akamel

I just got a 65 g tank--gonna go SW. I know that u shud have 1 lb of LR per gal--but have also hear that I can get some "not liverock " to obtain hitchhickers. If I start cycling my tank w/o any LR I need a really good filter right ? Lr is replacement for a filter--correct ? If i start out w/o LR i can just use filter?

aquarist48

Hello Akamel. Best of luck with your salt set up. I'm sure some salt members will chime in shortly. Keep us posted.
Ken

Master Snake

No posts/

locoyo386

Hi there,

Nice size tank

Well the amount is always up to debate, but in my experience the amount depends on the type of tank you are going to set up. If it is a reef tank, than most likely you are going to need more rock than if it was fish with NO corals. You could use some pieces of live rock and the rest base rock. With time the base rock will become live rock.

Well the live rock works in two ways. One, it allows critters to live that help break down waste and exccess food. The other is, it provides surface area for bacteria to colonize. If you cycle without live rock, you would have to use another method (like ghost feed, using a shrimp, or using live fish). The filter pads that we use in the mechanichal filters are nor really need to start the cycle. Are you planning to eventually use live rock in the tank? If not than you might need a good mechanichal filter to remove the exccess food and the fish waste.

josh11551

you should use live rock with a ilter and leave the tank cycle for(i know i will be over told by someone but)1 week At the absolute least.I have 8 lbs of live fiji rock in my 5 gallon SW tank so it probably is 1 lb/gallon.....good luck have fun with the hobby!