Live Rock

[Deash7]

hello i do not have any live rock in my first saltwater tank(29g), is there a realistic looking way for my tank to look without live rock or should i just suck it up and spend the money for it, but id love suggestions to my tank, i have a limited income, also im going to be getting a lionfish will it eat the arrow crab that i so must desperatly want.

thanks for the suggestions ahead of time.

[chrisfont23]

A 29 gallon is about 90 gallons too small for a lionfish, IMO. You should be looking at damsels, chromis, clowns, blennies and other small fish. Also, this is a tough hobby to succeed at with limited income. I would do some research and decide if it is right for you. IMO, minimal investment is $1000. Easy.

[twisted]

i dont say this to be rude so please take this as just blunt and honest. salt tanks are not cheap and you really should have live rock in there if you are keeping anything other than aggressive destructive fish. if you want to have a cheap tank, stick with fresh water.if you want to do it right, get some dry rock so you save around 5 buks a pound.and a few ieces of good live rock. most importantly, before you take a step further into stocking your tank, read the stickies and spend some time to learn about what you are getting into...we're hear to help you along your way

[leebca]

Live rock is optional. It always has been. For 40 years the hobby never used live rock at all.

The thing to provide is adequate biological filtration, proper maintenance and filtration, and sufficient surface area (like by dead rock or decorations) to support bacteria.