important pieces of equipment and give you the best chance of keeping your fish happy and healthy cause if you know whats going on then you can fix it. Now on to the fish. Your gonna need to get rid of that tang and trigger. Both need larger tanks and your maintenance guy knew that. Research the fish you want and can keep in your 75 and you will have alot of success.

 

[reefkprz]

Originally Posted by Thoroughbred
Heres what I would say to do first. Kick that "maintenance" guy to the curb. Maintaining a 75 gal isn't that much work, you could easily do it yourself, save money and learn alot more. For the lighting your most likely gonna need new lights completely, check how many watts your lights are, your probably gonna need 3-5 watts per gallon for a reef tank. For the LR if its fully cured you could throw it in your tank right away though it might be a good idea to throw it in a rubbermade for a few days and test the water. If everything is 0 your set to add it to your display tank. With that said GET A TEST KIT! That will be one of your most important pieces of equipment and give you the best chance of keeping your fish happy and healthy cause if you know whats going on then you can fix it. Now on to the fish. Your gonna need to get rid of that tang and trigger. Both need larger tanks and your maintenance guy knew that. Research the fish you want and can keep in your 75 and you will have alot of success.

I agree with everything thouroughbred posted.
dio some research, sounds like one good dday on here reading through the threads and asking questions and you'll be better off knowlege wise than they guy your currentyl paying too much to handle your tank. research and ask. do it yourself it will bhe much more rewarding that way. and it'll save you money it sounds like they have you bent right over the fence, if you know what I mean.

 

[larryndana]

get a few books and read them, they will benifit you more than you know. then reading here you will understand what is being said and learn even more.
the question i wonder is, why did you go with them doing the service?

 

[dinks]

I didn't think I could do it. I don't want to kill something, just because I haven't researched enough. I don't consider fish lives to be valued lightely. Let's face it, this does take tons of research. I am starting to feel like I could do it (better than they did at least) They came recommended. Since it was hard for me to go out and look at fish, I trusted them to bring me what would fit. Now, after reading books, I am beginning to think I was being _____ Although I have not lost a fish.
I am disabled, but have found someone to take me to a different LFS
I know fish will die, and I will learn, but I did not want to jump into this and just kill fish after fish after fish, buy what I thought was pretty, and not consider size or compatability. I have 3 books now, and am learning, the more I learn, the more I realize I need to kick them to the curb and try myself.
Like I said, they just saw a sucker.
I am feeling more confident, and think I can do it, with books and questions on here.
That is the reason for the forum correct, to ask questions?
dinks

 

[prevwon]

Ok let me make sure I understand this clearly. I have not set up my tank yet, it is still sitting on my floor waiting until I have all of the things I need before setting it up. If I order some UNCURED live rock, all that I would have to do to cure it is put them in my tank whenever I get everything set up and begin the cycle and it will be cured when the cycle is over with? I don't even have to scrub it or anything just set them in the tank and begin the cycle? Like I said my tank doesn't even have water in it right now, and if that is all I have to do to cure it then I will order some uncured live rock when I am ready to set my tank up.

 

[larryndana]

Originally Posted by dinks
I didn't think I could do it. I don't want to kill something, just because I haven't researched enough. I don't consider fish lives to be valued lightely. Let's face it, this does take tons of research. I am starting to feel like I could do it (better than they did at least) They came recommended. Since it was hard for me to go out and look at fish, I trusted them to bring me what would fit. Now, after reading books, I am beginning to think I was being _____ Although I have not lost a fish.
I am disabled, but have found someone to take me to a different LFS
I know fish will die, and I will learn, but I did not want to jump into this and just kill fish after fish after fish, buy what I thought was pretty, and not consider size or compatability. I have 3 books now, and am learning, the more I learn, the more I realize I need to kick them to the curb and try myself.
Like I said, they just saw a sucker.
I am feeling more confident, and think I can do it, with books and questions on here.
That is the reason for the forum correct, to ask questions?
dinks
The more you read and learn the more you will be able to tell if they are doing a good enough job or not.
If you are not able to do the maintance you will need someone to do it.

 

[dinks]

Originally Posted by larryndana
The more you read and learn the more you will be able to tell if they are doing a good enough job or not.
If you are not able to do the maintance you will need someone to do it.
I am not disabled that way. I can do it, if I learn. I just have adult onset epilepsy so can't drive. So this is something I can do, and it would keep me busy at home. I do get rather bored and lonely when hubby is at work......so I have PLENTY of time.......lol
dinks

 

[jrandolph1]

Definately read some books. The two that have helped me the most is "The New Marine Aquarium" by Michael S. Paletta and "Natural Reef Aquariums" by John H. Tullock. Also the community here at saltwaterfish.com. It isn't to difficult with a little research, tinasity, and patience. Good luck and I think you are making the right decision. I have talked to some of the maintenance people in my area and I know more than they do because of people willing to share there experiances and wisdom.

 

[1journeyman]

Live rock and cycling clarification:
Cured versus uncured rock confuses people. Don't let it. Cured rock means that it is healthy, vibrant rock full of life and bacteria.
Now, when rock is taken from the wild it undergoes shipping. During shipping from the collecter to the wholesaler the rock's life begins to die. Thus, the "cured" ocean live rock becomes uncured. The wholesaler re-cures the rock and sells it as "cured".
This is fine and good, EXCEPT that you get the rock by getting it shipped to you. Just as in any other transport, life begins to die when it is shipped. Therefore, when you receive rock in the mail, it is uncured and you must cure it again.
Terms like "curing" and "cycling" don't mean much if you don't understand what's behind them. Fish waste, decaying food, dying critters, etc. produce ammonia. Ammonia is highly toxic. Bacteria feeds on the ammonia and breaks into the lesser toxic Nitrite. More bacteria then feeds on Nitrite and produces still less toxic Nitrate.
A "cycle" is when your aquarium is prepared for fish life by basically farming bacteria. You provide a constant source of ammonia (cocktail shrimp, uncured rock, fish food), and the bacteria multiplies to feed on the ammonia.
Now, lastly. Ammonia becomes toxic to beneficial bacteria around 1.0 . Therefore, if you are cycling a tank do water changes as neccessary to avoid toxic ammonia. Some folks seem to believe that a "hard" ammonia spike grows more bacteria. That thinking is faulty. Bacteria populations ebb and flow depending on food source. Feed through a cycle and add fish slowly and your bacteria will do the rest.
Hope this helps.

 

[prevwon]

That is good information, but I already knew what cured and uncured are, and what the cycle is. I just wanted to know if that is all you have to do in order to cure the LR (what I said in my previous post).
Originally Posted by Kevin34
If you order lr online it will need to be cured again before going into your tank. If you have nothing in the tank now you can order the lr, put it right into the tank, and the lr will cure and cycle your tank at the same time.
I wanted to know if this is all you have to do because I don't have anything in my tank yet...

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by PrevWon
...
I wanted to know if this is all you have to do because I don't have anything in my tank yet...
It's a good idea to scrub it first to avoid a lot of decay in the tank (that will produce too high an ammonia spike).

 

[prevwon]

Ok cool, so just scrub it and try to get all of the died off material off and then put it in my tank before I begin the cycle and by the time my cycle is over it will be fully cured?