Fish Only WITHOUT Live Rock....alrite??

[Derek0925]

Need expert advise....i have been cycling my tank for 1 month, check NH3 (zero), NO2 (Zero), NO3 (10ppm), PH (8.4), KH (170), salinity (1.023) then start adding a pair of clown, 1 wk later 1 majestic and 1 week later 1 salfin. I only use DSB but no LIVE ROCK. I did put some dead white colour coral. I am using a relatively good skimmer. Everything seems alrite but last sun a LFS owner told me it is not possible to keep marine fish this way. Without Live Rock fish will guarantee to die within 3 mth. He claim the reason my NH3, NO2 and NO3 so low is becos they have never bloom before.....as such it will always maintain so low.

Can i check with anyone is it true?? Newly set up water really need liverock or else BB will never bloom? You mean the marine fishes that is sold in LFS will die if they are not sold after awhile??

[tineng]

in 2 weeks you added 1 majestic and 1 salfin.....at this fast rate of adding fishes, by month 3 you would have 12 fishes ....with or without live rock, you would encounter problem, given that angels and tangs are relatively large.....

Anyway, my opinon is that live rock serve more functions then simply de-nirfication....they provide food for the fishes to glaze on, safe shelter, places to hide etc....so while you might not need tons of rock, enough should be provided for the well being of your fishes.....

[Derek0925]

ok bro!

I mean i start adding fishes only 5th week. now are the 7th week. Anyway, i intend to maximum 8 fishes.

my tank are 4ft by 2ft by 2.5ft.

Currently i have dead corals. Very large and nice one. It actually provide lots of hiding place for them so far. I felt that live rocks are quite ugly without corals. Anyway, i bought 3 reasonably big pieces of live rock and throw it in last weekend. You think is enough?

[hotlemond]

you mentioned 3 big piece, how big then?

[Derek0925]

bro...3 pc about 8kg.

Enough?

Or else how much more do u reckon?

[Derek0925]

any advise or help please?

Thanks

[cyclop]

Derek,

Welcome to this fascinating hobby. I am wondering whether you have tried other fishes for a start. Starting with angels and tangs is quite a challenge, especially with a relatively new tank.

Your beautiful dead corals will not be the same over time - they will look like the live corals too. Now that you've already got the majestic and sailfin, both of which need alot of grazing on live rocks, do observe and watch their appetite. If they are eating heartily they are fine. That would be a very good indication of their condition and well-being. If not, do not be dishearten - restart with something easier and more manageable. With experience you will be an expert one day.

All the best!

[Achilles Tang]

There is need for biological filtration in a marine tank.

There will not be enough surfaces for bacteria to grow on in just an empty glass tank and even some dead coral skeletons may not provide a good enough environment for suitable bacteria.

These bacteria play a very important part in processing nutrients like ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

Such pollutants will always build up and in no time, your tangs and angels (which are very sensitive fishes) will suffer. I suggest you start with hardier fishes like groupers if you want to maintain a glass tank with no biological filtration.

Counting on just a good skimmer is possible but it does not deal with nitrates over time. Perhaps if coupled with regular water changes of sizeable quantity, then a FO tank without liverock is possible.

Liverock is the basic component of all reef tanks.... barebottom or with sandbed. They serve multiple purposes. Try not to go without, esp for a beginner!

Good luck!

AT

[Kelmen]

you mentioned you use "DSB but no LR", the catch is without the LR, your DSB will probably remain as "dead sand" for a long long time, or maybe permanent.

With DSB and LR, even sand is dead, the LR will seed "live" onto it overtime.

In my case, 2 months+ already can noticed it in the DSB.

[Derek0925]

AT and cyclop!

Thank you for your valuable expertise feedback!

My majestic is still quite shy. Most of the time, he hide behind the dead coral. Eat a bit. Really not much. Only come out when i turn on the light. Saw human movement near, he will hid in again. Do you think he gonna make it?

Salfin is settling well fast. Though he came later, he is eating like mad. gobbling up the food.

The rest is also settling well fine.....

Another question, can i add live rock in slowly from now on....say 3-4 kg every few days? Will it cos another ammonia spike?

Or Can i put it in the sump tank instead? The LFS say useless to put LR in sump tank.

[Eric]

AT and cyclop!

Thank you for your valuable expertise feedback!

My majestic is still quite shy. Most of the time, he hide behind the dead coral. Eat a bit. Really not much. Only come out when i turn on the light. Saw human movement near, he will hid in again. Do you think he gonna make it?

Salfin is settling well fast. Though he came later, he is eating like mad. gobbling up the food.

The rest is also settling well fine.....

Another question, can i add live rock in slowly from now on....say 3-4 kg every few days? Will it cos another ammonia spike?

Or Can i put it in the sump tank instead? The LFS say useless to put LR in sump tank.

Dump in as much cured LR as possible in one go is ok. Tune your skimmer for wet mode.

Eric

[Derek0925]

Hi Eric....ok noted.

Sorry....tuned my skimmer are you referring to the air valve??? Release or tighten the valve???

Other than that i dun have other knob.

[Eric]

Hi Eric....ok noted.

Sorry....tuned my skimmer are you referring to the air valve??? Release or tighten the valve???

Other than that i dun have other knob.

water level valve...........

Eric