Seeding Base Rock

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emwilli

Guest
I plan on getting a 95 gallon FOWLR in the next few months and I want to get started making my own live rock in the meantime.
I have 60 pounds of base rock and will be getting about 30-40 pounds of live rock soon.
The plan is to do this in a rubbermaid container.
Now for all the questions:
1-What temperature and salinity should I keep the water at?
2-Can I use compact flourescents at about 65w or do I need something greater?
3-How many hours of light should I give it?
4-Do I need to or better yet should I use a protein skimmer and how often?
5-How often should water changes be made?
6-should I add any additives or just let it be?
7-Is it better to have live sand in the tub as well?
Ok well that is all I can think of right now. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
leona

leona

Member
emwilli,
These questions are for your full set-up correct? FOWLR.
This is a brand new tank setting up for a FOWLR?
:happyfish
Leona
 
cl0wnfish

cl0wnfish

Member
Your best option would be to set it all up in your main tank as you want it with all the lighting and filters going. This way your tank will cycle and seed your base rock at the same time.
Lighting go with 12 hours daily
SG and temp the same as for tanks
Water changes weekly (watch your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate)
Keep your calcium levels high for optimal coralline growth
Rub your seed rock with a soft toothbrush about once weekly (softly rub) to help spread coralline algae.
Do this in your main tank, by the time you are ready for fish and corals (about a month), all your base rock should have some good coralline algae growth going as well as a developing bacterial growth for filtration.
If you must use rubbermaid, same applies as above. The algae will require light to grow well so keep that in mind. Without light, it will just develop the bacterial colonization and perhaps some coralline, but not much.
 
E

emwilli

Guest
Thanks for the replys.
Yes Leona this is a brand new set up. At least it will be eventually.
The idea is to start this project now and in a few months get the tank.
So this will have to be done in a rubbermaid for now. The lights I plan I using for this are
the same lights that will be over the refugium when its made.
Clownfish what do you think about using a protein skimmer. Should I be using one from
the start or wait a while and then add one in?
 
leona

leona

Member
Emwilli as long as you do frequent water changes you should not need a skimmer as long as it's not a long term per say like 4 month plus.
 
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