I need help

[kevgib67]

My friend @cdemoss01 hooked me up with Reef2Reef. I am new to reefing and I have a 15 gallon AIO cube that I have filled and salinity is good and the tank is cycling. I found a heater that I will purchase soon (I am broke) but I am in dire need of some budget Live Rock. My best option rn is a Caribsea Live Rock Arch but it will leave a lot of spare room in my tank and idk if clownfish would like a heavy amount of cover or if a medium sized arch is enough. I have attached the link below but if anyone could PLEEEEASE help me find a budget friendly rock I would greatly appreciate it.

Here is the link:

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/caribsea-life-rock-arch-3105705?store_code=2809&mr:device=m&mr:adType=plalocal&cm_mmc=PSH|GGL|CCY|CCO|PM|0|8ypVcagMTUstCaMjC7diBH|||0|0|||22487711163&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22487748708&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0erBBhDTARIsAKO8iqSZgI-PIAAev_ZgSQrhUs1IQv2iLrDN3pTrueipitjBwZ-pV3j10hEaAlewEALw_wcB

Ya, life rock isn’t alive for an instant cycle but many people use it successfully it just takes a little longer. If you go with the life rock I suggest going over to Camden's and when he’s distracted grab some rock rubble from his tank and put it in water and run home and drop it in your tank it will help seed it get the cycle going quicker.

 

[~Torp~]

Ya, life rock isn’t alive for an instant cycle but many people use it successfully it just takes a little longer. If you go with the life rock I suggest going over to Camden's and when he’s distracted grab some rock rubble from his tank and put it in water and run home and drop it in your tank it will help seed it get the cycle going quicker.

He's already given me sand, Fluval Quick Clear and he's giving me his old Kessel 160
Love your plan tho

 

[cdemoss01]

Ya, life rock isn’t alive for an instant cycle but many people use it successfully it just takes a little longer. If you go with the life rock I suggest going over to Camden's and when he’s distracted grab some rock rubble from his tank and put it in water and run home and drop it in your tank it will help seed it get the cycle going quicker.

Wild

 

[~Torp~]

He's already given me sand, Fluval Quick Clear and he's giving me his old Kessel 160
Love your plan tho

And imma just wait out the cycle as long as I need to

 

[~Torp~]

And imma just wait out the cycle as long as I need to

Ok wait what bottle of bacteria would y'all recommend or should I just let the Live Rock cycle for awhile

 

[TankYouVeryMuch]

My local Petco has amazing live rock covered with life--unfortunately much of it is vermetid snails, otherwise I'd have some by now.

 

[cdemoss01]

My local Petco has amazing live rock covered with life--unfortunately much of it is vermetid snails, otherwise I'd have some by now.

Eh a bumblebee snail is an easy fix

 

[TankYouVeryMuch]

Ok wait what bottle of bacteria would y'all recommend or should I just let the Live Rock cycle for awhile

FritzTurbo 900 cycled my 20 gallon tank in 24 hours. Add the bottle, add the fish 24-48 hours later (you can't skip this step). Done. Have yet to see any measurable ammonia or nitrite, nitrates are low but present. But it has to be refrigerated, so you'll have to try and find a local dealer to keep costs down.

 

[TankYouVeryMuch]

Eh a bumblebee snail is an easy fix

I hear mixed reviews. Maybe depends on how much other food is on the tank?

 

[kevgib67]

I hear mixed reviews. Maybe depends on how much other food is on the tank?

They have never failed me.

 

[~Torp~]

FritzTurbo 900 cycled my 20 gallon tank in 24 hours. Add the bottle, add the fish 24-48 hours later (you can't skip this step). Done. Have yet to see any measurable ammonia or nitrite, nitrates are low but present. But it has to be refrigerated, so you'll have to try and find a local dealer to keep costs down.

God bless bro, how much would you say the FritzTurbo 900 is?

 

[~Torp~]

God bless bro, how much would you say the FritzTurbo 900 is?

And one I put it in it doesn't matter how long I cycle, I can put fish in?

 

[TankYouVeryMuch]

And one I put it in it doesn't matter how long I cycle, I can put fish in?

My local store sold it for $10 a bottle. Set up your tank, preferably with some porous rock in it so the bacteria can colonize it (they need a place to live). Once everything is set up, add the bottle. Wait 24 hours (preferably, but not much longer than 48) and then add a fish or two.

Waste in the tank (such as fish poop or stale food) breaks down quickly into ammonia, which is poisonous to fish. But the beneficial nitrifying bacteria convert the ammonia into nitrate, which is less toxic to fish and beneficial to things like macro algae.

