[MGS]

I need some help. I already have a sucessful 125 Reef going so I'm planning on putting fish in my 170. I thought I was going to put in some Live Rock too but, I was talking to Stu (LFS Guy) my fish Guru yesterday and he "strongly" advised me against using Live Rock in the 170 if I was going to put a lot of fish in it. He said that several people he knows and himself have lost whole tanks of fish due to LR. He says he doesn't know why, but when you use medications for sick fish (I think I have read something about this online) they react with the live rock and create some kind of poison and it kills all the fish. He also said that the LR will continue poisioning fish you put in later.
Should I forego the LR and go with some of the new, nice looking moulded "plastic" LR looking stuff that's in the stores today?

[tendar]

Originally Posted by MGS

I need some help. I already have a sucessful 125 Reef going so I'm planning on putting fish in my 170. I thought I was going to put in some Live Rock too but, I was talking to Stu (LFS Guy) my fish Guru yesterday and he "strongly" advised me against using Live Rock in the 170 if I was going to put a lot of fish in it. He said that several people he knows and himself have lost whole tanks of fish due to LR. He says he doesn't know why, but when you use medications for sick fish (I think I have read something about this online) they react with the live rock and create some kind of poison and it kills all the fish. He also said that the LR will continue poisioning fish you put in later.
Should I forego the LR and go with some of the new, nice looking moulded "plastic" LR looking stuff that's in the stores today?

Genarlly it is best to remove sick fish to a quarentine tank for medication anyways.
Some medications are bad on the live rock in that it kills alot of stuff on it and stuff like cooper will stick to everything including live rock.

Over all live rock is much better and healthier for a tank FO or reef and better processer of wastes.

[Reefland]

Here's another vote for USING live rock. The live rock is a major source of your biological filtration and should be included. During the unfortunate event of treating a sick fish, it should be moved to quaratine as tendar mentioned and treated appropriately as some medications can cause problems with live rock.

[almostdiva]

MGS,

I'm w Reefland and Tendar -- USE the live rock. You'll have better/more stable filtration, your fish can graze off the rock if you miss a feeding. It looks nicer than the fake stuff.

Sick fish should to be quarantined as previously mentioned.

You'll have a nicer looking more stable/healthy tank if you use the rock!



Rebecca

[DEE]

I agree with all that have posted. I have a reef tank, a fish only w/ live rock, and a seahorse tank I wouldn't think of not using live rock it just makes maintance and upkeep easier. You won't regret it.

~DEE~