New setup

I am looking to start up a tank with liverock but had some questions about it. I know they say 1-2lbs per gallon but that gets very expensive, and I would buy from a local store so it is already cured. I get confused with lighting, many say it needs no light at all but then others say if you want it to grow the corraline algae you do need light. Also I read too much light will bleach it out.

1- What do you need to help liverock live and flourish with corraline algae? I know there are different colors is this because of the type of rock or will the light dictate which color algae will grow? Also, do fish eat this corraline algae as food or is it jsut for appearance? Lastly what about nutrients, I was told the only thing y ou need to test for and keep in check to help LR is CA.

2- What kind of light should I get, I have a double T5 HO on my FW planted setup and my plants flourish. I am leaning towards this direction again since I have a zoomed fixture right now and it has dual switches for each lamp which I love the idea of. My only complaint is how large the fixture is for 2 bulbs, very bulky. I know Odyessa is out there and there reviews seem very mixed. My other option worth considering is an LED system. I looked into Marineland double bright since that would be morein my price range then the reef bright units. Im looking to spend 50-120 bucks for a 30-36inch unit.

3- I know if you go reef you need a much better unit then the options I listed above, is it possible to grow any corals at all under a double T5 HO or doublebright LED?

4- When buying the live rock, my LFS sells it fully cured where its been in their tanks for weeks. They stated I can buy a lb per gallon for a smaller tank or baserock and then some liverock for a larger tank and place it into a new setup where I should be cycled within a week and not have to do any curing. Is this to good ot be true will I have basically a setup ready to add fish within a week? Obviously I would test the water to double check.

5- They sell premium Figi which is brown/green which I do not want because it is ugly and also the possibility of unwanted hitchhikers, and they sell Aquacultured live rock which is COVERED in purple coraline algae. He stated since it is not from the ocean and is more manmade, it is lighter and mroe porous so you need less and it is no possibility of any hitcherhikers, they are in separate tanks. Will this rock maintain its purple color or will it bleach out, he stated as long as I check my CA levels twice a week and keep them up the color will stay just fine.

6- Finally, how much do I REALLY need? It is very expensive and honestly I can not afford 40lbs of live rock for a 36 gallon or 50 lbs for a 46 gallon. Can I buy a dried out baserock to use with it or would this affect how long my cycle may take? Would there be any differences in a tank down the road that has 100% LV or a mixture of both? If I can use a dried rock what kind is reccommended and how much should I use in ratio to LR?

Sorry I know this is a lot to ask and read t hrough all your help is verry much appreciated!

 

you only need 2-5lbs of live rock for that tank, use base rock to make up the other 40 or so lbs. base rock is sterile so no good or bad hitchhikers. Coralline will grow, what ever kind of colors it wants. I personally believe certain colors of coralline may like certain levels of nutrients but finding out which is which and keeping those levels exact for months would be extremely hard. Some urchins and hermits eat coralline but not enough to sustain them. Coralline is just a good indicator of proper calcium levels. A bunch of hobbyists like the look and a bunch don't, up to you on the back glass and powerheads and such.

 

Bulkreefsupply.com has a good selection of dry rock for a decent price. Try to get on Feb. group buy and save some $$$

 

I'll go on record saying, if you follow the 1 1/2 time live rock per gallon of water
You end up with the Great Wall of China in your tank and soon find out you have no room for much else. I started out with a 50 gallon tank and after putting 65 pounds of live rock in, I had little room to do anything. Now I'm on a 120 and I might get another 20-25 pounds of Live rock, but no more. I make up for any bacterial loss by using a DSB and seed it once a year with the proper organisms. The organisms usually have a life span of one year and if you don't re-seed it every year you end up with a nitrate problem from the decomposing organisms. This coupled along with a good tank cleaning regiment and good flow to keep Detritus from building up and the animals happy is all anyone could ask for.

As for the Hitchhikers, I have found few that were not beneficial to my tank. A good Kole Tang will clean some Hitchhikers off the rocks and the glass if you really have an objection to them.
This is my two cents, I'm sure there will be objections, but it is..my two cent.

 

+1 I just got my reef saver eco rox from BRS yesterday. I'm going total dry rock and sand and doing a complete cycle. There is a BRS group buy going on now.