65g reef

Melina · #1 09-09-2007, 06:46 AM

couple pics.

Hey guys how do you know live rock is healthy? I look at mine and see no life in them (except for the cucumbers which are dead now)... I hear about people finding crabs, mantis shrimp, etc, all sort of critters in their rocks but I'm staring at mine and see no signs of life at all (not that I want a mantis shrimp, but you know, I just want to see something!)... the rock looks so barren & dead. Is this normal? How can you tell if live rock is "good" live rock, or if all the life in it is dead?

Mik_101 · #2 09-09-2007, 07:03 AM

Hey melina its looking realy good. Keep us updated.

0sprey · #3 09-10-2007, 11:39 PM

Your rock will come alive, not to worry. It just takes a little while for the critters that have survived to multiply. With good lighting, a little food, and clean water, the rocks will surprise you with the different lifeforms that sprout. I have had my rock for almost a year, and just recently discovered a black limpet, living undetected all that time (too bad the miserable peon decided to eat my GSP... he was kinda pretty until I peeled him off the rocks). Eggs, algae spores, etc, will sprout after a long time.
I would expect the first visible signs to be bristleworms and aiptasia... but then you might start to find pods, tubeworms, and various macroalgaes, most of which are fun. If you see a choice bit of rock in the store with dusters or something else hardy you want, buy it. The lifeforms on that rock will spread through the tank.

Melina · #4 09-11-2007, 11:13 PM

OK people, need some advice! We want to add a refugium. To have it beside the tank. We have no idea how to plumb it in. Any advice/ideas? Any links to suggest?

Redrover · #5 09-11-2007, 11:58 PM

My Refugium is integrated with the Sump which I believe is the way to go.
The big thing would be room...I've seen them on the outside of the main tank.

I had Marc [ SuperFudge ] build mine, great workmanship

Melina · #6 09-12-2007, 12:10 AM

Is it possible to have it on a table beside, and at the same height as, the main display?

0sprey · #7 09-12-2007, 12:30 AM

Better still to have the water level elevated above the main tank. Split the return line from the pump, run some of it into the fuge, then run the overflow (drilled into the side) into the main tank. Refugiums located above the tank are supposed to be the best possible source of pods.
This is all theory. My fuge is in-line with the sump, as well.

Redrover · #8 09-12-2007, 12:54 AM

Supply line to refugium from left to right...Fingers back of refugium is where it makes an exit back to the sump...I have 4 Seahorses which should be fed a number of time a day...I get enought pods to feed their hunger, that I only feed once a day