So I am totally new to this and I have a 30gal FO tank that is in the process of cycling rigth now with one damsel. The base is cruched coral mixed with 10lbs of the bagged live sand. All I have right now as far as filtration is a Penguin Biowheel 170 (170gph). I am planning on buying a protien skimmer as well, but don't have it yet.
In reading through these forums, it seems that fowlr is a better way to go than just fish only. I would like to get a few inverts also, snails, shrimp, crabs whatever. What I would like to know is whether or not live rock has any special lighting needs if all I really want it for is extra filtration? The lighting on the tank at the moment is not near what I need for corals and stuff. I am planning on making a new hood altogether, as the one I have now is kind of old and crappy.
All I have in the tank right now is a few rocks and few sea shells. I would also like to know how to go about curing or aclimating or whatever the term is the live rock before putting it in my tank. And when should I put it in? Should I wait until the tank is done cycling?
I don't ever plan on having anything in the tank other than 2 or 3 small fish and a few inverts as a cleaning crew. That is the plan right now at least, if I get a decent hood with some decent lighting and everything seems to be going good until then I may try some other stuff, but that is probably more than a year down the road, so there you go.
Sorry for the long, scatterbrained post, but as you can probably see I am a bit clueless. Let me try to summarize.
1. Does live rock in a FO tank have any special lighting needs?
2. What do I do to get the live rock ready to add to my tank?
3. When should I put the l.r. in?
4. Is there a limit to how much l.r. I should put in at one time?
5. Is it OK to add some now and then add more later?
6. Are there any decent protien skimmers that I can get for around $100, and should I wait until the tank is done cycling to hook it up, or should I already have it on there?
Whoa! that is a lot of questions! Well any thing you guys can tell me would be great, and I am more than happy to get any general advise that the experts here would like to give.
Thanks in advance!
Troy
In reading through these forums, it seems that fowlr is a better way to go than just fish only. I would like to get a few inverts also, snails, shrimp, crabs whatever. What I would like to know is whether or not live rock has any special lighting needs if all I really want it for is extra filtration? The lighting on the tank at the moment is not near what I need for corals and stuff. I am planning on making a new hood altogether, as the one I have now is kind of old and crappy.
All I have in the tank right now is a few rocks and few sea shells. I would also like to know how to go about curing or aclimating or whatever the term is the live rock before putting it in my tank. And when should I put it in? Should I wait until the tank is done cycling?
I don't ever plan on having anything in the tank other than 2 or 3 small fish and a few inverts as a cleaning crew. That is the plan right now at least, if I get a decent hood with some decent lighting and everything seems to be going good until then I may try some other stuff, but that is probably more than a year down the road, so there you go.
Sorry for the long, scatterbrained post, but as you can probably see I am a bit clueless. Let me try to summarize.
1. Does live rock in a FO tank have any special lighting needs?
2. What do I do to get the live rock ready to add to my tank?
3. When should I put the l.r. in?
4. Is there a limit to how much l.r. I should put in at one time?
5. Is it OK to add some now and then add more later?
6. Are there any decent protien skimmers that I can get for around $100, and should I wait until the tank is done cycling to hook it up, or should I already have it on there?
Whoa! that is a lot of questions! Well any thing you guys can tell me would be great, and I am more than happy to get any general advise that the experts here would like to give.
Thanks in advance!
Troy
