Haphazard sort of build

[reefermadnes5]

Just keep learning you will get there. If you’re replacing your rock, do yourself a huge favor and go with live rock. You can thank me later. Best of luck and happy reefing!

Ill thank you now. Also everyone else for their input. Im going to double the volume of marco. By "live" do you mean something like a crabisea life rock that is all sealed or is more marco and bacteria enough for now?

 

[kevgib67]

Ill thank you now. Also everyone else for their input. Im going to double the volume of marco. By "live" do you mean something like a crabisea life rock that is all sealed or is more marco and bacteria enough for now?

No, live rock is in water with all the beneficial bacteria and diverse flora. Lfs’s sometimes sell it or you can order online from places like Tampa Bay Saltwater.

 

[reefermadnes5]

No, live rock is in water with all the beneficial bacteria and diverse flora. Lfs’s sometimes sell it or you can order online from places like Tampa Bay Saltwater.

Copy. Im checking out tampa now. Let say i can swing either a batch of 75lb live sand or 75lbs live rock. Which would be a better next step? Im thinking craibsea argonite and the live rock. Wish i could get the base pack from them. Looks sweet.

 

[reefermadnes5]

New live rock. Budgetary restrictions force me to accept dry rock and a bottle of bacteria as opposed to the live rock. With my ammonia so high still I suspect I would just fry any live rock anyway

I looked for information on the imagitarium gravel composition but can't find any specifics. I really like the black and white look so i think it will stay unless I learn it is harmful.

Ammonia is dropping as the bio filter strengthens. Im just going to wait and monitor closely until my parameters stabilize.

All my fish survived the ich! That is fantastic progress for me.

 

[reefermadnes5]

My ammonia is dropped to 0. I have a reefopus 110 ext and feed pump inbound from brs to take the water to the next level. In the coming months i would like to slowly add some easy coral and and/or an anemone. My thoughts on the corals

Toadstool

Xenia

Euphyilla

Bubble

Duncan


I dont really mind the idea of my rocks being taken over by a single pretty coral. Im patient and dont mind the slower growing and easier controlled corals sharing rocks too. Any suggestions on hardy specifics of these types of coral and order of addition suggestions would be helpful. Also thoughts on placment would be appreicated. Thank you.

Also a bubble tip nem is on the fantasy list.

 

[Devisissy]

This is like the fruity pebble tank of the saltwater world. With your substrate you will always have issues with PH. The coloring in the black rock will eventually fade away. Your calcium will be low. You will never be successful with burrowing fishes so steer clear of those. It will be hard to sift and clean. There is a reason people don't. If you like the look crushed coral would be a great choice. I'm not sure I would die on this hill my friend.

 

[reefermadnes5]

I am dosing calcium and my ph stays above so far.

 

[reefermadnes5]

This is like the fruity pebble tank of the saltwater world. With your substrate you will always have issues with PH. The coloring in the black rock will eventually fade away. Your calcium will be low. You will never be successful with burrowing fishes so steer clear of those. It will be hard to sift and clean. There is a reason people don't. If you like the look crushed coral would be a great choice. I'm not sure I would die on this hill my friend.

I would not want you to die on my hill. Dosing a ph buffer isnt a terrible price to pay. Calcium too. Also the others i will need for any coralline. So far ph stays over 8.1. Thats a big 10-4 on no sand sifters. My tiger shrimp doesnt really play nice. Ceriths seem to have no problem sifting through the gravel so far.

 

[reefermadnes5]

I recently put up a nicrew 48w reef light for an attempt at xenia. After some good reading here on the forum and abroad i think that is the only coral i can attempt if i want it to thrive in my tank and benifit my parameters. My biggest concern is my foxface and bicolored blenny making meals out of xenia so i am loading in a ton of macros to try to keep them from picking the xenia.

My goal here is to help my tank reach the next level of a stable ecosystem rather than try to win reef of the month.

Since joining here i have upgraded my tank with a skimmer (reef octo 110 ext), began stocking pods and planktons and put up better light. I learned xenia can benifit my overfed tank by exporting so i am now getting a test kit to go more in depth than the test strips ive been using to monitor and add approppriate supplements to buffer ph, raise calcium and alkalinity in hopes to foster the growth of coralline and healthy xenia.

If i can get these simple milestones im a happy fish keeper.
Needless pics coming in a few weeks