reef setup and bioload questions

[Jay_1966]

Hi everyone,

I haven't had a saltwater tank in a long time. I am about to get back in the game - but I am going to do it right this time (read - I have more money now)

The tank - I am going shopping in two days and I am either getting a 92 gallon oceanic corner drilled tank or if I am lucky a friend is actually giving me his 200 gallon hex tank. This is the easy part.

The question is this:

I want to buy the starter package of Live Rock from Tampa Saltwater because their reputation and product is soooo good. I am worried about the volume they suggest though.

For 200 Gallon:

400lbs LR
200lbs live sand
200 blue leg hermits
100 Astrea Snails
8 Tiger tail cucumbers
4 Brittle stars
4 Peppermint Shrimp

Is this too much in your opinion? Also will I still be able to put fish in here? I don't want a ton but I do want some room and worry about biological load.

Any input?

Thank you,

Jay

[WaterKeeper]

Hi Jay,

To Reef Central

You can probably change the mix. I'd go with 200 lbs of LR and 400 lbs of LS for the 200 gallon. Half that if you end up with the 90. More is fine but 2 lbs/gal is usually not needed for good biofiltration in most reef tanks.

[stanlalee]

Originally posted by Jay_1966


For 200 Gallon:

400lbs LR
200lbs live sand
200 blue leg hermits
100 Astrea Snails
8 Tiger tail cucumbers
4 Brittle stars
4 Peppermint Shrimp

Is this too much in your opinion? Also will I still be able to put fish in here? I don't want a ton but I do want some room and worry about biological load.

rock:
I would not put 400lbs of liverock in a hex shaped 200 gallon. thats alot of rock but doable in a conventional rectangular tank but seems like you would have rock to the ceiling. what are the demensions of the tank? anyway you certainly dont need 400lbs of rock. start with 200lbs and then add more if your aquascaping requires more. you can always put rock in the sump instead of the display if there is more than you'd like to put in it.

sand:
again this isn't a 6ft 200 gallon if its a HEX. unless you want a deep sandbed you dont want that much sand with the small footprint of a hex. use however much it takes for an inch or less for a shallow bed or whatever it takes to make over 4" for a deep sand bed. gallons of tank means nothing here. my hundred gallon has the same footprint as a standard 150g

hermits:
none. whatever hermits do there is a snail that does it better and well wont eat other snails, hermits or become opportunistic. if you have to have hermits go with scarlets (the most passive of the hermits). they cost about a buck more than blue legs but since I'd recommend you only go with about 50 if you have to have hermits it wont be a problem.

snails:
just 100 astrea are not diverse enough. they do a great job on the liverock and so so on the glass. you need astrea, nassaius and ceriths. I would probably start with 25 of each then add more if/when you have some algae to eat if neccessary

tiger cucumbers:
once again this is a sand sifter. a hex wont have the footprint of a regular 200g. probably has the sand square area of a 75/90 gallon in which case about 3 is all you need

brittle stars:
as long as they arent green four will work. I classify these more as want then need or should have.

peppermint shrimp:
very unneccesary unless you plan on having an atapsia problem. you can have 1,2,4 or 25 of them. shrimp are another one of those members of the clean up grew more there for diversity then neccessity.

would really like to know the footprint and demensions of the tank. would help determining sand and a few other things.

[Jay_1966]

I'll get the measurements and repost - reply. I am glad I did this. I wasn't considering the footprint like you said and was reluctant to ask to many questions as I am sure it must get annoying with newbies questioning whether you know what your talking about (re: tampabay saltwater)

btw, this IS a good company/product right?

Thanks

[Jay_1966]

As I am just starting back in the hobby (sw) I decided to get the 34 Gal. red Sea Max. It has everything I need to start out and will be fun while I decide if I want to take it any further than fowlr.

I am going to just follow the guidelines in the manual for the sand rock etc.

Question:

I asked at the LFS about live rock and they had fiji. It was uncured and rather dead. She said it ships dry.

Tampa saltwater ships underwater and is very alive. much prettier.

BUT

LFS said do not EVER buy Florida rock because it is full of phosphate and you will never get rid of it because it keeps leeching out.

Is this the case?? If so why do so many of you like it? Or do you?

I am from Tampa so it would be very convenient for me to buy there.

Thank you,

Jay

[papagimp]

This is the first time in 2 years in the hobby I've heard somebody say that florida live rock leeches phosphates. I've heard that volcanic rock can leech phosophates, but not florida rock. Personally I wouldn't want to buy live rock from a LFS that kept it dry and dead like that, you'll spend high dollar for an inferior product, less bacteria if any, even lower chance of any decent hitchikers coming in with the rock. Dry rock will eventually seed just as good, especially if you do a mix of the two, but I hear very good things about Tampa, so would probably go that route myself if given the two options listed.