lr is not lookin to live

[[17]shawn[17]]

k so I got 20lbs of lr about 3 days ago from my lfs and put it in my 20 gal and then added 15 lbs of sand in the past 3 days I have been watching the water getting clearer and clearer I can now see the lr perfectly, threes some pink stuff I don’t know what its called but I haven’t see ne hitchhikers or little critters is this normal? Also im still working on the lighting situation do I need any special lighting when I just have my lr and sand in the tank?

[jbrunken]

You'll be amazed at how fast it can "come to life". I've only had my tank up for about a month and a lot of the (formerly white/brown) base rock is now green with white & purple spots.

I'm still finding new hitchhikers so it may take you a while to find them, but I bet they are there!

-JB

[smy168]

patience when it comes to liverock, are you skimming? there will be die-off that can foul your water parameters and kill off any living things in the rock. lighting would be good but doesn't need to be intense when you're cycling but you do need ALOT of water flow during a cycle so make sure you have direct water movement going towards the rockwork.

good luck

[[17]shawn[17]]

should i be doing regular waterchanges during the cycle is so how often

[demonboy279]

my tank didnt show any hitchhikers for a while. my cycle was complete before i found any.
i just had 2 flourescents on mine during the cycle and i didnt have ALOT of flow. i just had a HOB filter. you should do water changes when the ammonia gets to either .5 or .25 someone else will have to make sure im right on that.
^^
if you do water changes your tank will still cycle and it wont get to dangerous which will keep alot of the life alive.