Can I add LR yet?

[jimrawr]

I filled my tank yesterday with 20 gallons, and added another 8 gallons today. Salt was mixed in yesterday afternoon and then again today with the new 8 gallons. I have one seio m620 and a remora skimmer. My Sunpod should be arriving in the mail in a few days, but I have the 20w flouresent lighting that came with the tank.

Am I ready to add the live rock, or should i wait a few days? Salinity is reading 1.024 with refractometer.

[drummereef]

Sounds like a good time to start adding your rock. Make sure you have a heater in there and the tank temp is stable around 80 F.

[BurntOutReefer]

IMO....rock away.....

[jimrawr]

Yeah sorry I forgot that. I have a heater and temp is @ 77. Should I raise it to about 80? is that better for the rock? Also I should add its cured LR from another persons well established tank

[rustybucket145]

What are you waitin on?? Get some rock in that bad boy!! Temp at 77 is acceptable for any reef. Most shoot for a range of 75-82 of course 79 is usually the target but in that range (and a little out of it) you are good to go!!

[rustybucket145]

Also if you're getting some rock from them try to get a scoop of sand from them to add to your sand. It will help seed your sandbed with the microfuana that is so important in keeping our tanks stable and healthy.

[jimrawr]

Will I really need the live sand? I will have 40-50 lbs of established LR which will seed the argonite I bought wont it? Or would it definantly be better to get a cup of sand also?

[webbstock]

The rock will "seed" any sand that you add thus making it live sand. IMO live sand a a waste of money when you buy it from the store. The best option is to add your sand a live rock, let it cycle and then you are good to go. If you want, find a local reefer to give you a cup or two of their sand, which will also spike your sand.

[webbstock]

Oops, I forgot 2 things. 1) if you get sand from someone or a LFS make sure that they aren't using copper or other chemicals in the tank and 2)After re-reading the post, I agree with rustybucket that the sand will help, but make sure that the tank it comes from is stable and healthy

[jimrawr]

well its the same place the LR is coming from, so if one is contaminated wouldnt the other be also?

[rustybucket145]

yup, mainly just make sure that they haven't used copper medication in the tank before and that they don't have any major problems. If it's an established reef tank that pretty much answers the copper question. As for the hitchikers all you can do is ask and look. But don't go killing everything that may happen to crawl out of the rock. Most of the critters are beneficial to your system.

[jimrawr]

Also how much would I need? 1/2 a cup ok?