Please help a brother fish keeper in need

[chrisdef15]

I have another question,
I know I have to cycle the tank with some starters fish. I was thinking damsels, as has been suggested, they are very colorful and I wouldn't mind looking at 30 of them for the next six months or so. My question is do I wait until the tank is fully cycled to add the live and base rock or do I put it in from the beginning and let it all cycled together?

30 is way to many. Your tanks only 6' isnt it?? Ide say more like 10.
Really you have to decide what you wanna keep in there before you do to much planning.
You could have an eel and a small grouper species and small lionfish or something or go a reef with all sorts of small fish.
Depending on which way you go will help work out how to set the rock up in your tank and what to cycle it with.

 

[Fish Finder]

you put the live rock in the beginning. If you wait and cycle the tank then add the live rock you will have a aminia spike and it will be anouther cycle. Best to get it all out of the way at once.

 

[ewurm]

Way to start big! I wish I had the resources to go bigger when I started in SW.

 

[BIGgourami]

yeah it's definately harder starting small. that's why i wanted to do it! lol
my first SW tank was a 29 (same TANK i have now but with different fish)
i was keeping a pink skunk and a RG in there but when i added two scissortail gobies i think one had ich, cause it spread and killed my whole tank.
i got kinda discouraged but i knew that if i stopped i'd probably never start again. if you first tank fails DO NOT QUIT!!!! you'll miis out on a great experience forever!

 

[Cappuccino]

Where in NY are you? If your on long island you could come by my shop and we can chat one on one about what you want to do and what you can do.

I came to visit you on Friday, but your boss told me you had just left. Anyway, he was extremely helpful and answered many of my questions. It's great to see such a educated hobbyist owning an aquarium store. Most of the times the owners don't even have a salt water aquarium, no less like the one he has. If you guys living in New York get a chance go visit the store.​

 

[Fish Finder]

I came to visit you on Friday, but your boss told me you had just left. Anyway, he was extremely helpful and answered many of my questions. It's great to see such a educated hobbyist owning an aquarium store. Most of the times the owners don't even have a salt water aquarium, no less like the one he has. If you guys living in New York get a chance go visit the store.​

Yea i am there every day but not for very long. I am glad my partner les could help you out. He is in the store every day all day and knows coral and reef setups the best. You will find no one that will give you more info and time then him when it comes to reef tanks. As for me i do the sw fish. I bring them in from all around the world. If you are ever looking for rare fish or just uncommon one's just let me know because that is what i do.

 

[Cappuccino]

Does anyone know where I can get some live and/or base rock for my 210g salt water aquarium reasonable (cheap) prices? In the New York area or willing to ship the rock to the New York area. I have found some live rock for between $6-$10 at local fish stores, but I need about 225 pounds and at those rates it's not going to happen.

I also have a lot of red lava rock, gray moon rock, and white gravel that we could either trade or you could purchase it from me. I have about 200 pounds of rock and about 200 pounds of gravel. You see, my 210 gallon aquarium was used for African cichlids and I am going to now use it for salt water FOWLR.

Please help me out, it would be greatly appreciated

 

[BIGgourami]

www.drfosterssmith.com
supposed to be pretty cheap
$6 a pound is good for waht i can find.
do a lot of baserock and a little live, it will spread.

 

[Cappuccino]

BIGgourami, thank you so much. I will always follow your advice. You are the best.

 

[BIGgourami]

i was the same way when i started doing SW.....................
ah, i remember those days...... LOL!