Ls & Lr

[guppy slayer]

For all of you that have LR and LS in you tanks. I want to put it in mine, but my LFS keeps telling me that I would be wasting it on acount of the fish I keep. They say that I would have to get another tank or change the fish I keep.
Now I know that there are people here that have tangs and puffers (mine is Arothron Manilensis) in there tanks.
So whats the deal? Is it a waste? Will everything on the rock and sand be eaten?

 

[wwfstyle]

you will not be wasting $ if you buy yellow Tangs (I beleive). In my 75 gal reef I have 3 yellow Tangs. Puffers on the other hand I have heard alot of negative things about them so me personally I wouldn't purchase a puffer.

 

[reefnut]

IMO, LR & LS is not a waste of money no matter what's in the tank. You may want to research your fish selection before purchasing. That is a HUGE load for a 45g tank.

 

[infalable]

I dont see how you can go wrong with ls and lr. These are great natural filters for your tank. I would suggest reading up on it on any quality salt water book. That may help convince you. Good luck and welcome to swf.

 

[guppy slayer]

Thanx for the welcome and replies.
As far as researching purchases i all ready have the fish in my signature, and as far as the 45 gal. I am planning on getting a 125 REAL SOON.
The tank I am using right now is basicaly on loan. It's owner didn't have space for it in his new house, so rather than put it in storage...
The tank has been up and running going on 10 1/2 months now and the puffer when I got it was close to 3", now he's getting to cross the 4 1/2 mark and I feel a bigger home is time (he's my favorite).
Right now I have CC and some decorative pieces in the tank and I find it a bit borring. That's why I want to go to LR/LS, but I feel like I keep getting rejected at my LFS.

 

[infalable]

Hey guppy. I know what you are going through. I tried a saltwater a while back, but the lfs guy was a jerk. I backed off because I didnt want to deal with him. A new place opened up near my house. They are still a bit cocky, but can be very helpful. Basically, I have been working real hard to get the info I need before going to the lfs. Unfortunately there is still so much I dont know. What I have started doing is using my own knowlwdge, advice from this board (which is the best), and the lfs. If I want something and the lfs says different I still do what I want. Just use your best judgement, especially since you have been doing this for awhile. Or even go to a different lfs, if available. I cant believe an lfs would walk away from a nice sale. I hope this doesnt sound like a lecture, that is not my goal. Good luck. Let me know how it goes for you. Oh, by the way. Since I live in Chicago, there a a few lfs around. If I dont like one, I am able to choose another, but I know not everyone has the same access.

 

[jrein40806]

I have read a few books that say to be careful of which fish go with lr. I am almost positive that a Trigger will eat the lr,thus turning it into base rock.
Why waste $ on lr that will get eaten? Is this info I read false?

 

[reefnut]

Originally posted by JRein40806
I have read a few books that say to be careful of which fish go with lr. I am almost positive that a Trigger will eat the lr,thus turning it into base rock.
Why waste $ on lr that will get eaten? Is this info I read false?
What are you calling Base Rock? I'm probably wrong here but I though base rock was LR.
Anyway, I have heard that Triggers will bite at the rocks... Maybe to get to food or to work their teeth? They are Carnivores though.
Again this is just my opinion but LS & LR are very useful and I can't see how a fish could eat enough of the LR to make it a waste of money...

 

[jrein40806]

What are you calling Base Rock? I'm probably wrong here but I though base rock was LR>>
LR has life growing on it. Hopefully some corraline. Probably a few hitchhikers,bristle worms,etc......base rock is completely void of any life. In time with some lr in the tank,base will turn live. But lr and base rock are completely different.
I bought some base off of an auction site and it was as dead as a door nail. It was very dusty and dry. LR needs to be kept moist at all times.

 

[lionstorm]

i've heard of puffer's eating coral but never anything off live rock. If you want my advice I would go live rock and live sand, I am trying to convert my tank over to dsb right now and its not going to be easy so just go with it from the start. Live rock is so beautiful there's so much to see on it. The fish appreciate it more too it makes the tank look and feel more real. (unlike finding nemo with mount wannahawkalugee and all those fake plants and tacky decorations) HTH

 

[jillian ayers]

Originally posted by wwfstyle
you will not be wasting $ if you buy yellow Tangs (I beleive). In my 75 gal reef I have 3 yellow Tangs. Puffers on the other hand I have heard alot of negative things about them so me personally I wouldn't purchase a puffer.
That's WAY too many fish for a 75 gallon. I hope you're planning to upgrade soon.

 

[elan]

its definitely not a waste....
As stated above in a few posts....
Base rock is dried up, dead rock.... it may have been live at some point, and sometimes it is manufactured.... but in general, base rock is just calcium based or aragonite based rock...
Live rock is rock that has, you guest it, Life on it.... the life can varry from bacteria (for nitrification) to algae, to corraline algae, to more complex life such as worms, crabs, corals, etc, and sometimes unwanted life such as mantis shrimp, aptasia, pistol shirmp, etc.
In any case, you arnt going to waste your money since you will be adding a biological filter to your system when you put in LS and LR. ... And the best kind (how can you go wrong with the natural biofilter?)
Some of your fish may eat off the live rock, devouring it of some of the life, algae, pods, corals, etc... some may even eat the rock itself to get to the life...
reguardless, you are going to have a FOWLR (fish only with live rock) tank.. with the current fish you have... you wont be able to get any corals since your fish will eat them.