Hey All. Well after months of research and purchasing equipment, I FINALLY got my Live Rock. Bought 55lbs of cured Kaelini from Premium Aquatics. Got some AWESOME shapes and PA was excellent to deal with (will post more in another thread).
Had problems picking the light, and that was just shipped out today (Bought the Elos Planet MH 150w/ 4x24w T5 Combo).
The light won't be here for several days and then I have to get my brother to help me hang it from a sloped ceiling next week, so for a week, my Rock is in a 35 gallon tupperware container (RO/DI water at 1.025 salinity and heated) I also purchased 3 lbs of florida live sand, to seed the oolitic that I bought. Probably should have waited on the live sand but thought I'd have the light at the same time. What should I do with the live sand? Should leave it in the bag it came in and soak it in the rubbermade with the live rock so it's at least at the right temperature? Should I open the bag and sink it in the rubbermade so some water mixes with it but I won't lose it all? Should I empty it in a small rubbermade container and sink that in the tank? Should I not soak it at all?
Also...should I use the light I bought for my refugium to light the rock in the tupperware container for a couple of hours a day (It's in a very dark basement otherwise)? 2 hours? 4 hours? More? (it's just a spiral "daylight" bulb 75w=19w).
Thanks! Excited to FINALLY get going with my tank!!
place powerheads and heater in the tupperware container without light. The rock will be fine. If you have a skimmer you can place on it, that would help. A light like this over that container will only promote nusance algea, and will not bennefit the rock. Because the rock was shipped I would cure the rock outside of the tank. As for the live sand if you have a tank set up place it in there.
My experience with Premium Aquatics for purchase of my Live Rock
Just received 55 lbs of Cured Kaelini Live Rock from Premium Aquatics. P.A. was one of two places I had narrowed my choices to, for my live rock, due to reviews on this website. I was originally going with another company, and they said they'd have my rock for me when I tried to order it andn pay for it, 4 weeks in advance (wanted it cured) and they told me not to pre-order it and to wait till I needed it, and that they'd have it in stock. So I ordered it a week in advance, and took a day off from work to work on my tank on the day it was scheduled to be delivered. Well, the day it was supposed to be delivered, they emailed me and told me they didn't have any of that rock in stock, and it could be two months before they got the rock in, and cured. So much for spending my vacation day on my tank. Decided not to go with them after that, and called Premium Aquatics yesterday afternoon, and they had the Cured Kaelini I wanted on an airplane within a couple of hours on the same day, and it arrived on Southwest Airlines late last night. I picked it up this afternoon (didn't know it had arrived until I was already at work today), so from the time I ordered it, till I had it in water at my house, was only 24 hours. The rock is AWESOME!! The first couple of pieces I unwrapped, I thought, ahh....nice rock. Then the next piece, I thought, OOOH....even better....GREAT shape. And the last couple were even better! I received some really nice shapes that I think I'll be able to create some nice aquascaping with (caves/overhangs etc). VERY porous rock, with tons of holes, and nice curves etc. Some nice purple and green on the rocks. I'm VERY excited!
My tank is 53 gallons, and I'm glad I went with the 55 lbs of rock I ordered. I can't imagine fitting any more rock in my tank. Must be really light rock. I think it will be the perfect amount of rock.
I dealt with Luke at Premium Aquatics, and he answered every email of mine almost immediately. Later, I tried contacting Premium Aquatics through the Live Talk that they have on their site, and it was Luke that responded. Very convenient to be able to use the Live Talk instead of email.
They shipped the rock to me via Southwest Airlines Cargo. It was MUCH cheaper than FedEx / UPS, and FAST. $53 for Southwest Airlines. $154 for UPS next Day Air. $83 for UPS (2 or 3 day). Very easy picking up the rock at Southwest Cargo. I was in and out in less than 5 minutes.
Even though you purchased "cured" rock, you may still have a small re-curing time after you recieve it especialy after it was shipped. This will be a much shorter cycle time than curing rock that has come direct from say Fiji uncured because they will have cleaned it up quite a bit, but I have still had cured rock do a small cycle in my tank. If you got it from say your LFS cured, then most times it is cool just to drop right in...
Am I going to want to throw in a raw shrimp when I get my rock in my tank next week, as I expect by that time, there's going to be such a small cycle with the new rock.
Bye
Pam
Quote:
Originally Posted by popeye
Even though you purchased "cured" rock, you may still have a small re-curing time after you recieve it especialy after it was shipped. This will be a much shorter cycle time than curing rock that has come direct from say Fiji uncured because they will have cleaned it up quite a bit, but I have still had cured rock do a small cycle in my tank. If you got it from say your LFS cured, then most times it is cool just to drop right in...
Thanks Popeye. If I open up the bag of live sand and put it in the large tupperware container with my live rock....I have a feeling it's going to be hard to get it out to get it into my tank afterwards. (only 3 lbs).
Quote:
Originally Posted by popeye
If you cure your rock with the sand you get a good start on the bacteria colonizing the sand also and helps speed up the process of de-nitrification
Hi Carmie. I bought it from PremiumAquatics. It says "Florida Live Sand". It looks like it was hand packaged. It's not in a sealed bag. Tied with a plastic zip tie.
Thanks.
pam
Quote:
Originally Posted by CarmieJo
Is the live sand a commercial product in a sealed bag?
Hi Carmie. Tank is set up, but no water in it yet. My light is arriving on Friday, and I'll need to pull the tank out to hang the light, so it's empty, but hope to get water in it this weekend. For now, I just have the bag of sand submerged in the tupperware bin with the live rock (with powerheads and heater).
Thanks, Pam
Quote:
Originally Posted by CarmieJo
Do you have the tank set up with the rest of the sand? You would be fine without the light for a few days.
Hi Carmie. There's only a tiny bit of water in the bag, but I'll take your advise and do a mini water change anyway. Good idea. Question for you. I did my 2nd Ammonia test (rock has been sitting in salt water at my house now for 5 full days) and it is still 0....or at least I think it's 0. I have a Salifert Ammonia test kit. The test results looks cloudy white to me. If the ammonia is 0, does the test water normally look clear, or cloudy white?
Thanks!
Pam
Quote:
Originally Posted by CarmieJo
If there is much water in with the sand I would try to do mini "water changes" to keep it from getting yucky.
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For now, I just have the bag of sand submerged in the tupperware bin with the