No LR FOR FISH ONLY TANK

[brendac]

Please tell me... Am I in trouble now?? I got 75 pounds of LR coming on saterday and there is 50 pounds in the aquarium now. This is a new set up. I have just reading a book and this is what it said... that a fish only aquarium should not have LR that they will eat the inhabitants of the rock, but also because standard fish medications will kill it. Therefore, a fish only aquarium typically has dead coral,tuta rock,or lava rock. Please someone tell me if this book is right. My goodness I will have way over $200.00 in LR to throw out the door

 

[moorea2]

I am anything but an expert (which is why I am in the newbie section) but I have done a bunch of research before setting up my tank and I have never read anything that indicated that live rock would be anything but helpful in any system....
I know I have seen many references to FOWLR tanks which stands for Fish Only With Live Rock (I believe)
I'd say you are OK and the more live rock better but you might want to wait for someone with more experience (which on this board isn't hard, it includes basically everyone) to confirm this.
I just finished cycling my tank and put the first fish in today!! It has 200 lbs of live rock and a ton of live sand. I do not intend to put any coral in for at least a year (I want the tank to be well established and more experience before I do) So until then it will be a fish only tank. The live rock will do wonders for filtration!

 

[brendac]

Thank You for saying that

 

[moorea2]

No problem... Again please wait for someone more experienced to put in their two cents!
Unless there is an angle I am missing in my inexperience it seems like common sence. Many of the fish found in a reef system can be found in a fish only tank. In addition to these fish reef tanks have corals. But they still have the fish and the rock neither of which will hurt eachother in a reef or fish only system....
If you do a search on live rock on this forum you will find that people only speak positively about it. I made the decision to add live rock before I made the decision to add corals. Live Rock and live sand are 95% of my filtration. As far as the fish eating the inhabitants off the live rock.... THATS WHAT FISH DO!!!! What is the harm in supplying them with the same nutritions and environment they get in their natural habitat. I am looking forward to the day that my live rock has enough pods living in them so I can add a dragonet!
As far as medicating the tank there are species of fish that cant stand certain medications... should we now not put fish in are fish only tanks. There is an entire section on the board dedicated to disease and treatment I have'nt had a need to read any of the posts yet, but I am sure that live rock will not affect treating a sick fish. If I had a sick fish my first instinct would not be to treat in the tank with the rest of the fish but remove the fish ASAP so the rest of the fish stay healthy and treat in a small QT tank.
I'm sticking to my guns here... Live rock is a great decision!

 

[mryoung7]

it is very very good. the description in the live rock section of this site does a good job of telling you why.
if that book missed something like that, i don't know if i'd trust anything else you read in it.

 

[murph]

Look on the vary first page of the book you are reading that in and see when it was published. There are a lot of older books dealing with this hobby that contain out of date/wrong information.
As long as you don't medicate the tank that contains your live rock it will be fine.

 

[some1fishy]

I second murph. Never medicate your display tank. Use a quarrantine or hospital tank for that. Live rock is a natural and occuring filtration system for home aquariums. Never second guess it unless you can not afford to sink that kinda money in2 your tank.Not only is it a filter, but it also provides some natural looking aquascaping which mimics the ocean and puts less stress on your fish and inverts.

 

[dragonzim]

I've been running my 75 for the past 2 years with no live rock and I am just now in the process of switching over to a full FOWLR tank. The live rock is DEFINITELY beneficial in a fish only tank.

 

[keith burn]

I have a 75 gal fish only tank with about 150/200lbs of LR Set up about 2years. I had to make it one from a fish (koran angel)that eat the inhabitants of the rock and all my zoos,xenia,hammer but with out all of that all is well l/r can only help.
THE 2nd pic is the killer

 

[debbie]

Yes the rock is a good thing like they all said. Even if you don't want any corals it at least give your fish a place to hide, naturally graze and really aids in ther filteration process too. If you did not have the rock you would find it boring to look at. This way it is a natural scene with the fish and the rock.
Maybe later on you might want to add some corals, you will then be very glad you have that rock in there......