175g Saltwater predator tank - Update:Aug 10th/10- FISH ADDED

[scherzo]

You can get slightly cheaper LR at places like Ocean Aquatics (who are also site sponsors). I think they have it at around $5.29 - $6.99 per pound.

Once again, you can't tell if the LR is actually live.

What usually happens is they harvest the rock from the ocean. It sits on the beach, sometimes in the sun. As soon as it does that some things start to die on it. In fact, as soon as sponges hit air they pretty much die immediately. This starts the process of dying rock.

They don't really ship rock in containers of water. This would be far too expensive so they usually wrap it in wet paper while flying it out. This also continues the "dying" process. The rock will sit in containers and in airports for up to 2 weeks! THEN it finally gets to your store.

The only way it starts to become live again is if it sits in water for a few weeks and it will come back. You then purchase it and bring it home. It dies a little and you may (depending on your setup) have a little die off and may detect some ammonia or nitrates as the rock becomes fully live again.

phew!

Many retailers are quite honest and will tell you that their rock is OK if it has been curing in their store for quite some time. They know how long it has been sitting for. If they tell you that it just came in and it is live, I would be a little skeptical.

It is exciting starting a new talk! It looks like you're off to a great start and reading forums and learning from others! Enjoy the journey.

[snow1]

Thanks and I did managed to get that aiptasia this morning so that's now out of the way. I hope I got it all. I'm woking on thet tank right now, more updates to come....

[reefwars]

Keep your eyes put for more they are tough and when you think you got them boom!!! Their in another spot how did you kill the little bugger???

[snow1]

Originally Posted by reefwars

Keep your eyes put for more they are tough and when you think you got them boom!!! Their in another spot how did you kill the little bugger???

Sorry, I did not see your post, I injected them in lemon juice.

[snow1]

July 21,2010 update:
The rocks, sand etc... has now been in the tank for 6 days. Things seem to be going okay. The only problem with the water I'm having right now is the ph, it's at 7.5 and I need it to be 8-8.02. I'm seeing some brown algae that is forming on the live sand, not sure what is causing that. Does anyone have any ideas? I'm planning to get more live rock when I get back aug 5th, I'm going back home for 10 days so I'm hoping to check some fish stores while I'm
there, see if anything has changed. I have changed the structure of the rock three times now, this seems to be working for now, once I get more live rock I'll see if I leave it or move it around, I'd like some really nice big pieces as a base rock for the bottom and I have found someone that has nice pieces.
Here is a video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXmx7gMLmT4
pic:


Can anyone help me though with my ph problem? What about baking soda? Will that work? If so what's the ratio (tsp per gallon).

[Greenmaster]

The brown algae is just another stage of the tank it will come and then go eventually.

[snow1]

Originally Posted by Greenmaster

The brown algae is just another stage of the tank it will come and then go eventually.

ahhh thanks.

[Greenmaster]

Originally Posted by scherzo

...Once again, you can't tell if the LR is actually live.

What usually happens is they harvest the rock from the ocean. It sits on the beach, sometimes in the sun. As soon as it does that some things start to die on it. In fact, as soon as sponges hit air they pretty much die immediately. This starts the process of dying rock.

They don't really ship rock in containers of water. This would be far too expensive so they usually wrap it in wet paper while flying it out. This also continues the "dying" process. The rock will sit in containers and in airports for up to 2 weeks! THEN it finally gets to your store.

The only way it starts to become live again is if it sits in water for a few weeks and it will come back. You then purchase it and bring it home. It dies a little and you may (depending on your setup) have a little die off and may detect some ammonia or nitrates as the rock becomes fully live again.

phew!

Many retailers are quite honest and will tell you that their rock is OK if it has been curing in their store for quite some time. They know how long it has been sitting for. If they tell you that it just came in and it is live, I would be a little skeptical.

It is exciting starting a new talk! It looks like you're off to a great start and reading forums and learning from others! Enjoy the journey.

A good sign that rock is "live" is coralline algae as the algae takes a while to grow and if it is alive and well then the bacteria should be as well. "Live Rock" generally means that it has bacteria on it.
The rock when it arrives at your LFS it is "Live" it's just not "cured" (most of the time... some times it has gotten too dry/warm/cold that it is no longer live but that is rare). There has been lots of die off and that is what "curing" is for. Some LFS will sell you un-cured rock for cheaper because they don't have to keep it in there system while all the stuff that died on route finishes decomposing. Never add un-cured Live rock to a system with fish in it.

[scherzo]

Originally Posted by Greenmaster

A good sign that rock is "live" is coralline algae as the algae takes a while to grow and if it is alive and well then the bacteria should be as well. "Live Rock" generally means that it has bacteria on it.

That is way more clear than I was. I guess the terminology is a little weird. Live Rock and Cured Rock.

As for the coralline algae thing, what about "COOKED" LR? Isn't that live? But it has no coralline on it. I have cooked LR and put it into a new tank and never experienced a cycle. Mind you, I've only been doing salt for about 3 years so I'm still new to this as well.

I hope this helps the OP. I think the most important thing is to watch your ammonia, and nitrates when you move a tank or get a new one. I have bought a few systems from Craigslist that were pretty rough looking and I used the LR from them and put them into my sump or main DT. I just watched my levels.

Good luck and let us know how things are progressing!

[Greenmaster]

Originally Posted by scherzo

That is way more clear than I was. I guess the terminology is a little weird. Live Rock and Cured Rock.

As for the coralline algae thing, what about "COOKED" LR? Isn't that live? But it has no coralline on it. I have cooked LR and put it into a new tank and never experienced a cycle. Mind you, I've only been doing salt for about 3 years so I'm still new to this as well.

I hope this helps the OP. I think the most important thing is to watch your ammonia, and nitrates when you move a tank or get a new one. I have bought a few systems from Craigslist that were pretty rough looking and I used the LR from them and put them into my sump or main DT. I just watched my levels.

Good luck and let us know how things are progressing!

I said a giveaway that it was "live" was to have coralline algae on it (because I think you would have to try really hard to have the algae on it and no bacteria)
I also said "live" means it has bacteria on it so "cooked" or "Base Rock" can be made live by cycling it in a tank to produce bacteria colonies on the rocks.