Prices for live rock???

[bioreef84]

I just started my first saltwater tank and I intend to put soft coral and fish in this 55 gallon tank. I'm wondering how much live rock I should put in the tank and how much it will cost me.

[Original Fin]

1 to 1.5 lbs per gallon is typical. LFS prices typically run between $5-$7/lb in my area. You can order online too, prices are similar after shipping costs. You'll need about the same amount in aragonite type sand as well. You want enough to cover the bottom approx 4". Arragonite sand is what most use now'adays in reef systems. It does not all need to be live sand to start, the bulk of it can be dry, with just a cupfull of live sand from an established tank. Most LFS can get you a starter culture to seed the rest of the sand. They may try to sell you the bags of all live sand, usually at anywhere from $20-$50 a pop, and you would need quite a few of them...don't go there...now you know better

Other options for getting deals on rock: Craigslist...people are in and out of this hobby all the time, there are a lot of good deals to be had on used equipment and live rock. Just be sure to get a good tank history before you jump too quick. If the rock was ever exposed to copper (a common ingredient in fish pharmaceuticals), it cannot be used in a reef system. Even trace amounts of copper will kill Invertabrates (including corals). Stay away from any rock that smells bad. That means that alot of the little critters inside have died off, and it will need to be "cured" for up to several months in saltwater before you can use it with livestock in a tank. Good live rock will just smell like a clean beach.
You can also make your own live rock for pennies on the dollar, it just takes a while before you can use it. I wouldn't reccomend it for your first reef, but down the road, it might make sense for you. Just Google "arragocrete", or do a search on Youtube for DIY liverock.

Your two most important equipment purchases are lighting, and a quality protein skimmer, so first thing you need to decide, is will you be using a sump? If not (and I urge you to reconsider) you'll be looking for a HOB (hang on the back) style skimmer. If you do a sump, you can get a much better in-sump style skimmer, and be able to hide it inside the stand. Go with one that is rated for 2x your tank volume if you can.

BTW, this is the best time to add a sump to your system, and you're going to want one eventually...trust me. It's not impossible to add one down the road, but it's a real PITA once your display tank is full and established. Putting a sump in the narrow footprint of a 55 stand is a trick. I never found an off the shelf product that would fit mine, so you'll probably need to DIY or hire someone to custom size one for your application. Just make sure you don't get a wet/dry sump...those have no place in reef systems. Look into putting a refugium in the sump too...a lot of us use them to grow macroalgae, which is a great natural way to stabilize PH, and export nutrients that would otherwise cause nuisance algae to grow in your display tank.

Sorry for the essay...these are just a few of the things I wish I took more time to research before jumping headfirst into this hobby. I saw a $200 all in one 55g package at the pet store one day, and I thought "That's not too bad", and I went for it. 6 months later, and I'm into it for at least 10X that amount, so don't be deceived as I was...this is not an inexpensive hobby. Another thing you should know upfront, there is no instant gratification. Everything good happens slowly, only bad things happen quickly. Expect to be a rock keeper for the first couple months. Then you can add a clean up crew (snails, hermit crabs), then fish, one at a time, then much later on, beginner corals. Spending all that money just gets you to door. To be successful, you'll need heaps of patience, constant research, and lots of planning.
Hope to see you around! When you get set up, we love pics!

[Parrothead]

1 to 1.5 lbs per gallon is typical. LFS prices typically run between $5-$7/lb in my area. You can order online too, prices are similar after shipping costs. You'll need about the same amount in aragonite type sand as well. You want enough to cover the bottom approx 4". Arragonite sand is what most use now'adays in reef systems. It does not all need to be live sand to start, the bulk of it can be dry, with just a cupfull of live sand from an established tank. Most LFS can get you a starter culture to seed the rest of the sand. They may try to sell you the bags of all live sand, usually at anywhere from $20-$50 a pop, and you would need quite a few of them...don't go there...now you know better

Other options for getting deals on rock: Craigslist...people are in and out of this hobby all the time, there are a lot of good deals to be had on used equipment and live rock. Just be sure to get a good tank history before you jump too quick. If the rock was ever exposed to copper (a common ingredient in fish pharmaceuticals), it cannot be used in a reef system. Even trace amounts of copper will kill Invertabrates (including corals). Stay away from any rock that smells bad. That means that alot of the little critters inside have died off, and it will need to be "cured" for up to several months in saltwater before you can use it with livestock in a tank. Good live rock will just smell like a clean beach.
You can also make your own live rock for pennies on the dollar, it just takes a while before you can use it. I wouldn't reccomend it for your first reef, but down the road, it might make sense for you. Just Google "arragocrete", or do a search on Youtube for DIY liverock.

Your two most important equipment purchases are lighting, and a quality protein skimmer, so first thing you need to decide, is will you be using a sump? If not (and I urge you to reconsider) you'll be looking for a HOB (hang on the back) style skimmer. If you do a sump, you can get a much better in-sump style skimmer, and be able to hide it inside the stand. Go with one that is rated for 2x your tank volume if you can.

BTW, this is the best time to add a sump to your system, and you're going to want one eventually...trust me. It's not impossible to add one down the road, but it's a real PITA once your display tank is full and established. Putting a sump in the narrow footprint of a 55 stand is a trick. I never found an off the shelf product that would fit mine, so you'll probably need to DIY or hire someone to custom size one for your application. Just make sure you don't get a wet/dry sump...those have no place in reef systems. Look into putting a refugium in the sump too...a lot of us use them to grow macroalgae, which is a great natural way to stabilize PH, and export nutrients that would otherwise cause nuisance algae to grow in your display tank.

Sorry for the essay...these are just a few of the things I wish I took more time to research before jumping headfirst into this hobby. I saw a $200 all in one 55g package at the pet store one day, and I thought "That's not too bad", and I went for it. 6 months later, and I'm into it for at least 10X that amount, so don't be deceived as I was...this is not an inexpensive hobby. Another thing you should know upfront, there is no instant gratification. Everything good happens slowly, only bad things happen quickly. Expect to be a rock keeper for the first couple months. Then you can add a clean up crew (snails, hermit crabs), then fish, one at a time, then much later on, beginner corals. Spending all that money just gets you to door. To be successful, you'll need heaps of patience, constant research, and lots of planning.
Hope to see you around! When you get set up, we love pics!

Just adding to the excellent advice given above, if you decide not to do a sump, from experience again reconsider, but if you don't look at the aquaC remora pro with the mag 3 pump, it is an excellent hang on the back skimmer