Alzado

hello, I'm setting up a 20g saltwater tank and I've got a couple questions.

I'd like to go bigger than 20 gallons, but I find the price of live rock for a 55 to 70 gallon tank to be too inhibitive. So, i'm going with 20 gallons. i know normally the rule is to go with at least 1 pound of live rock per gallon of water, but i'm thinking of doing less, like 10 pounds. other than less not being as good as more, is there a specific reason why this would be a bad idea? some is better than none, right? or is there something that I'm missing in terms of the live rock to tank size ratio?

also, what kind of protein skimmer is best for a smaller SW tank? I've seen some for smaller tanks that have received pretty poor reviews. i'd like to avoid spending a fortune, but I also don't want to buy something cheap if it would be worthless.

thanks!

sgould

Some absolutely is better than none, and in fact there is no small number of sw tanks that start out with less than the 1lb/gallon and have more added later on. As to why 1lb/gallon, keep in mind LR in your tank is serving several purposes...1) biological filter. The more surface area in your tank for beneficial bacterial to colonize the better. More rock = more surface area...you get the point. 2) Habitat for fish. Many fish need hiding places to retreat to in order to feel safe when they perceive a threat...such as when you stick your hand in the tank to perform maintenance...and many just like having a home cave/hiding spot to operate from even when there is no threat. More rockwork provides more possibilities for fish hideouts. 3) live rock is frequently a great source of supplemental nutrition for your fish. Algae grows on the live rock, some fish and many inverts eat algae. Copepod populations tend to thrive on the rock, some fish and inverts eat pods. Bottom line...live rock is good, and more is better than less. But if your resources dictate you start out with less, go for it. Just considering adding more down the road as you can.

Skimmers...yeah, you'll get what you pay for on that one. I personally use Coralife Superskimmers on both of my salt tanks, the smaller of which is a 29gallon. The CSS 65 is rated for 65, so you will get great results on a smaller tank, and will cost you around $100 if you shop around online. Sounds a lot, but if you compare that with other skimmers out there it is a good price. There are other good skimmers out there, but the only other one I have experience with is the Prizm Deluxe...skip it and spend just a touch more for the CSS.

Alzado

awesome thanks. if i add more live rock later, can i add cured live rock directly to my tank? i'm guessing it will probably need to undergo it's own curing/quarantine period for a few weeks before I add it to my tank.

sgould

Yes. When starting a new tank with no inhabitants you can cure the rock in the tank. But once it is occupied you will need to cure any new rock additions in a seperate container or you run the risk of killing off everything in your tank. Also, even if you buy rock that they SAY is pre-cured...keep it in a seperate container for a few days and test the water daily just to be sure you don't get an ammonia spike. Just the act of taking the rock from a store's tank and transporting it home can be enough to cause some die-off that results in ammonia. Once you are sure the rock is cured, then you can just drop it right in your tank and arrange it however you like.

Alzado

i really appreciate the help.

after reading up here and doing some more research, I think i'm going to go with this nano rock package from Dr. Foster's: http://liveaquaria.com/product/prod_...49&pcatid=1949

The price is way better than the $9.99 per pound prices that I'm finding at my LFS. and it's next day shipping, so hopefully the die-off in transit will be minimal.

sgould

I've ordered live rock twice from DFS. No issues with it, but you will need to cure it for 12-15 days before your readings clear, based on my experience with it.