Fmxmatt Posted August 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2007 Oh excellent, didn't realise that, definatly an option! How do I know the process is starting? Does it just go by the cycling process? (i.e Ammonia, then Nitrites, then Nitrates?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markoshark Posted August 22, 2007 Report Share Posted August 22, 2007 Yup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmxmatt Posted August 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 Anything special to look for when buying liverock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camnbron Posted August 23, 2007 Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 Look for interesting shapes, also look for inhabitants/hitchhikers. Here is a link to a hitchhiker page I have found useful to begin with: http://www.xtalworld.com/Aquarium/hitchfaq.htm I had my rock in a bin I picked up from bunnings for a few weeks while I got my tank sorted out. Was a good opportunity to look over the rock and identify what I didn't want in my tank i.e. bubble algae Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmxmatt Posted August 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 So even if its dry live rock, its possible that organisms can still be alive and begin to grown once the rock is in a suitable environment? Uhhh the look of some of those things gives me the heebie jeebies hahaha and the people at work who happened to see think that the "hairy crab" is the funniest thing they've seen in a while Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockerpeller Posted August 23, 2007 Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 "dry" live rock would be dead. otherwise known as Base Rock. using it will make the cycle longer and you'll need to start the cycle with something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markoshark Posted August 23, 2007 Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 What I would advise, is that you get SOME base rock (dead), and like a 100L bin from the warehouse. Chuck in some Natural Sea Water, a few rocks from a rockpool, and sand. this will help kickstart the cycle Also, check TradeMe every few weeks, and hope to get lucky - Somebody breaking down a reef, where you can nab their rock. Or, ask Redwood, or Organism if they have any cycled rock in their sump(s), and they should be able to help you out. If you start with a very low fish / nutrient load, then the bacteria you get in even a small bit of rock will help with the cycle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolliolli Posted August 23, 2007 Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 I've been buying 150 litre bins off this guy in chch for $25 http://www.trademe.co.nz/Business-farmi ... 66.htm?p=1 great for storing water and live rock, they have a wide mouth, and they have previously been used to store sealer for moro bars i think, so are food safe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmxmatt Posted August 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 "dry live rock would be dead. otherwise known as Base Rock. using it will make the cycle longer and you'll need to start the cycle with something" Ok i'm a little confused now (Sorry, i'm a real n00b at this). As far as I knew, my only option was to buy BASE rock and go from there by introducing bacteria via the means of sea water/rockpool rocks etc UNLESS I can find someone selling pre cycled rock (straight out of a tank etc) Is this still the case? Sorry I must be getting annoying by now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilson Posted August 23, 2007 Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 . Plan now is to pop into Redwood Aquatics and have a yarn to them about it have you been to organism yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockerpeller Posted August 23, 2007 Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 na its ok. i was in the same boat when i started looking at a marine tank as well. you can start a tank using either "base-rock" or "cycled-rock". "cycled rock" already has bacteria in it, while "base-rock" doesn't as it is sold dry (the bacteria needs moisture and oxygenation to live). it's cheaper to use "base-rock" as it hasn't been cycled to have bacteria in it, although using a mixture of "base-rock" and "cycled-rock" will speed things up as the "cycled-rock" will seed the "base-rock" which will eventually turn it into "cycled-rock". You with me so far? Having all the rock as "cycled-rock" will speed up the cycle even more. damn that was even starting to confuse me a lil :lol: and you can start a tank with any rock "cycled" or "base". it just alters the cycle time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camnbron Posted August 23, 2007 Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 I probably didn't help.. :-? My rock was live because I purchased it from living waters in Tauranga when she closed down. Some pieces of rock had organisms living on/in it - mushrooms, red lettuce, feather duster worms, bristleworms, corraline algae, bubble algae (not good). Some of my rock was cycled as it was from the shop sump, it may have had critters in it but had nothing attached to it. I plonked all of this into a 120L Bunnings bin with a heater, a pump for flow and some T5 Lights on a timer (and saltwater ). I just left it in the garage and treated it like a tank until I got my setup sorted. Which reminds me I should post what it looks like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmxmatt Posted August 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 Ahhhhhh! Makes sense now, I was definatly thinking along the right track Yep i've been into organism, bought all my fish from there. I find John real good to deal with. I'll prob pop in there in the weekend for a wee nosey So its quite common to put lots of smaller bits of rock in rather than just 1 big piece? