New tank setup timeline

[ReefPup]

You can always drop algae wafers in the tank for them. If you add in some live ocean rock then the process is greatly expedited because you are turbo charging your biome and will have a much more manageable ugly phase the first year.

So I plan on seeding the rock with 5lbs out of the 30lbs in the tank would I still have to leave the lights off for 3 to 4 months or could I maybe get away with 1 month?

 

[ShakeyGizzard]

So I plan on seeding the rock with 5lbs out of the 30lbs in the tank would I still have to leave the lights off for 3 to 4 months or could I maybe get away with 1 month?

The lights off for 3 to 4 months is what gives your biome the head start to be big and strong. It will need this to out compete the bad guys for space. You will still have the ambient light in the room the tank is in. Patience is the key to get the tank going the best way.

 

[GatorGreg]

I don’t know if someone has mentioned it yet. But in a brand new dry rock tank, with not a lot of livestock. Doing 15% water changes weekly.

You need to watch your nutrients very carefully and keep them registering. EVERY SINGLE tank I set up this way I was doing too many water changes too early. Bottomed out the nutrients and got Dino’s. Three tanks in a row. Ever since I realized what I was doing. My reefing enjoyment has improved tremendously. In my current setup my tank was so nutrient limited that I had to dose it to keep it barely registering on Hanna checkers for the entire first month it was setup

 

[GatorGreg]

Ok thank you! That's what ok do I'll just go grab 5 lbs from my lfs to Jumpstart me a bit. Will I still need to use the fritz turbo cycle and nitrocycle to cycle the tank? Cause 5 lbs is so little.

You’re not going to get the same biodiversity supercharge from Carbisea liferock or Marco Rock that your LFS has had wet in a tub for a month or two as you would ordering some ocean rock.

 

[Lavey29]

You’re not going to get the same biodiversity supercharge from Carbisea liferock or Marco Rock that your LFS has had wet in a tub for a month or two as you would ordering some ocean rock.

Yes real live wet ocean rock is best

 

[Lavey29]

So I plan on seeding the rock with 5lbs out of the 30lbs in the tank would I still have to leave the lights off for 3 to 4 months or could I maybe get away with 1 month?

I would order a few wet pieces from here and bucket cure them for a month as your tank is running lights off. You can check for any bad hitch hikers that way. Then add them to yoyr tank the second month and turn lights on the third month.

Tampa Bay Saltwater – America's #1 Live Rock for Reef Aquariums

 

[GatorGreg]

Yes real live wet ocean rock is best

It was obnoxiously expensive but I went all Aussie ocean rock on my 80g. I absolutely can’t wait to go pick it up from the airport at the end of the month. It’s already paid for. But he recommended letting him do his 3 to 4 week cure. I imagine there’s some die off on the plane ride across the ocean.

 

[Formulator]

You’re not going to get the same biodiversity supercharge from Carbisea liferock or Marco Rock that your LFS has had wet in a tub for a month or two as you would ordering some ocean rock.

I think it depends on the LFS. Mine has some great live rock that I know is far older than a few months. That said, I don’t have experience with the other stuff to compare to.

 

[GatorGreg]

I think it depends on the LFS. Mine has some great live rock that I know is far older than a few months. That said, I don’t have experience with the other stuff to compare to.

You’re lucky.

Most LFS I’ve seen “live rock” at the rock barely looked cycled. Much less mature. Couldn’t have been more than a month wet in most cases

 

[Lavey29]

It was obnoxiously expensive but I went all Aussie ocean rock on my 80g. I absolutely can’t wait to go pick it up from the airport at the end of the month. It’s already paid for. But he recommended letting him do his 3 to 4 week cure. I imagine there’s some die off on the plane ride across the ocean.

But you will see the benefits for sure down the line

 

[ReefPup]

I would order a few wet pieces from here and bucket cure them for a month as your tank is running lights off. You can check for any bad hitch hikers that way. Then add them to yoyr tank the second month and turn lights on the third month.

Tampa Bay Saltwater – America's #1 Live Rock for Reef Aquariums

Ok so if I'm understanding correctly I should put in my Marco rock scape and start the tank with turbo start. Simultaneously I should start bucket curing the 5lbs from TBS. After 1 month add the cured live rock and then leave the lights on for one month more. Then switch the lights into acclimation mode?

 

[jabberwock]

I am just trying to get as much good stuff coating my rock taking up space and nutrients so I hopefully have a minimal ugly phase.

= real ocean live rock. The pests are easy to deal with compared to nuisance algae...

 

[jabberwock]

Ok so if I'm understanding correctly I should put in my Marco rock scape and start the tank with turbo start. Simultaneously I should start bucket curing the 5lbs from TBS. After 1 month add the cured live rock and then leave the lights on for one month more. Then switch the lights into acclimation mode?

Don't bucket cure TBS live rock. There is no need to do this. Ask them how to do it.

Last piece of advice, don't do clownfish. They are evil.

 

[Lavey29]

Ok so if I'm understanding correctly I should put in my Marco rock scape and start the tank with turbo start. Simultaneously I should start bucket curing the 5lbs from TBS. After 1 month add the cured live rock and then leave the lights on for one month more. Then switch the lights into acclimation mode?

That would be my approach but ask Tampa Bay the best method they recommend for curing their rock once you receive it. Keep in mind, once your tank is cycled you can add fish. They don't need light. Just wait on corals a few months.

 

[Gribbles]

I agree with everyone here that live rock is a great choice, even a little bit like you're considering. Well worth it.

I do want to add tho that using marco rock is not all the doom and gloom everyone says it is. It's not going to hex your tank and make dinos a guaranteed thing. Perfectly acceptable to take things nice and slow if that's what you want.

You will quite probably still have risk associated re: acquiring pests through frags, cuc even with dry rock