Is my plan a good idea for a setup?

[BoisBlancBoy]

While I'm not knew the fish hobby I'm new to the saltwater side. I had a 240g for many years and housed freshwater fish. I've since sold that tank a few years ago and am really missing the hobby, but I'd like to take the next step and dive into salt. So here is my plan and I'd like to know if there are any issues.

I know more expensive but I think I would like to go with the Red Sea 250 that comes complete with everything. I need to get an RO system as I'm on well water and it's pretty hard. Plan is a FOWLR, but probably do 90% dry rock and seed it from chunks of good live rock and some live sand. I know the process might be very slow to get the coralline algea to grow but I feel watching the process and anticipation would be fun. Fish I plan on only peaceful fish. If there happens to be enough room in the sump I'd do some sort of fuge.

Any tips, opinions of any sort are welcomed.

 

[mcgyvr]

Sounds like a good plan..
You really don't need live rock and certainly not live sand if you don't want to.
All dry rock and dry sand is just fine and you can easily cycle it and make it live in no time..

 

[BoisBlancBoy]

Really there isn’t a need to “seed” dry rock/sand?

 

[mcgyvr]

Really there isn't a need to "œseed" dry rock/sand?

Nope
You can certainly have a successful system with dry rock only...

 

[BoisBlancBoy]

Nope
You can certainly have a successful system with dry rock only...

Wow cool. Does it take longer for things to come "œalive"?

If I don't seed things or bring in some live rock will I be missing anything that I may want?

 

[billdogg]

Until my current setup, I started all my tanks over the years with 100% dry everything. Sure, it does take a bit longer, but this is a hobby where you must think long term anyway, so what's a few months in the grand scheme of things?

My current 120g DT/40b sump I cheated a bit and used some of the LR from another of my tanks in addition to a couple cups of fresh live sand from the same tank the rocks came from. I did theis because it wasn't entirely "new" - I was moving both fish and corals over at the same time and really couldn't afford to wait any longer than necessary. This tank really had no cycle - the old tank was out at the curb and it's inhabitants were in their new home in just a couple hours time.

I think your plan is great! I would not waste a single red cent on "live" sand that comes in a bag at your LFS. If you want good live sand to seed yours, find a fellow reefer in your area or get your LFS to sell you a cup of theirs.

 

[HBtank]

Wow cool. Does it take longer for things to come “alive”?

If I don’t seed things or bring in some live rock will I be missing anything that I may want?

Yes and no. It's a complex question You wont be missing anything you NEED, as for want... it can be a lottery.

Some will argue that "diversity", and the various hitchhikers from live rock adds stability to an aquarium, which I agree with (a long discussion). This would go in the "want" column, we all want more stability...

But there are also people who have torn down 100K setups to remove a single type of pest they got as a hitchhiker.

It depends on your goals (that same hitchhiker might not even bother a newer reefer). Maybe you just want to have a little piece of reef and get experience, and hitchhikers, both good and bad, can be extremely interesting and good experience in that case. But, of course, that person will probably change goals over time...

I personally think there is a middle ground, where I personally try to be. I think you can start with dry rock and selectively add diversity over time, with quarantined rock and corals. it might not blast your tank with a ton of life to start as with some live rock, but you CAN still slowly accumulate the various sponges, worms, pods, and other critters that help our tanks.

 

[BoisBlancBoy]

Well guys that’s awesome. I have no interesting in making this process speed up. I enjoy the slow changes, it gives me time to learn. I also like the option of slowly adding diversity, pick up little things here and there to add along the way. I’m also not interested in having a heavily stocked tank.

For any of you guys that are still following this thread is there a complete setup you would recommend in the 50-60 gallon range? I honestly don’t think I’ll get into any corals for a very long time. Pretty much fish, inverts and a nem’ for a clown fish.

 

[avery155]

My tank has been running for a year and just a few days ago I added my first piece of live rock from a lfs. Flat piece for my clam to attach to. All the rock and rubble before that one piece was dry rock.