Maybe Starting A Marine Tank

[heavenly_d3vi1]

I'm picking up a rio 400 next week and I'm considering using it for marine... eventually, since I've wanted to go marine since I started keeping tropicals! I have been through all this 'what do i need' lark before, but, that was for a much smaller tank.

According to the calculator, the tank is 477L/126 US gallons (151x51x62cms)

Firstly, I like the idea of having live rock, but the calculator says I'll need 52 kilos of the stuff, which at my LFS will cost me over 600 quid! While I know going marine IS gunna cost me, I was hoping not quite that much! So, do marine tanks NEED live rock or is there a cheaper alternative?.. coz well, a bare tank is kinda silly lol.
I don't really know if the rock serves an actual purpose apart from, to stop the tank looking empty and giving fish hiding places?

Then, I need powerheads.. which ones, how powerful do they need to be?

A skimmer, again.. which one etc..

Lighting, no idea on this either.. I dont plan on keeping live plants or corals or anything atm.

And anything else that I've overlooked, or just simply forgotten! Any info would be apprecaited!
Thanks

 

[Underwurlde]

Good for me to keep an eye on this thread if nothing else...

live rock serves a purpose no? It's a biological filtration system for the environment, so kind of important!!!

Check out http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=212231
Start here! http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=138236

Aparently you can make i.e. cure your own live rock

Andy

 

[heavenly_d3vi1]

Ah right! Thanks for the links.. I'll get reading!

 

[Underwurlde]

If you want more of the good links, for useful info just ask.

I wish I could afford a marine setup. I am very excited for you though. GL.

 

[heavenly_d3vi1]

Some brilliant info on those links!

So is uncured rock cheaper? From what I've just read I get the idea that I can buy a load of uncured rock, and set my tank up with that to cure it?

 

[Underwurlde]

I believe so. I am no expert though...

 

[JenCliBee]

As above im no expert lol but i think more live rock is probably best my nephew has just setup a rio 400 and he is using 90 kilo's of live rock and still looks nowhere near cramped.


Setting up a rio 400 no matter how you do it really is going to be quite expensive but the live rock does serve a purpose and im sure that it would take quite a while to cure rock ? but i may be wrong lol (i often am )

 

[Trod]

Some brilliant info on those links!

So is uncured rock cheaper? From what I've just read I get the idea that I can buy a load of uncured rock, and set my tank up with that to cure it?

Not sure about it being cheaper, but honestly its best to try to get cured LR, if you can get it from someone breaking up a tank, even better, as it will be cured and full of life.

Look around there are lots of bargains around, prices range from £5 a kilo to £10 but I wouldn't pay any more than £8 tops

Don't buy LR from your LFS unless they are willing to do a deal £600 for 52Kg is way over the top

Look on flea bay
<a href="http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/40kgs-of-High-Qualit...A1%7C240%3A1318" target="_blank">http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/40kgs-of-High-Qualit...A1%7C240%3A1318</a> this is just one example


Setting up a tank that size is going to be expensive.

You can go either Fish only with live rock (FOWLR) or fish only (FO) as you say you don't want corals (YET )

If you choose FO you could use an external filter which would probably be cheaper than LR, (but don't really know to much about them) and use ocean rock, for decoration, this is much cheaper to buy, Do lots of research, and find out which system will suit your requirements and budget best

 

[Underwurlde]

Shoot me down by all means, but how is LR transported? If out of the tank for more than a couple of hours, doesn't it start to die off? It may be LR when pulled from a tank just before sending off, sure... but won't you then just get the R through the post (minus the L)???

If you get my drift!

Andy

 

[bae1994]

I'm picking up a rio 400 next week and I'm considering using it for marine... eventually, since I've wanted to go marine since I started keeping tropicals! I have been through all this 'what do i need' lark before, but, that was for a much smaller tank.

According to the calculator, the tank is 477L/126 US gallons (151x51x62cms)

Firstly, I like the idea of having live rock, but the calculator says I'll need 52 kilos of the stuff, which at my LFS will cost me over 600 quid! While I know going marine IS gunna cost me, I was hoping not quite that much! So, do marine tanks NEED live rock or is there a cheaper alternative?.. coz well, a bare tank is kinda silly lol.
I don't really know if the rock serves an actual purpose apart from, to stop the tank looking empty and giving fish hiding places?

Then, I need powerheads.. which ones, how powerful do they need to be?

A skimmer, again.. which one etc..

Lighting, no idea on this either.. I dont plan on keeping live plants or corals or anything atm.

And anything else that I've overlooked, or just simply forgotten! Any info would be apprecaited!
Thanks

a rio 400 holds 400 litres as the measurments are on the outside and include the trim

 

[-Nemo-]

Shoot me down by all means, but how is LR transported? If out of the tank for more than a couple of hours, doesn't it start to die off? It may be LR when pulled from a tank just before sending off, sure... but won't you then just get the R through the post (minus the L)???

If you get my drift!

Andy

It all depends on how long the trip is home. You should Defiantly keep it in water in a large container of some type depending on how much you're transporting. There will probably be some die off, more as the traveling time increases, but if its keep soaking in water and transportation time is limited, the die off will be minimum.



LR is the absolute best filtration you can have, and to me, it gives you a jump start with having a successful tank. There are other places to find the rock other than your LFS, as said earlier, e bay, look around in your area for people selling it individually for whatever reason.

 

[Underwurlde]

Same vien then & relevant to this discussion as a link was provided... is it a good idea to buy LR from ebay then?

 

[Trod]

Same vien then & relevant to this discussion as a link was provided... is it a good idea to buy LR from ebay then?

In a word, Yes , My sister (seffie) and I got ours from e bay, great rock full of life

As previously said as long as the rock is not out of water for long, 1 or 2 hours and kept damp it will be fine, having said that, even posted overnight is fine but you will get some die off which will result in longer cycling of your tank but the life in the rock will be fine.

If you can transport in buckets of water then even better, we did this and bearly had any cycling.