This is a good read, I just watched the videos last night. I did a tank a while back with 100% KP and bagged “live” sand. Ultimately I wound up using ambient light for 30 days. In the first 12 months the only issues I had were diatoms when the lights came on (no acclimation). And I had a. Are of chrysophytes for about 4 days. That’s it. For my new build (400g) I order 250 pounds of TBS sand and an additional 150 pounds of live rock, half base and half premium to go with about 150 pounds that is in my other systems I am consolidating. I’m torn on the Ambient light gig. I hear what Ryan is saying, and, I have experience with doing this process. But I was forced to, it wasn’t by choice. When I discussed this with the ladies of TBS they weren’t big fans of this process with the premium. I plan on acclimating my lights on day one. So, to the OP, I think you made the right choice by using real “live” ocean based products. Now to hijack - my big concern is, when will I be able to start moving my SPS over to my new tank. I think my LPS and Zoas would be OK pretty quick. And, I bought way way too much rock. What will I do with it all…
Starting tank - True Live Rock vs True Live Sand
- Thread starter Obriy
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bobnicaragua
Valuable Member
I would fully stock your tank with fish and cuc. Make sure your parameters are stable. Let it run for two or three months and then try a sps frag.
But if you already have plenty of sps in your other tank, I’d try a frag sooner.
About the extra rock; do you have room for a cryptic sump?
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I had a 55g (24x24x24) black acrylic cryptic made when I had my tank, frag, etc built. Separately I have had 55g’s of rock cooking for about a year now (my AWC dumps into this bin and the bin simply overflows into a drain). I was planing on using this for the cryptic, but, it’s likely better for the system if I use live rock before cooked rock, or so that is what I was thinking.
bobnicaragua
Valuable Member
Yeah, the live rock is probably better, but you’re doing it right with so much live sand and live rock. I think you are set either way.
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SPS frags week 1 once temperature and salinity are good.
Then slowly move things over if the frags do well.
On my 250 had SPS frags in by week 2 but that was because lights weren’t up yet. I only started with like 5% live rock. The rest was dry.
Gumbies R Us
Certified Noob
I started with dry rock and wish I had gone with live rock instead!
livinlifeinBKK
5000 Club Member
I admittedly dont know how the bacterial diversity compares between the two, but I'm sure the bacteria present are very different. Think about the types of bacteria that would inhabit both surfaces. With the sand, id imagine anaerobic bacteria are far more abundant while the rock would have more aerobic bacteria and some bacterioplankton from the water constantly washing over it. Id assume the aerobic bacteria would contribute to greater biogeochemical cycling in aquariums and the bacterioplankton from the water on the rock would spread throughout the tank to a greater extent than the bacterioplankton found in the wet sand.
Those are just my thoughts on the difference between bacteria on each. Id also personally prefer to have surfaces such as rock already colonized.
Those are just my thoughts on the difference between bacteria on each. Id also personally prefer to have surfaces such as rock already colonized.
OP
OP
Obriy
Community Member
I ordered the sand three weeks ago and delivery date was set for today. However, they notified me about their harvesting delay several days ago. I have to wait another two weeks. It looks like whoever orders now, will have to wait until beginning or mid-October.
kourtnee
Community Member
i put in a order for live sand and rock, delivery was set for 10/01 and i received an email today saying that it is delayed until the 16th due to the storm coming in.I ordered 2 weeks ago and was given options of 9/24 or 10/1 at that time. I wonder if yours being delayed is going to delay mine too
ScottD
Active Member
I got an email from them last weekend they were ready to ship my sand but I pushed them a week to 10/1 because I’m having trouble with my rodi filter and getting my tank filled. I haven’t gotten an email yet saying it’s been delayed like yours. I’ll keep my eye out for one though.
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