Normally it takes weeks for the various bacteria to build up, but the bottle has all of the different bacteria that are needed. But the bacteria need ammonia for food—without it, they’ll starve and die, and then you’re back to square one. That’s why you should add the fish (or some source of ammonia).

I’m oversimplifying here, but that’s the gist. It’s the most important that happening in your tank, so if you can learn a bit about the nitrogen cycle you’re much more likely to succeed with your tank.

 

[~Torp~]

My local store sold it for $10 a bottle. Set up your tank, preferably with some porous rock in it so the bacteria can colonize it (they need a place to live). Once everything is set up, add the bottle. Wait 24 hours (preferably, but not much longer than 48) and then add a fish or two.

Waste in the tank (such as fish poop or stale food) breaks down quickly into ammonia, which is poisonous to fish. But the beneficial nitrifying bacteria convert the ammonia into nitrate, which is less toxic to fish and beneficial to things like macro algae.

Normally it takes weeks for the various bacteria to build up, but the bottle has all of the different bacteria that are needed. But the bacteria need ammonia for food—without it, they’ll starve and die, and then you’re back to square one. That’s why you should add the fish (or some source of ammonia).

I’m oversimplifying here, but that’s the gist. It’s the most important that happening in your tank, so if you can learn a bit about the nitrogen cycle you’re much more likely to succeed with your tank.

Aight thanks bro so much imma buy some live rock and that and then use it and then add my clownfish pair. Thanks again

 

[cdemoss01]

Aight thanks bro so much imma buy some live rock and that and then use it and then add my clownfish pair. Thanks again

Dont buy too much live rock bro

 

[TankYouVeryMuch]

Just to clarify, what the OP described before sounds like “life rock,” which is the name of a commercial product sold by CaribSea.

Live rock - Rock out of an aquarium, sump, or the ocean that is pre-populated with nitrifying bacteria and sometimes other life, maybe good, maybe bad.

Life rock - Purple rock that has no bacteria of any kind, but is supposedly embedded with bacterial spores of some kind that do…something? Details are sketchy. But hey, it’s nice rock.

Edit: If you’re looking to save money, get this: https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/caribsea-south-seas-base-rock-7-lbs-3858491

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

If money is that tight, might I suggest saving $100 before buying anything else? You will inevitably need supplies as a new reefer and if you don't have all the test kits, equipment, etc that you need before you start, you're liable to be posting "Emergency" threads....

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

My local store sold it for $10 a bottle. Set up your tank, preferably with some porous rock in it so the bacteria can colonize it (they need a place to live). Once everything is set up, add the bottle. Wait 24 hours (preferably, but not much longer than 48) and then add a fish or two.

Waste in the tank (such as fish poop or stale food) breaks down quickly into ammonia, which is poisonous to fish. But the beneficial nitrifying bacteria convert the ammonia into nitrate, which is less toxic to fish and beneficial to things like macro algae.

Normally it takes weeks for the various bacteria to build up, but the bottle has all of the different bacteria that are needed. But the bacteria need ammonia for food—without it, they’ll starve and die, and then you’re back to square one. That’s why you should add the fish (or some source of ammonia).

I’m oversimplifying here, but that’s the gist. It’s the most important that happening in your tank, so if you can learn a bit about the nitrogen cycle you’re much more likely to succeed with your tank.

Also, it's unlikely but you could end up with a bad bottle of bacteria... be sure you're testing ammonia from the start so your fish don't suffer.

 

[TankYouVeryMuch]

If money is that tight, might I suggest saving $100 before buying anything else? You will inevitably need supplies as a new reefer and if you don't have all the test kits, equipment, etc that you need before you start, you're liable to be posting "Emergency" threads....

This is a good suggestion. I was just coming back to add that this hobby gets expensive in a hurry when you’re first setting things up and you quickly find that you need more money to solve a problem you didn’t know you had.

At a minimum you’re going to need some test strips that test nitrate and pH. You’ll also need a way to measure salinity (bite the bullet and get the refractometer, or borrow what your friend uses). You’re gonna need a way to change water in the tank. You’re gonna need a light, and if you plan to have corals that light will be at least $100 for a bargain basement light that will make your corals look like poop and makes a high pitched whine. And fish food. And a net. And a thermometer. And a lid. And a source of reverse osmosis or distilled water. And salt. That’s just off think of my head, and those really aren’t things you can skip.

 

[jsmkmavity]

Too bad i am so far away (2-3000 miles)i could give a piece or 2 of live rock!