live rock ?

MamaJones

MamaJones

proud reefer!
So, we have finally started adding Live Rock to our new 90. We got around 50 lbs. yesterday. Only one of the pieces is covered in the coraline algae that is so pretty...but the other rocks are really neat shapes. One big one makes a nice cave and two other ones look like skulls...I really liked being able to pick out the pieces. I've been to all of the LFS and only one of them had any coraline covered pieces for sale. It seems as if all of the live rock most stores have in stock have been sitting there in huge tanks "curing" but EVERYTHING dies off of them...so they just are plain wet rocks.
I think I want uncured rock because it will have the most life to it bringing some diversity to the tank. Am I right?
What kind of experiences do ya'll have ordering online? Are the pieces nice? Anybody brought live tock from reeftopia.com before?
Or what kind of live rock would be the best for me?

I currently have LR in my 30 gal which is mostly covered in somekind of brown algae. I don't really like it, it's about 40 lbs purchased from a LFS and it's just bare of any good algae.

I really want a Mandarin so getting some LR with some copepods is also imporant.
 
Coralline will die off as soon as it's exposed to air... The nice purple color will usually turn white and flake off, but it will come back again. Some coralline spores survive, but a lot dies off during shipping/transport and curing.

Live rocks that appear to have nothing living on them are still live rocks. Live means that it's inhabited by the beneficial bacteria you will need to carry out the nitrogen cycle. So even though they look like nothing's growing on them, they are still live. And hitch hikers always manage to find a way to survive.

I've never bought from reeftopia before, but I have bought several hundreds of pounds from www.liveaquaria.com. I got their Fiji rock, and it was great. Really nice shapes and a lot of color. www.tampabaysaltwater.com and www.saltycritter.com are other sites that have really good reputations for their live rock.
 
Bifferwine said:
Coralline will die off as soon as it's exposed to air... The nice purple color will usually turn white and flake off, but it will come back again. Some coralline spores survive, but a lot dies off during shipping/transport and curing.

So, how do I get the coraline piece that I have to spread if it died already.:frustrat:

Should I bother with uncured live rock?

We've had our current tank for months and months but not one sign of it. Does "purple up" work? It seems as if every tank I see it loaded with coralline except ours! Is this a bad thing?
Click to expand...
 
It will spread, the coralline spores are still alive, it's just that some of what was covering the rock will bleach out. But it will come back. Uncured live rock is much cheaper. If you have the space and time to cure it before adding livestock, go for it. If you do pay extra for cured live rock, there will be some die off during shipping anyways and you will have to do a little curing anyways.

I've found that Purple Up has worked wonders in my tanks, but other people have had no success using it whatsoever. If you want to try it, go ahead. The worst that could happen is you're out $25. In order for coralline to grow well, it needs a combination of lighting, calcium and proper magnesium levels. It usually takes several months for coralline to get started but once it takes off, you can't stop it.
 
one more try

the4th038.jpg
the4th038.jpg
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looking good!

I have found no use for purple up. Coralline just seems to grow with the right levels and temps. If it is too hot, it doesn't seem to grow as fast for me. I have to scrape it off daily or I get thick deposits on the tank. Hope yours comes fast!

-Doc
 
My suggestion is to fine one rock(or more) that has good coralline growth.That rock will seed the others eventually spreading to other rocks,glass,everywhere.Most coralline does bleach/die off during the cycle.Live rock and coralline doesn't bleach/die if adding to an establish tank as long as the rocks are kept wet.

I believe moderate lighting,calcium,akalinity and to some degree,good magnesium levels plays important roles in coralline growth and speed of growth.

What,no ''born to party'' sign for the new tank?
 
If its coralline and hitch hikers your looking for,Then order from Tampabaysaltwater.Its aqua-cultured rock with all kinds of hitch hikers.Even found eels and fish that was still good and alive when the shipment came in.
 
well, I wish I would have heard about tampabaysaltwater before...their live rock looks awesome. But Too Late! today Joe comes home with another 50 lbs. He just went in to the one store we've been to and I've never liked their rock before...seems like they just got this shipment in.
After he put it in the tank a teeny tiny brittle star was crawling on the wall of the black filter and other things started popping out of holes. A lot of feather dusters, and what Joe calls "anemones"...but what I think might be aipstias. that's probably not the right spelling :/
But I am rather impressed with his picks! Wahoo we are on our way!
So, any ideas as to what' the next step, you reef geniuses you!
I cleaned the filters and they're turned off at the moment...I fed the rocks some "reef bugs"...??? We don't have lights yet to deter bad algae growth...just natural lighting from the window a couple of feet away.

I'll have to post pics after Joe comes back with the camera...I just spent 10 mins aimlessly wandering about the house looking for it.

So, what's tthe temp, Doc?
 
dont worry about getting the bad algae growth because when your tank cycle which it might do you would get all that algae anyways
 
Oh your gonna have some algae:mrgreen:Thats just part of having a new reef tank.
Cant wait to see the pics.
 
Here's the pic:

poolfloat004.jpg


and the little bity cute starfish:
poolfloat001.jpg


and the whole tank in progress:
poolfloat002.jpg


so, they are def. aipsitia....should I just get a peppermint shrimp to eat them...how else should i get rid of them....there are quite a few that are a couple of inches big!

AND>>> Of course the born to party sign will go in the new tank :)
 
If they are bigger than an inch, they will probably be too big for a shrimp to take care of. Peppermint shrimp are great at preventing aiptasia and taking care of little ones, but can't really handle anything the size of yours.

Since you don't have anything in the tank yet, now is a great time to get rid of it! You can find products specifically made for aiptasia control at your LFS -- stuff like Joe's Juice. That usually works really well. Or you can take some of your salt, make a thick paste out of it and smother the aiptasia. You can also shoot boiling water at them through a turkey baster or syringe. But whatever you do, do it now before you have any animals that will be put in danger.
 
Another way to kill em.Is to take a hyperdermic needle and inject them some liquid calcium.
The tanks looking great BTW.
 

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