Live Rock and Nano Tanks

[Ticeman]

I'm looking into getting a jbj 12 gallon nano and was wandering about what live rock is best. Are there any tips on how to choose LR for nanos?
What should I look for when picking it out. I have noticed that some pieces have algae and other critters growing off them. I understand that LR is living but what makes a great piece and what makes a bad piece.

Any advise and pictures would be great.

Thanks,

Tice

 

[brandon4291]

Hello Ticeman, and Welcome to Reefs dot Org!

I like to look for this in LR choices:

1. Porosity. I don't like the large limestone blocks and other rocks sometimes sold as LR or baserock. It will eventually colonize with living organisms once its in a thriving reef tank, but for Nano purposes we are usually looking for biological filtration and so I look for nice fiji or tonga rock having lots of pores and holes, and relatively light weight per unit indicating a porous internal structure as well. Usually any LR that is taken naturally works just fine. I can't say there is a measurable scientific difference between my preferences and using any other rock, but I just like my way and have had great results.

2. Hitchikers. I actually like very few hitchikers on my rocks. Lots of sponges, hydroid colonies, unidentified corals etc have uncertain lifespans in nano tanks (pico tanks!), so I figure the less die-off the better. I like porous, coralline-covered rocks so I don't have to wait as long for my aquascape to purple up. Now if someone gave me some $14/lb LIVE LR I would definately use it!! I have seen in time though that LR biodiversity decreases in a nano, but also gets very specific in supporting certain kinds of LR growth such as specific hydroid colonies, certain sabellids (fanworms etc). The diversity of LR life seems to decline in our nanos, but that's not to say that life in general will decline over time. In my reefbowl, LR supports many kinds of sabellids and hydroids but not many kinds of sponges...thats just my system.

3. Algae. None of any kind ever! I feel it is very dangerous to import whole algal colonies into our small reefs. yes there are ubiquitous spores everywhere that will seed in the right nutrient conditions, but a fully-formed organism has the best chance of thriving and reproducing so I say don't buy any pieces that have green, brown or red algae attached to them. Pulling it off doens't help either, small particles are left behind. Go for rock that has no filamentous algae if you can.

4. White spots. Various organisms could be dead or decaying. They can be removed with a toothbrush if they are small and on a piece you just have to have...


Can you guys think of anything else?

 

[Anonymous]

Well, B, I think you said more of what you *don't* like I've had great success with encrusting sponges. When they survive the trip, they really take off and grow. I certainly agree with everything else you said.

I'm a recent convert to live rock from www.harboraquatics.com
There rock is a bit pricey compared to other MO companies, but probably less than your LFS even after shipping. You should at least check out their web page to see why their rock is so good. It's worth the money. The owners will get you pieces specific to your tank as well, tell them you have a 12 gallon and they pick smaller pieces.

Personally, I can't find great looking LR at my LFS. It's always transhipped, brown looking JUNK that sat in a dry box for a couple days before being put in salt water...and this is at the best LFS.

 

[brandon4291]

I have seen a nano cube at my LFS and at least 10 other local nanos who do keep sponges, larger sabellids and other hitchikers such as various mussels/unidentified clams etc. These were keepers taking time to dose their reef frequently with calcium, alk and various food supplements. They almost all used skimming or heavier export in one manner or another, allowing them to feed fish nicely and fill up the water with suspended foods.

Thinking in terms of smaller nano systems, they are restricted on bioload, feeding, suspended particulate matter and all the nice factors that keep trickier organisms going. In more conventional nanos (5-10-15g) there is more sustenance in the form of increased feeding/waste/suspended compounds, there is also predictably more microfaunal activity which could increase plankton levels in the system and also contribute to the well-being of sponges, mussels, fanworms and the like. I think that is the major reason I don't have success with the aforementioned creatures but many others do just fine.

 

[Ticeman]

Thanks for the great responses. It is obvious you both know a great deal about reef tanks. Do you have any pictures with your arrangement of LR?

Thanks again,

Tice

 

[brandon4291]

Matt I once purchased a piece of very expensive LR, a show piece encrusted with bright, yellow creeping mat sponge. Grew like spider veins and seemed to prefer nonlit areas>have no idea what it is, or what it would primarily feed on. That always declines in my nanos even though I would like to keep it-have any success with this? I suspect again that a larger, more diversely fed system would better suit it.

B

 

[brandon4291]

Here's one of my preferred scaping types, a big wall across the back that few people currently like. I try to account for this in current and make sure water flows through, but I just like it. Makes the tank look bigger and completes the illusion--this reef will fit in the palm of your hand when full, its 8 inches long:

 

[brandon4291]

One reason our Nano forum prevails is the checks and balances a multitude of opinions can provide--when I was new here I thought people on RDO were direct, knowledgable and to the point. Given the range of sobriety and tact among people posting from all parts of the globe, I'd say our nano forum has the best evoloving nano reef science out there with some friendly people on board. I think it is a tweak moment to pick up a professional reef magazine at Barnes and Noble and see articles by people I was just talking to yesterday 8)

You'd be suprised, its not uncommon that a very well-known reef authority will chime in on a debate, and many of them at least look at the Nano forum I know for sure. have seen them link to threads in our forum from other posts...for the most part, I think its best to be involved with new science, nano reefing is definately new at least on the scale of mass-manufactured parts for them that allow many to experiment and post results.

B

 

[Anonymous]

B,
I actually have a yellow sponge just like that in my 12g. I moved it from the large university tank, where it was growing in the overflow box. From that location, I know that it thrives in high flow and low light, so I stuck it in the back compartment. Not sure how it will do. There are some white-grey sponges that came in on the LR that send up rods with branches. One looked like a small embryonic human hand (for lack of a better descriptor) at first and has grown about a half inch in the last month.

I also have a lot of red sponges in my 6 gallon, and I recently discovered a couple small green-blue clams. If I didn't know better I'd say they were baby green-lipped mussels (see here for a pic http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/ ... iridis.htm ), they're that colorful. They are tucked away in dark crevices so are definitely non photosynthetic.

 

[bdelaney]

Matt and Brandon have some great advice so far. Hitchhikers are bad. I look for rock that is encrusted with lots of corraline algae and relatively devoid of other kinds of algae, although a small piece of macro can be nice. Scrub the rock down before you add it to your nano, and preferably cycle it in a larger tank if you have one available.

As for sizes and shapes, the nano cube is well suited to a large/tall centerpiece rock with various smaller rubble sized pieces placed around or on top of it. It gives a nice patch reef effect with some room for corals and fish later. It also allows for good water flow around the reef from right to left. A thin layer of aragonite sand on the bottom makes it look even better.

 

[Anonymous]

I see no reason to scrub the rock off IF it's good quality rock. You'll just be scraping off or killing all sorts of little unseen pods, spores, sponges, snail eggs, etc. Picking off obviously dead pieces of macroalgae or other things is all I would do.