if i was to do the live rock/live sand method for cycling a new tank, how much rock and sand would i need? im going to get a 75 gallon tank tomorrow and am going to purchase all of the stuff i need while im there... ive heard that i should have a sand bed of about 3-5 inches and about 2 lbs of rock per gallon, im just not sure if this is true or not as ive heard many conflicting suggetions
i need some advice
- Thread starter thebestincali2000
- Start date
Thats nice advice but doesn't always work. I run a sump/refugium and use a deep sandbed there and thin in the tank. I'd say 1 bag of live sand, 2 if you want it deep. Now, not all live rock is alike since its pourous so the same sized rocks will be different weights. I look for flatter stackable rocks, chips and debris in the refugium. Remember, its a recommendation, not a rule set in stone.
thankyou for the advice, i guess im all set for getting set up tomorrow... can i add any inverts right away? or how long should i wait for them?
What books have you read so far?
I recommend getting the system running before adding live rock. Get the tank setup completely (pumps running, skimmer on, any other equipment you will have) then check the salinity, pH, etc. The last thing you want to do is rush a saltwater tank. Buy rock the same day as the tank and you are asking for problems. If anything is off (pH or salinity too low, temp too high, etc.) you kill every bit of live on that live rock and just wasted all that money. Once everything is good to go and stays that way for a couple days to a week THEN get your rock. I recommend 1.5-2 pounds per gallon minimum. I have about three pounds per gallon in my tank.
I agree a thin layer of sand in the display with nassarius snails to keep it clean. If you really want to do a dsb then do it in the sump, but the macroalgae in your fuge, the live rock, and water changes should be enough to keep nitrate and phosphate down.
Your live rock is 80% of the filtration in a natural reef tank. Then is the skimmer and fuge.
Some live rock may already be cycled in which case you want to transport it home completely submerged in saltwater to keep stuff from dying off. If you use this method for all of your rock you could possibly cycle instantly (but still give it at least a week to make sure). If the rock is uncured then you need to put it in the tank (with no lights on) and let it cure and cycle the tank. This could be as little as a couple weeks or up to a couple months. The longer you let the rock sit in there alone the more the stuff on it will grow and the better start you will give your tank.
No inverts, fish, or corals can go in until the tank is completely cured and cycled. Just like in freshwater the ammonia will spike, then the nitrite, then the nitrate. Once the nitrite is back to 0.0 you are cured and cycled so do a water change or two to get rid of some of that extra nitrate and you are ready to start slowly stocking. This is when you buy or turn on your lights. Do it earlier and all that waste in the water will turn your brand new tank into a great algae farm.
I ran a LFS that was mainly reef and the mistakes I saw most were people rushing things and cutting corners. This is not the hobby to cheap out on equipment like skimmers, lights, rock, etc. And rushing through things will almost always lead to failure and a waste of money and time. Plan the tank out well, know what you want in the end. Take the time to design it to favor this. Buy the right stuff the first time, not the wrong stuff AND the right stuff later.
I recommend getting the system running before adding live rock. Get the tank setup completely (pumps running, skimmer on, any other equipment you will have) then check the salinity, pH, etc. The last thing you want to do is rush a saltwater tank. Buy rock the same day as the tank and you are asking for problems. If anything is off (pH or salinity too low, temp too high, etc.) you kill every bit of live on that live rock and just wasted all that money. Once everything is good to go and stays that way for a couple days to a week THEN get your rock. I recommend 1.5-2 pounds per gallon minimum. I have about three pounds per gallon in my tank.
I agree a thin layer of sand in the display with nassarius snails to keep it clean. If you really want to do a dsb then do it in the sump, but the macroalgae in your fuge, the live rock, and water changes should be enough to keep nitrate and phosphate down.
Your live rock is 80% of the filtration in a natural reef tank. Then is the skimmer and fuge.
Some live rock may already be cycled in which case you want to transport it home completely submerged in saltwater to keep stuff from dying off. If you use this method for all of your rock you could possibly cycle instantly (but still give it at least a week to make sure). If the rock is uncured then you need to put it in the tank (with no lights on) and let it cure and cycle the tank. This could be as little as a couple weeks or up to a couple months. The longer you let the rock sit in there alone the more the stuff on it will grow and the better start you will give your tank.
No inverts, fish, or corals can go in until the tank is completely cured and cycled. Just like in freshwater the ammonia will spike, then the nitrite, then the nitrate. Once the nitrite is back to 0.0 you are cured and cycled so do a water change or two to get rid of some of that extra nitrate and you are ready to start slowly stocking. This is when you buy or turn on your lights. Do it earlier and all that waste in the water will turn your brand new tank into a great algae farm.
I ran a LFS that was mainly reef and the mistakes I saw most were people rushing things and cutting corners. This is not the hobby to cheap out on equipment like skimmers, lights, rock, etc. And rushing through things will almost always lead to failure and a waste of money and time. Plan the tank out well, know what you want in the end. Take the time to design it to favor this. Buy the right stuff the first time, not the wrong stuff AND the right stuff later.
thanks for the advice.. i havent rean any actuar books, but i have been doing alot of research online the past couple weeks... ill be sure to take it slow... btw, i was planning on buying pre-mixed saltwater from my lfs today so that i didnt have to worry about mixxing it right from the start
Online information can be invaluable, but books are still an important part of the knowledge arsenal that can be vital in this hobby.
Some of the best books would be: Reef Invertebrates by Calfo and Fenner, Aquarium Corals by Borneman, and The Conscientious Marine Aquariust by Fenner. There are many others as well. I know in today's world with so much free online info it can be hard to warrant paying anything for books, but they are really the most reliable, tried and true sources of information out there.
Some of the best books would be: Reef Invertebrates by Calfo and Fenner, Aquarium Corals by Borneman, and The Conscientious Marine Aquariust by Fenner. There are many others as well. I know in today's world with so much free online info it can be hard to warrant paying anything for books, but they are really the most reliable, tried and true sources of information out there.
i cant figure out how much salt to add now, it says 18.2 lbs. but how many cups is that? i dont have a scale