Got my live rock

[hardparts2]

I got my live rock today 60 lbs of Caribbean looks like abit for my 55g. I got alot of feather dusters, mushrooms,tinyworms,coraline. It smelt fine so I didnt scrub it alot just the black spots and soft white spots and then dunked it in salt water and shook it good and put it in the tank.The skimmer is going nuts there is so many bubbles in the collection cup I cant see the riser tube in there but not alot of water.I think its dry skimmate not super dark though. I cant really deside how I want them placed yet one of the rocks is 18 inch long 12 inch high and 9inch thick with 2 big caves in it also got anther good sized one with 2 more big caves and alot of 6 to 8 inch chunks. Later on tonight I will post some pics and I am open to suggestions.If yous want to help?I hope buy not scrubing the heck out of it I messed up.I really want to try to keep the hitchhikers alive. I would also like to thank everyone that has helped me get started.

Thanks ever so much Bob

[mg426]

Just keep a close eye on your levels during your cycle. Dont get in a hurry, be patient all things should work out. 60 lbs is not to much.

[AngeloM3]

Just decide what kind of tank you want. FOWLR (Fish Only With Live Rock)... if so then you want to make caves and hiding places for the fish. Or a reef tank.... then you will have to make ledges and little crevases so the corals, anemones ect.. can find a good place to root itself. Also so places for the fish if your gonna have any.

The scrubbing wont have any affect.
Nothing that you did would kill any hitchhikers.
The skimmer will break in after a couple of weeks.

As a semi-newbie.... TAKE IT SLOW AND BE PATIENT
Research, research, research... so you choise good tank-mates.
And I hope you got a full test kit... for about a month you want to test pH, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite about once a week. Once everything is 0 then make sure your alkalinity, phosphate and calcium is at good levels.

Sounds like your on the way to a new hobby :)

[hardparts2]

Here are some pics there not that good.http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=157674

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=157679

[Alaskan Reefer]

Wow, can I have those please? Nice looking rock... Just be patient now for a while and watch the tank grow. Let it cycle, then let it go for a while longer just so your pods and anything else in / on the rock can get a foothold before you start messing things up with fish and food. :)

Congrats on some good looking stuff...