Coral To Live Rock?

[ACTNUP]

I need someone to clearify something for me what is the difference between coral and live rock? isent coral something that would grow off of live rock? Also could I use coral w/ live sand instead of live sand w/ live rock to cycle a new tank? -thank you!

[Randall_James]

Live Rock = rock with biological live on or in it (used for its nitrifying bacteria that can complete the nitrogen cycle and ultimately convert nitrates to nitrogen
Coral = Live biological animal no relation to live rock, but could attach and live on
Live sand = substrate with much of the same living bacterial life and or inverts you might find in or on live rock

The only way to use coral in your cycle is if you kill it, allow it to die or otherwise use it to provide dying, decaying matter to create ammonia.

You really do not need live sand, or live rock to cycle your tank. They do however provide substantial and IMO required surface area for beneficial bacteria to reside. Is it required? No.. if it was there would not be anything called a "Fish Only" tank.
However as has been discovered in this hobby, the addition of live rock and live sand play a critical role in maintaining corals and fish in a shared environment.

Using coral to cycle your tank is the same as taking $20 bills and holding a match to them.

[Sk8r]

Best is to start with at least live rock and bagged sand, or live sand if you can get it. Live rock doesn't look different from dead rock except that it has bacteria all over it and it comes from tanks in, say, your local reef shop, or shipped to you via the internet. It should arrive wet and stay wet. Get it into your tank, arrange it, and wait, while tossing in a pinch of fishfood a day to keep it going and give the bacteria encouragement to multiply.

Your sand should be 4 inches thick. Your water should be ro/di with 1/2 cup of salt water per gallon. This creates a salinity of 1.024, which is a good starting level.

You will at that point sit still for a couple of weeks while your tank cycles. There's plenty of reading material in the forum library (splash page) or in the posts that will save you mega-bucks if you take careful notes.

[ACTNUP]

thank you for the info! ok all my levels are right im just waiting for my PC lighting to come in the mail I'm hoping i will have this as of Tuesday! im going to go out and get a bag on live sand and a live rock as i planed... I am working on a 10g nano. so i was going to go say between 12-14lbs for the live rock!

But let me ask you this.... Once my tank has properly cycled would I be able to say cut the rock size in half so i have more room for other things and make a more attractive seascape or should I just leave it in there as is and just work around it.....tanks again guys!

[Scuba_Dave]

Live rock is basically OLD coral reef foundations
Coral is alive & growing
LR is dead, but has living organisms & bacteria growing in it/on it

12-14lbs should be good for your tank
I wouldn't decrease the amount

[goda]

heres what you do
1
ditch the small tank. they arnt the best thing for begginers since if a probblom happens it happens FAST!(i have a 12 gallon tank and was in the hospital for 5 days. came home to find that my shrimp died and killed everything in the tank. if i had the shrimp in my 130 it wouldent of died and even if it did it wouldent of hurt anything else)
so start with a 55 gallon tank or atleast a 20 or 30 youll be happier in the end
2 pick up some books like the reefaquarium volum one or three and start reading ( alot of questions youll likely have are awnsered in the book and it gives you some nice ideas)

[Sk8r]

You can break up the rock. .Just take a hammer and hit it. The raw surfaces will be exactly that, mostly raw, so they may grow algae more readily than some, but just try to have your aged sides up where possible. Try to arrange it so that there are pass-throughs and spaces where the current can move.