zeddy

i just set up my first saltwater tank, have been doing fresh for a long time and am getting more interested in salt. what i was wondering is what to look for in live rock, and if size realy matters or if it is all about the weight. because all the reaserch i have done says 1lb per gallon but rock is not a specific weight. so what i am wondering is if i should go by weight or a % of volume if that makes any sence

hockeyref88

From what I've been told its better to go for 11/2 to 2 lbs per gallon and make sure its already cured.

sgould

Roughly 1.5 lbs per gallon is good. You can adjust that up or down a bit depending on how porous the rock is. The more porous the rock, the more surface area for bacteria growth, allowing you to cut back a little...say 1 lb per gallon. Denser rock means the opposite...shoot for 1.5-2lbs per gallon.

zeddy

thankyou very much. if you have any other suggestions they would be appreciated since i just filled it about an hour ago. and thats about how much exp. i have with salt

zeddy

can i add live rock say little bit at a time or is it better to add it all at once i'm planning to use about 35-40lbs of rock

Gozer_1

Taking your time is never bad. The benefit to adding small amounts of rock at a time is that you can get a little from here and a little from there. Getting rock from various sources and regions will add biodiversity to your rock work. the more the better. It also allows your system to ramp up at a more stable pace.

Welcome to the Salty world.

werner

i hate maths

zeddy

thank you thats what i thought but im prety new to the salty world

Mike

Yep, as Gozer said you can add rock a little at a time, just make sure it's fully cured when you add new rock if you have livestock already in the tank. Die offs can cause ammonia and nitrite spikes and can be harmful for whatever else is in the tank.

zeddy

no i just filled it up last week. its 33 gal with 35lbs of live sand and thats as far as i got

offminded

from someone who has started about 5 months ago...take your sweet time...trust me!

zeddy

i plan to besides i can't really afford to rush

Iluvatar

You can take your time as I did I added live rock over about two years and I ploan to add more and you should take your time to level the water and it is good to cycle with live rock.

That is my tank