Live Rock Question...

[koda_dad]

Can good HH's help corals grow faster/better. I do know that bad HHs can slow or kill corals...

Honestly, I love my new layout...I think it looks great. But I really don't want to kick myself later on that I didnt spend another $50-$75 and am now limited because I chose the Eco-rock.

 

[mng777777]

Would it speed up the process though with the love rock? or slow it down? or really no difference?

It wont really change the speed as long as all of your eco rock has been in a tank with LR for a length of time. If not, then it will take a while for the bacteria to spread throughout the rock. Either way, since its a new tank, you will need to take your time stocking it so the rock you have should not affect your ability to enjoy your tank.

 

[koda_dad]

Not really! The whole point of the LR is the beneficial bacteria that breaks down wastes. :)

The guy who sold me the eco, said that this has the bacteria for the waste....just nothing else...and in his opinion a) thats all you need and b) in a year you can't tell it apart

So ultimately, it comes down to can the good hitchhikers help my reef do better.

 

[mng777777]

Can good HH's help corals grow faster/better. I do know that bad HHs can slow or kill corals...

Honestly, I love my new layout...I think it looks great. But I really don't want to kick myself later on that I didnt spend another $50-$75 and am now limited because I chose the Eco-rock.

Nope. The HH's are just eye candy. we are talking about things like corals, feather dusters, crabs, snail, shrimp, sponges, tunicates... etc. Those are all things that are cool, but since they are HH's you can't control what you get. You may even have some of those things on this rock and just not know it yet. Just go pick out a few pieces of LR from your LFS that you really like and add it to this. It will do the trick and your tank will be beautiful!

 

[dcantucson]

Don't sweat this rock thing any longer. Everything will be just fine. Do what will make you happiest. What ever the choice it really won't matter that much.

 

[andysgirl8800]

Patience, Grasshopper! :) You will have a beautiful tank before you know it! Just take things slow and steady. Nothing but disaster happens quickly in this hobby. We all start from the ground up. If you like the way your rock looks now, keep it! There is nothing "wrong" with the rock you have.

 

[Ted]

I started both of my tanks with mainly base rock. I bought one big rock at a lfs for fifty bucks. I also bought about twenty pounds of fiji rock from another lfs a few months later. Then a few months after that I got some rock from project that he made. Now you cant really tell which is which. I have small feather dusters on all of the rock base, fiji and man made. I also have a bunch of q-tip sponges. I think if you pick up one or two small rocks from a lfs you will have the same thing I have in a few months. Dont sweat it your rock looks really nice if you want the dusters and sponges just get a couple of cherry picked rocks from a lfs.

 

[Cathic]

/ Agree with dcan your rock is going to turn out great in a matter of months, and then this mess you have "created" will be nothing to you. You will end up happy with the way you have gone trust yourself, and if you know you are predisposed to something like buyer remorse ask around here. Everyone is willing to give you their experience with the matter. I think you made a great decision now get to it reefer!

 

[reeffreak]

I wholeheartly agree with Biff's statement and everyone else that agreed.

How about adding a few pieces of the Totoka(or whatever it was called) with the eco you have already have.Hell,I be happy not having some of my hitchhikers.

 

[yote]

+1 ALL the above
And I'll bet that there is some hitch hikers in that eco rock.If its got coralline algae on it,then I know for a fact there are hitch hikers in it.Remember that a lot of the bugs we get are all but microscopic.Combine that with 99.9% of the hitch hikers being nocturnal,and you'll have a hard time seeing em.
And just wait until you've got a tank full of rock and corals,then have to go mantis hunting.

 

[supernatureal]

Yea mantis hunting sucks. I had to pull rock to get mine because he was killing inhabitates. Sorry sea cucumber and lawn mower blenny.