Best Live Rock????

[Guido]

I was just wondering what would be a good live rock to add to a 75g and about how many pounds would i need. (29g sump as well).

Also, i would like something with lots of colors (reds greens pinks purples blues anything like that, the more the better)

Also would need some crevices and holes for fish and inverts to hide.

[graphixx]

fiji or vanuatu is very pourous and has some nice colors. Marshall island also is nice. Tampa Bay Saltwater carries some very nice rock also teaming with life and very nice color. you can check out their site @ tampabaysaltwater.com

[graphixx]

Live Aquaria .com has some nice fiji rock that is like 90 bucks for 45 lbs. and that is some nice stuff.

[Guido]

Yes, i saw that fiji rock. Is it good stuff for corals (zoanthids and stuff like that)?

Also, is it good for filtration in my sump? If so ill get 90 pounds of it. 180 is much cheaper for 90 pounds then the 220 i was looking to spend on the alor live rock i believe it was.

Also, should i/can i get un-cured rock? My tank is not up or cycled yet so it would be put in during the cycle period. (Un-cured fiji from liveaquaria)

[jerryc]

Don't perches just for the color on the rock go for the shape you like. it
will eventual or mostly end up purple in the long run as purple
is dominate in most tanks

[Guido]

Well, as far as shape, I'm just looking for something that my zoanthids will be able to grow on, provide good filtration (in tank and in sump) and with holes and crevices for critters to hide or even make a home out of. If fiji has these characteristics, then I'll probably end up getting a box of that, maybe a box of something else just for some variety. (Besides, 90 for 45 pounds isn't a bad deal as far as other prices i've seen.)

[graphixx]

yes you want as much LR in your sump as you can it increases the surface that nitrobacter grows on and is excellent filtration. and like Jerry said you want the rock that appeals to your eye. most of the life that comes on those rocks are going to die off in the first year anyways.

[Guido]

OK. I was thinking of maybe a box of the tonga deepwater (large/show size), which is a 30lb box, and a box of the fiji which is a 45lb box.

Now my next question is, should i put about all of the LR mention above in my main tank and maybe buy another 20+ pounds for my refug?

Also, as far as substrate goes in my refug, i was looking into maybe buying some Kent Marine Biosediment. Do you think i should use this, or just stick with a good fine grain live sand?

[graphixx]

I would stick with just sand it will populate over time. when you set the tank up just seed the bed. I am sure I have mentioned this before. but if you know someone who has an allready extablished tank snag a cupfull of their sand and pour it into your tank this will introduce beneficial bacteria into the tank. The more cups you can score the better. You can even do base rock in your sump that is less money and will eventuall become overgrown with goodies. I did that in my 50 gallon I went 30 pounds live rock and 40pounds of base rock and you cannot tell which rock is which now.

[shovelhead91701]

Foster & Smith's has uncured Cariibean LR that is a good value if you want to take the time to cure it out......unlike me however DO NOT PUT IT IN YOUR DISPLAY TANK UNCURED!!!!