Live Rock

[alane67]

Is it best to order LR than purchase from LFS. My LFS, the LR is very clean, but has nothing on it. it looks like the same each time I go in. Is it possible, they cure it, then take the good stuff off? There is ONE piece that has a beautiful mushroom on it..or something like that but it is GORGEOUS. They want 59.00 for that piece of rock with the shroom
Also do you put LS in before LR. I have some LR curing in a tub, but I don't have enough for my 75 G. Can LS cycle with LR, as my next batch I plan to just cycle with my tank. Do you landscap with sand as a base?
any ideas?
I have a very nice cave piece (not LR) I had for my FO tank, it is a very large cave, but brown, if I land scape over it, ya think it would blend ok?
Ok, enoough questions for now.
Thanks all,
alane

 

[1journeyman]

Benefit of buying "cured" rock from the local pet store is that you don't have to cure it yourself. If it is truly cured you can add it directly to an estalished tank
IMO that's not much of a benefit. Unless they carefully monitor ammonia in a curing vat, circulate water well, etc. it will have a lot of die off.
If you are starting up a new tank curing your own rock is the way to go. You can take better care of it and have a lot more life survive.
Yes, you can cure live sand at the same time as rock in your tank.
I'm kind of confused... is your tank currently set up? Why are you not curing sand and rock in your tank directly?
No idea on freshwater decoration, but I'd be wary of it leeching something into the tank. It's probably not designed for the corrosive nature of salt.

 

[spanko]

Yes you have to be very careful with something out of a freshwater tank. Did the tank ever get treated for any fish disease with a copper treatment? If so that rock is contaminated with copper and should never go into a saltwater tank. I am sure there are other things too that someone else will chime in with.

 

[alane67]

This piee of rock is from when I had the tank first set up. It was fish only with dead coral. I didn't like the maintence guy, fired him after tank crashed, and decided to go reef on my own with yall's help This rock is not from a fresh water tank but from my previous fo tank. I haven't bouut any LS other rock, I have some being cured in a rub

e tub..althouugh I dont think I need it..lol
So, no fish in tank, or LR
Have vho, blue asitinic (sp) lights, and moon ligtening.
Sump, in sump skimmer, bio balls
Thank you, now I can order LR and LS.
Alane
Originally Posted by 1journeyman
Benefit of buying "cured" rock from the local pet store is that you don't have to cure it yourself. If it is truly cured you can add it directly to an estalished tank
IMO that's not much of a benefit. Unless they carefully monitor ammonia in a curing vat, circulate water well, etc. it will have a lot of die off.
If you are starting up a new tank curing your own rock is the way to go. You can take better care of it and have a lot more life survive.
Yes, you can cure live sand at the same time as rock in your tank.
I'm kind of confused... is your tank currently set up? Why are you not curing sand and rock in your tank directly?
No idea on freshwater decoration, but I'd be wary of it leeching something into the tank. It's probably not designed for the corrosive nature of salt.

 

[spanko]

You might want to get rid of the bio-balls before you get started. Put some live rock rubble and some Chaetomorph in their place for some added filtration and phosphatenitrate removal and a place for some pods to grow.

 

[alane67]

no copper, all fish got ich, I set up a QT tank up, but not in time, so lost them. I drained the tank and scrubbed good, even though no copper. I also let the tank set for a LOOOG time completely empty.
I think I will be safe with curing LR in tank and now know I can buy sand at same time... That cave is sooo cool. I am glad it was never treated with copper
Now having trouble with that dang 30 g QT tank...my nitrites are way out there. I started more frequent water changes....whew good thing there are damsels in there, they are some hardy lil buggas!!!
alane
Originally Posted by spanko
Yes you have to be very careful with something out of a freshwater tank. Did the tank ever get treated for any fish disease with a copper treatment? If so that rock is contaminated with copper and should never go into a saltwater tank. I am sure there are other things too that someone else will chime in with.