Live Rock Question

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Davidl

AC Members
Oct 19, 2004
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Hello all,

I have a few questions about live rock. I've been reading the forums and see various repsonses, but not quite the exact answers I was looking for.

I have about 15 lbs of dead/base rock and 15 lbs of live rock, which as far as I can tell ha nothing really growing on it.

1) I read the bacteria will attach to the dead rock relatively quickly (how long is that), does this mean it will work for filtration or does that take longer?

2) the rock looks a bit boring, what could I add that would spread relatively quickly to the other rocks, or what should I add to make something grow on it? heh I know it sounds silly, but I want to see something on these $4/lb rocks..

right now I have a 46g tank with the above rocks and no skimmer, the tank was set up late november last year (so about 2 months). I plan on getting a skimmer in a few weeks or so, but in the meantime should I use carbon filters? I have been doing 20% waterchanges every week to make up for the lack of skimmer, but that is starting to kill me in the salt $$ category.

thanks.,
 
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Davidl

AC Members
Oct 19, 2004
35
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The time part I can deal with, my main concern is the filtration, at what point I can consider the rock "live" and ok to be my main filtration.
 
Max

Max

It's me
Jan 26, 2004
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Mars
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When your ammonia and nitrite levels reach 0 . Also a good way to spread coraline is to get a piece that's pretty well covered hold it in front of your power head and gently brush it with a tooth brush etc. Some of the flakes that come off will help establish new colonies on other rocks.
hth
 
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Oliver

Oliver
Jan 17, 2005
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Perth, Western Australia
Hi david. If you only have a little bit of live rock you can get by without a protein skimmer. I would think that the reason for your live rock sucking balls is becasue your lighting does too. How long is your tank?>. You should be looking at having atleast 2 lenghts of lighting tube over the aquarium, tubes that say they enhance live rock/coral growth. a general rule of thumb is 2 white for every 1 blue.

ps. The water in your tank will have to be turned over atlest 10 times in 1 hour and for best results up to 20 times in 1 hour.
 
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