LS and LR amounts

[trey003]

I am planning on getting a 35 gallon, (24" x 20" x 20") tank. The LS calculator on this site said I would need 20lbs of sand. That is if I wanted it 1 inch deep. Now is that deep enough?
Second Question, LR... how much do I need this site sells it 12lbs at the smallest... is that enough or not enough? Also do I need to get the Nano Rock or the Regular?
Help me Out,
Thanks
TREY

 

[al mc]

Trey
1" sandbed in the 35g is OK, IMO.
LR: rule of thumb is about 1.5# per gallon. So if you go with 45-50# you should be OK. If you get from this site ask for a mixture of medium/small pieces for a 35g.

 

[tankkeeper]

I'm new to this hobby and have a 75g reef I'm setting up and it's already went through the cycle,can I add more live rock?I have 40# in there now and I bought 80# from a dealer that has been in his tank from 5 to 8 years, its got to be shipped to me (2 day shipping) and it will be in water and plastic bag inside styrofoam containers, will it be OK?

 

[trey003]

Sweet... Now when I buy the LR it says you need to RE-CURE it.. How do I do that? if I don't have anything in the tank can I add the LR to it? Here is what I am thinking
1. Once I get my tank mix the saltwater and get my levels balanced
2. Add LS and LR and redo the levels
3. Once everything is back down... add my clean up crew
4. Lastly Start getting some fun stuff like coral and fish

 

[tizzo]

Your steps seem about perfect but I have a question about step 1.
Mix the salt water and get levels balanced. By levels, you are referring to...what?
If it's a new set up, mix your salt water, make sure your salinity is 32 to 35, no need to test for anything else.
Add only the live rock that you got in the mail. Then it will take a few weeks but THEN test your "levels" (ammonia, and nitrates, and nitrites if you want). When all those read 0, add your clean up.

And lastly, add a couple of fish at a time.
Corals are a whole nother ball game. See how you do with tank chemistry, temp, algae etc... for a couple months before you invest in corals.

 

[trey003]

Yeah no doubt I plan on doing things ONE thing at a time an waiting for long periods of time between each thing.. by "levels" imean ammonia, and nitrates and nitrites).. so onceI get my salt water mix levels (that's the gravity and the salinity?) then add the LR and LS and let it sit? I don't have to have my ammonia, and nitrates and nitrites levels 0ed out before adding the LR and LS?

 

[scopus tang]

Originally Posted by trey003
http:///forum/post/2549400
Yeah no doubt I plan on doing things ONE thing at a time an waiting for long periods of time between each thing.. by "levels" imean ammonia, and nitrates and nitrites).. so onceI get my salt water mix levels (that's the gravity and the salinity?) then add the LR and LS and let it sit? I don't have to have my ammonia, and nitrates and nitrites levels 0ed out before adding the LR and LS?
No, because if you use RO/DI water (which you should), those levels should be at zero in the saltmix anyway. Not going to get any chemical levels in the tank till something is added to start the cycle (i.e. LS, LR). Personally, I put my LR in place first, then add the LS, then add the water ~ much easier to add the water to the sandbed than to add the sandbed to the water (much less mess). LR should be added prior to LS so that the rock rests on the bottom so any burrowing fish can't knock the rockwork down by removing the sand from beneath it. Some people lay down a layer of eggcrate (light diffuser grid) or undergravel filters so the rock doesn't sit on the tank bottom directly. Once you get all that set up and start the cycling process (best done with some large peeled shrimp), then you start testing the levels.