my live rock needs a makeover

[kpatrick]

everytime I look in my tank at the live rock I wish there was something I could do to add some pizazz to the rock. I know I could buy a nice lighting system and have a wonderful reef tank but I really dont want to go all out and spend that type of money yet. Is there anything I could get that would add to the live rock like feather dusters or anything else that can survive with just "normal" lighting??
By the way, the tank is a 125 gallon FOWLR.

 

[Satchmo]

Feather dusters you can do without light. Look into some sponges as well. You may be able to get away with mushrooms and some zoos. How much lighting exactly do you have?

 

[kpatrick]

I forgot to mention some important details. It would probably help if you knew what I had in the tank.

Urchin
Choc. Chip starfish
coral banded shrimp
a couple dwarf angels
niger trigger


so would sponges, feather dusters, and mushrooms work with this setup? I have a few small feather dusters on the live rock now and it seems to be just fine. Also, what exactly do you feed sponges, feather dusters, and mushrooms?

thanks

 

[MFish]

That Niger would be a problem most likely. (atleast.. I would never keep any trigger in a reef or tank with dusters and sponges)

 

[MFish]

Even though they are deemed to be one of the more peaceful triggers, id be weary

 

[Corax]

That chocolate chip starfish is gonna be a problem too... Any of the knobbed stars are predatory and will scour most anything yummy off the rocks...

What 2 dwarf angels do you have that are co-habitating? And again, what size tank?

 

[MFish]

Raven.....if you read it its a 125 FOWLR

 

[Corax]

well color me frickin blind =P

That explains the co-habitation... They probably hardly ever see each other and then the wuss of em has plenty of tank to run away in...

 

[MFish]

Yes,

However, the sponges and corals will not move. So..if you wanna go reef you're gonna have to ditch the star and the trigger.

 

[kpatrick]

okay lets say the choc chip starfish and niger are removed from the tank. Are sponges, mushrooms, or feather dusters easiest to keep? what are their food sources? I have tried to avoid any type of reef setup in the past but if I can start with the easiest stuff and have it be successful then maybe I will try my hand in the more complicated stuff later.