Learning from others' mistakes

I read the stickey mentioned in the title of this thread. Many posters said that one mistake they made was starting their tank with live rock instead of dry rock. If you start with dry rock, how do you get the cycle started? I had been thinking that the die-off from live rock is what gets everything kick-started.

 

you have to seed the dry rock with live rock. a lb or 2 will be fine.
Also to kick the cylce in gear throw in a raw shrimp (like from the grocery store) and let it decay in the tank.

 

Yes, the die-off from live rock will kick-start your cycle; however, in all too many cases you get a lot of unwanted hitchhikers that survive. :-/

To start the cycle with dry rock, most throw a raw cocktail shrimp into their tank. That will produce the ammonia.

 

lol they beat me to it ^

 

I didnt see the thread you referenced, shouldve posted a link in your post.

I dont know of a downside as far as cycle wise starting with all live rock has a downside, if you precycle them is a seperate container for die off purposes. If you buy live rock especially online you can expect some die off in transit vs buying LFS or CL live rock. Shipped rock its really recommended you cycle it in a seperate container so you can get some of the gunk & die off away from the rock before placing it in the tank. This also gives the opportunity to identify mantis shrimp or other potentially disruptive hitchhikers you might not want in the tank.

I think the true downside in starting with all live rock (to me at least) is the price. You can buy a couple pieces of live rock or even on of those live rock starter boxes on line, use the rest of regular rock and get the same effect for probably 1/4 of the price.

 

I would never start a tank without live rock. It's the bread and butter of saltwater tanks. I personally buy mine online from: Salt water Aquarium live rock, Coral, Best Cured live rock, Nano Discount live rock The live rock is usually only out of the ocean for a max of 24 hours before you get it. Once the tank is set up I usually wait a month before putting anything in it just to let it cycle. Good Luck.

 

I am in 100% agreement with the pretty girly above me

We have reef tanks...no??? Why is that? What do real reefs in the ocean have? Live rock has way too many benefits to pass up because a mantis or a naughty crab you can catch later and banish to the sump. All the bacteria, filter feeders, pods, snails, even algae ... Yes I said a dirty word there are in the ocean and IMO are a huge benefit if you want a true reef tank.
Go ahead and burn me up here people if you wish but I wouldn't start a new tank with anything but live rock. And yes I am aware of all the additives and whatnot you can add to get all the "benefits" of live rock without it but I am 100% on team LiveRock Only here
Haha sorry for the rant
Heidi

 

I think I'm going to do the Marcos Rocks 5/50 combination - 5# of live rock and 50# of dry rock. I'm thinking that my chances of getting nasty hitch hikers will be limited. Of course, my chances of beneficial hitch hikers will also be limited, but as a newbie, I think this is my best bet. I'm hoping I'll be able to tell the good guys from the bad!

 

Unless they kill coral and fish... They are good that's a very loose statement I know ... But true depending on who you ask.
Heidi

 

planeria flatworms don't kill corals or fish, but I don't want them Also, most desirable organisms are more sensitive and won't survive a cycle. Pests are pests because they can survive anything and therefore can easily displace more sensitive livestock.

It doesn't matter though, plenty of hitchihers, larva, etc.. will come in on corals as you add them. I've started numerous tanks both ways and within 6 months to a year you can't tell the difference. So, I prefer to use base rock as it's less expensive and easier to aqua-scape before hand, out of water.