12 damsels for cycle not enough Bioload
- Thread starter IMAGINEER
- Start date
people still use damsels for cycling..unfortunatly it may not be the best way to go about it but it happens..anyways technically i would say same..but i would use shrimp from ur local grocery market..add 5,6 of them..let them get to the nasty filmy state..whilest checkin levels after a few days, when ammonia is presant..remove them..( if u go this route..and get to the removal state..use a net to get them out as they will break apart a bit and hold nose..kinda stinks too 
good luck!
good luck!
Scuba_Steve
Premium Member
300g will be expensive, but thats the right way to do it in this hobby. That would be about 300-500lbs of live rock. You can make this alot cheaper by buying about 400lbs of drv base rock, and 100lbs or live to "seed it". In a few months it will also be live, and you will have saved yourself about $2000
Shagsbeard
New member
Base rock is typically live rock that has died off, and dried out. It's easier to ship and store that way, and hense cheaper. It's not lava rock. Lava rock typically leaches metals into your tank and ends up killing everything.
You have a 300 gallon tank... you wouldn't even notice the difference between 200 and 400 lbs of live rock... but your fish will. They'll get far more free food from the life in the rocks and a cleaner tank for it. It's much better for your tank, and cheaper in the long run, to properly filter you tank with live rock.
You have a 300 gallon tank... you wouldn't even notice the difference between 200 and 400 lbs of live rock... but your fish will. They'll get far more free food from the life in the rocks and a cleaner tank for it. It's much better for your tank, and cheaper in the long run, to properly filter you tank with live rock.
Second that. 300 lbs of rock is not as much as it sounds like. I always thought 1 lb per gallon seemed like quite a bit of rock, but even in a tank my size (46g), it leaves the fishies plenty of room to swim. . .especially since most reef fish are used to having a lot of rock for hunting and hiding.
Oh, and base rock is the same as live rock, except. . .not live. In other words, it's been dried out and has no life on it, but it's the same type of rock otherwise. Not only is the rock itself significantly cheaper, but if you order it online, you save quite a bit on shipping since you don't have to have it express mailed.
Oh, and base rock is the same as live rock, except. . .not live. In other words, it's been dried out and has no life on it, but it's the same type of rock otherwise. Not only is the rock itself significantly cheaper, but if you order it online, you save quite a bit on shipping since you don't have to have it express mailed.
oli5
New member
IMAGINEER, having lots of live rock is a really good thing, and it adds to the look of the tank. You could get 100 pounds of live rock and put it with 200 pounds of dead rock (Marco rocks are really good). In time it will turn live and really add to the overall filtration the rock provides. That being said, you can scape a nice look with tons of caves and overhangs for your fish to enjoy and swim through. The more the rock the better (to an extent) because in their natural habitat the fish have lots of rock to swim through, so you want to keep them happy and healthy (the rock provides constant food for them). Anyways, good luck.
kwaters
Premium Member
I have visited many sites for live rock...where for "dead" rock. Always into saving some money.
Just a recap...I am still looking at my empty tank. I have my sump built, my skimmer (Octopus NW 150) and am working on other "dry goods" prior to going "live" with the tank.
Kris
Just a recap...I am still looking at my empty tank. I have my sump built, my skimmer (Octopus NW 150) and am working on other "dry goods" prior to going "live" with the tank.
Kris
Ed Ricketts
New member
kwaters,
if you mean by "cut the ratio in half" you mean use more or less live rock to save more or less money, the answer is yes. you just might need to wait a little while longer for lush growth, colonization of the non-LR, etc. There's no "hard" and fast rules about rock, but what's presented here is more guidleines and suggestions. Play a little, but be patient.
if you mean by "cut the ratio in half" you mean use more or less live rock to save more or less money, the answer is yes. you just might need to wait a little while longer for lush growth, colonization of the non-LR, etc. There's no "hard" and fast rules about rock, but what's presented here is more guidleines and suggestions. Play a little, but be patient.
Village Idiot
New member
Check on Craigslist or your local reef club...folks are always selling live rock cheap.
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