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camnbron Posted August 23, 2007 Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 Yup, you want to get different shapes so you can make ledges, overhangs, pretty little structures... If it was just one big blob of rock it might look odd. What I had explained to me was also to have the rock have as little as possible contact area with the bottom of the tank - put it on points. Its ok to lean it against the sides and back and to stack, but be sure to give it the tap/prod check once submerged in water - you don't want to have a avalance onto you fish or corals! You can secure the rocks to each other using cable ties, or some forms of putty if you want to. Thats the way though, go harrass John, ask to have a look at how his system works (I haven't met him, I assume he will be happy to show you). Its always handy to actually see something in the flesh (or rock) to get a better understanding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted August 23, 2007 Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 Just a thing about the word "base rock", there are 2 kinds of rock, "normal rock" (for want of a better term), and "base rock". Base rock is harvested from areas where it has been under pressure and has become dense and heavy, with less pores, while normal rock is pretty much as it was when it was a living coral and is quite porous. Normal rock is better for the tank as it is better for bacteria than base rock. Both base rock, and normal rock, could be dried and "dead", or cycled and "live". Rockerpellars explanation of the cycle was very good. I suspect that a shop has pointed out a piece of dry base rock and said that is base rock, and a piece of cycled normal rock, and said that is live rock? giving the impression that all dry rock is base rock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmxmatt Posted August 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 Ur bang on there Wasp Can anyone let me know if the Red Sea Prizm pro delux skimmer is any good? I've found some good reviews on it and I've been offered it for $350 (2nd hand). As I'm still deciding on the sump setup, it looks as tho it can be hung or submerged so I've still got my options. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockerpeller Posted August 24, 2007 Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 Rockerpellars explanation of the cycle was very good. I suspect that a shop has pointed out a piece of dry base rock and said that is base rock, and a piece of cycled normal rock, and said that is live rock? giving the impression that all dry rock is base rock? bingo :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef Posted August 24, 2007 Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 Can anyone let me know if the Red Sea Prizm pro delux skimmer is any good? For the price it is ok, Many reviews on them are not that good. How big is your tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmxmatt Posted August 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 Tank is 350 litres. Did come with a skimmer but its got a split in it aparently, so its probably useless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidb Posted August 24, 2007 Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 no sump? I don't really like the red sea skimmers myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmxmatt Posted August 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 Nah no sump. Still making the decision as that but likelyhood will be the hang on option. Can anyone recommend a good but reasonably priced skimmer? Or the one which is the best if thats poss? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidb Posted August 24, 2007 Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 what price range? the deltec hang ons are good but if you are looking for something cheaper the AquaC remora has good reviews(Prob too small for your tank though) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmxmatt Posted August 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2007 I had a chat to John at Organism about the Deltec skimmers today. He said the MCE300 would be fine for my tank, but the MCE600 would be much better if I wanted to spend more money. He also said the Red Sea skimmers are nothing special. Can anyone help me with the decision? On one hand I like the idea of only spending $400 and getting the MCE300, but on the other hand, if the MCE600 is going to be sooo much better, I'm quite happy to make the $800 odd investment (but is it double the price better?) I know bigger is better, but I dont wanna be forking out extra if I dont need to be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef Posted August 25, 2007 Report Share Posted August 25, 2007 In my opinion i think you will find the mce600 is much better. Just by looking at the skimmers specs you will see that the mce600 is much bigger and has a far bigger pump. sure it cost more but you wont have to upgrade and bigger skimmer the better as it will remove organics far quicker before they cause problems. Not far for me to review as i am the Deltec agent for nz, Have been for over 10 years as i am still impressed with them after all that time. Price is always a problem, but come to the conclusions that nothing good is cheap. checkout the reviews on the mce600 http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/8/ ... erm=mce600 http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/7/ ... erm=mce600 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneo Posted August 25, 2007 Report Share Posted August 25, 2007 I can always throw a deltec sticker on the red sea for you :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.