Naked rocks

[zeromus-x]

I look at the pictures here for the Eye It And Buy It rocks, and the pictures of people's tanks, and they're covered in stuff. When I bought my tank, I also got a few pounds of live rock. Recently I added another few pounds. But mine never seems to grow anything at all on it! The rock I originally put in there is purple, and is a little colorful, but has no life on it (I think at one point a duster tried to appear). The rock I just added is really light colored... either way, nothing at all. The tank is about eight months old now. I'm using standard lighting that came with it, and it's a 36g bowfront, pretty tall. But it's really bright! And algae has no problem growing all over the place!
http://s93020567.onlinehome.us/will/tank1.jpg
Check that out -- best picture I can get (i'm using a cameraphone).
What gives!

 

[beth]

Zeromus, the corals, polyps, etc, doesn't just magically start growing on live rock. Live rock is the foundation upon which you build a reef tank. You have to get the corals you want, polyps, etc., and acclimate them to a good spot in your reef tank.
What type of lighting do you have?

 

[gun freak]

Originally posted by Beth
Zeromus, the corals, polyps, etc, doesn't just magically start growing on live rock. Live rock is the foundation upon which you build a reef tank. You have to get the corals you want, polyps, etc., and acclimate them to a good spot in your reef tank.
What type of lighting do you have?
They said on the post It's a standard lights !!!

 

[zeromus-x]

Originally posted by Beth
Zeromus, the corals, polyps, etc, doesn't just magically start growing on live rock. Live rock is the foundation upon which you build a reef tank. You have to get the corals you want, polyps, etc., and acclimate them to a good spot in your reef tank.
What type of lighting do you have?
Well, even in the description for the live rock here:
Aquacultured Live Rock can even include Starfish, Snails, Plants, Sponges, Shrimp, Gorgonians, and other aquatic life. This Live Rock can also have lots of brightly colored coralline coverage.
...usually covered with coralline algae--a hard encrusting algae that comes in colors of green, purple, blue, and pink. Plus, Fiji Rock will often times have coral skeletons and other mineral deposits...
...etc. Comparing the pictures in the Fiji and the Florida rock pages to my rocks makes mine look like lava rock and concrete!
My light is just a 15W All-Glass one that came with the tank, about 24" long.

 

[effloresce]

it takes time, you wont start seeing the need macro algaes for a while, it took a year for my rock to start growing macro alages, but feather dusters will apear after the first month, along with musscles, sponges.
and you will be LUCKY to get ANY corals at all, you ahve to BUY corals to get started, once in a while you will get hich hickers.

 

[yellowtail]

Originally posted by Zeromus-X
Well, even in the description for the live rock here:
Live Rock can even include
key word "can"

 

[effloresce]

and even with standard lighting that came with the tank, you wont get any corals to grow under that, only shrooms

 

[zeromus-x]

So if I were to pick up a rock that had a bunch of colorful dusters and a few mushrooms, they'd possibly do well in the tank even if it's got regular lighting? I don't really care about coral/etc at this point, I just want a little more variety to the tank without having to upgrade the lights (yet!).

 

[effloresce]

fetaher dusters will, feather dusters are "filter feeders" they filter out photoplankton that grows off your lights, so they will go good.
Your lucky if you egtt he shrooms to live, 15w is no light at all, expspecialy on a 36g, you will need a PC/VHO/ or T5 fixture in order to keep corals.

 

[nyyanks514]

Zeromus-X:
I think you're at a kind of fork in the road with your tank right now, and you need to make a decision on what you would like to do with it. Live rock, tho often not entirely exciting, houses a tremendous amount of bacteria and tiny crustaceans that are, in my opinion, more important than any larger hitchhikers you may find on it. If its starfish, feather dusters, snails, crabs etc that you want, (and you should have some) go and buy them individually, but dont expect them to come on the rocks. Id say 95% of the time live rock in pet stores doesn't have any real visible large organisms on them, and if they do, its probably not cured and may die as you cure the rock anyway.
I agree with Effloresce that the corals anemones gorgonians etc need light to live, and your light simply isnt strong enough; you can find DIY kits around for PCs that are pretty cheap and will let you have alot of soft corals. I made a hood origianlly for my 37gal with 2 55w PCs for under $100.
If you dont want to upgrade your lights, it sounds like you'd just like to have a fish-only tank. In that respect, the live rock is a great biological filter, provies cracks and crevices for your fish and provides a nice reefscape for you.
So whats it gonna be... fish-only or reef?

 

[sweetreef]

Here is a piece of live rock i got for 15 buxs and all this came popping out of it!!!!!Didnt even know that it was there

 

[zeromus-x]

Originally posted by Nyyanks514
Zeromus-X:
I think you're at a kind of fork in the road with your tank right now, and you need to make a decision on what you would like to do with it. ... So whats it gonna be... fish-only or reef?
Definitely reef. Problem is, I'm a starving student. I can't afford a $350 MH/PC setup or anything! That's three years' worth of Ramen!
You said you put together a DIY-style setup for about $100 bucks? Care to elaborate? $100 is do-able, and Christmas is approaching.

 

[dedwards]

I recently picked up a 30" PC (Current USA - Satellite) 130watt hood for $120 + shipping for my 20g. If you are wanting a reef tank, PC lighting would be your best bet while being on a budget. If you go PC I would follow the watts/gallon rule and stick to around 4-6 watts per gallon, so you would be looking for 140-210watts of light. Email me at david.edwards.2@gmail.com if you need some suppliers

 

[zeromus-x]

OK... so would something like this work, do you think?
(two choices from ----):
"Current-USA - 24" Orbit 2x65 watt SunPaq with Lunar Light and Fan: Create the ultimate dawn to dusk effect with the pro-grade, Orbit. It packs our SunPaq Dual Daylight (10,000K & 6,700K), our Dual Actinic (460nm & 420nm) and our Lunar Light™ together in one sleek, fan-cooled fixture."
"Jebo 110w 24" fixture. It includes a black hood fixture with 2 - 55w Power Compact Jebo bulbs. One bulb is a 10k and one is an actinic."
I assume mine's 24"... guess I should measure it.

 

[dedwards]

My 20g took the 30" Satellite hood made by Current (same brand as the Orbit). I would go with the Orbit if you are choosing between those 2.

 

[nyyanks514]

Zeromus-X- Im a starving studet also, and I built my reef mostly by finding deals and cheap frags..So i know exactly how you feel. I know the moderators get a little upset when you post other web sites on here, but if you want, email me NYYANKS51478@yahoo.com and ill give you the scoop on my DIY hood.