I can't recommend a merchant but I can tell you that there will be some die off during shipping. However the bacteria that makes the system work will survive and make your tank cycle.
Dave so I've heard 1 pound of rock per gallon. Is that right? Should it be more? I don't want to overload with live rock and want to keep good water circulation.
That is just a "rule of thumb", like the "Watts per gallon". Yeah, you really want as much rock as you can put in there for biological filtration purposes. However, if it is not pretty to look at, what's the point. Also, if you "cram it" and reduce overall flow around your reef, you'll have problems.
Personally, I put as much as I can, keeping aesthetics in mind, and remembering that most of the corals I put in there, will be on a small rock, and need room to grow. You also want to have room for schooling fish to scoot around in.
If you have a sump, with a chamber that is somewhat empty, you can add more rock there for filtration boost. If not, do the best you can providing as much rock in the display.
Don't forget... the volume taken up by 1 lb of dense, Fiji Rock, is much less than a single pound of lighter, porous rock. Again, the "pound per gallon" is just a ball park range.
My LFS selection is sparse and expensive. I'm considering buying online. Any advice? Will there be die off with shipping?
The advantage of buying at the LFS is choice. You get to HAND PICK each piece and that is a BIG advantage!!! Shipping LR in MAY be cheaper by a little bit but you lose choice. You have to keep the rock you get. I have seen some pretty shabby LR in my day. Will there be die off with shipping?????? OF COURSE! There is die off anytime you remove LR from water. Even taking it home from the LFS. There should be less die off from the LFS to home because of the length of time involved.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mickster32
So there is premium fiji, bali, EVA, uaniva. Is there one better than others??
In terms of beauty? Yes. In terms of effectiveness? Probably not. The more porous (light) the rock, the more pieces you get per pound. Because you need a small amount my advice is to shop around the LFSs and hand pick.
Dick
__________________ Amphibious
Reaching my 70th BD, I realize that I cannot help but grow old. However, I refuse to grow up!!! My wife would tell you, "He may be 70 but, He's going on 17". Life is wonderful with a woman like that.
So can I set up my live rock in say 2 stages? Buying half the rock and setting it up in the tank. And then next week or 2 buying the second half of live rock that I find at a LFS?
Of course, if that's what you choose to do. Remember, nothing can go into the tank in between those two purchases of LR. Your tank is not going to be cycled in two weeks. If, by chance it was partially cycled, it would begin anew due to the die off of the second load of LR.
Dick
__________________ Amphibious
Reaching my 70th BD, I realize that I cannot help but grow old. However, I refuse to grow up!!! My wife would tell you, "He may be 70 but, He's going on 17". Life is wonderful with a woman like that.
it's exactly the same it just takes longer. you can get 80 to 90 % dry rock and the rest live rock to seed it which will help it go faster. thats how I'm doing it.
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