Starting the Dwarf Adventure!

[thejoie]

So it starts.

I've been reading. Re-reading. Planning. Thinking. Planning. Rethinking. reading some more.

and I think I'm going to go for it.

Today I went out to Aquarium Adventures bought my 10 gallon tank and a filter (I also bought a sixline wrasse for my 30 gallon tank!! Which I'm honestly IN LOVE WITH!!)
The look on my moms face was great when I walked through the door. She demanded to know what the new addition to the family zoo was. But I think I'm going to keep my lips closed for a while. She loooooves my salt water tank. I think she'll enjoy this too... even if she is complaining we have too many pets at home.

If I buy livesand do I need to do anything to it?
Or is it just the liverock I want to be super careful with? Do I really even need liverock. I've seen tanks with and without.. now I want your opinion. I like the look. But I was thinking about just getting regular rock from the petstore. Would liverock make that much of a difference. Wouldn't my rock become "live" after a while anyway? And this way... it *should* be safer.

I think I want to do a mix of live/fake plants. But I don't know.... I saw some nice fake coral pieces that I thought would look nice.
What are your opinions?

 

[ann83]

If you do live rock, live sand, live macro algae (plants) or other live things, you will have to treat it with panacur to prevent hydroids. Macroalgaes and a population of copepods are really nice to have in a seahorse tank though, so consider it.
With live rock, you will also have to worry about dangerous hitchhikers, so I would go with dry rock instead and let it become live in your tank. You will need to cycle longer, but that is a good thing and it will allow your copepod population to build. Dry rock and dry sand will both eventually become live. Also, you will need panacur on hand anyway, in case hydroids are introduced with live food.