Originally Posted by
jmmorgan14
http:///forum/post/3281854
I have had my 55 gallon saltwater tank set up for almost a week now with nothing in it. I would like to add some live rock but i'm not sure what or how much to buy and whether to buy cured or uncured. I understand it is expensive but I do feel like it would be a good investment at the same time. Am I wrong? Also I already have two clownfish in another tank that I would like to add to this one at some point. When should I add them?
Welcome to the site!
Fiji is the best and most expensive, there is also Caribbean but I know nothing about rock besides the name…LOL, I get what looks best to me. I hand picked each piece, but you can order it by the pound, at least 40 pounds for a 55g…you want the fish to have swim room. The ONLY downside, you get whatever they send in shape, color and size.
Is it a reef or fish only? The only difference is making shelves (flat as much as possible, areas) for coral to rest on.
Nothing is going to happen until you add something to the tank, it won’t even begin to cycle. Since this is a new tank…get the best live rock you can find..look for pieces with lots of crevices and lots of purple if you can. Cured or uncured at this stage is fine, since the tank must cycle anyway. You can even go ½ live rock and ½ on the bottom dead base rock, it will seed and become live rock later and it is cheaper to buy.
Put in your rock and then add the live sand or whatever you want to use. Just make sure the rock is in first. Make sure each piece “locks” you do this by gently twisting and moving the rock one against the other until you feel it LOCK in place and it won’t move. I always stacked my rock ½ way up the tank and I also purchased a nice size flat ledge for making a cave as well (personal choice). Others go by pounds…it comes out the same in the end really.
You need a good marine master test kit, master kits come out cheaper and it has all you need in it for now. Do daily tests of ammonia, nitrite and nitrates. For a cycle you see ammonia first, then get a nitrite reading, then a nitrate reading. When ammonia and nitrite return to a 0 reading, your tank is cycled.
I do this just to be safe…I wait another couple of weeks after the “cycle” then I added my clown fish. I never lost a fish setting up a new tank this way. Then once each month add a new critter until you have stocked your tank. Be sure to do some research, not all fish get along, wars cost money on dead critters.
