MatthewJ
Member
I've got a new tank...free no less:bouncer:
It's a RSM Max and included ~30lbs live rock, 4 snails and 2 clown fish.
I thought this would be a good chance to create a reef tank on the "cheap".
It's setup and still cycling. I'm beginning to think I might have to spend some serious dough though.
I bought replacement lights and a replacement powerhead and miscellaneous supplies including a digital thermometer and refractometer: $200. So far, not too bad. But I don't have anything fun yet either.
For testing:
I have some kind of Red Sea kit that includes everything but phosphates. Is this kit above good enough? Is there a particular brand that is recommended or to be avoided? I can just buy the phosphates test.
The live rock already has algae, at least some of it hair algae. This is why my brother gave me the tank in the first place. I originally started the tank using city water, now I'm using RO water from WalMart. I really have two questions:
1) Can live rock "die"...i.e. stop being useful as live rock?
2) Can I ever expect success using the Walmart RO water? Should I just bite the bullet and buy a RO system? Can anyone recommend a good value RO solution?
It's a RSM Max and included ~30lbs live rock, 4 snails and 2 clown fish.
I thought this would be a good chance to create a reef tank on the "cheap".
It's setup and still cycling. I'm beginning to think I might have to spend some serious dough though.
I bought replacement lights and a replacement powerhead and miscellaneous supplies including a digital thermometer and refractometer: $200. So far, not too bad. But I don't have anything fun yet either.
For testing:
I have some kind of Red Sea kit that includes everything but phosphates. Is this kit above good enough? Is there a particular brand that is recommended or to be avoided? I can just buy the phosphates test.
The live rock already has algae, at least some of it hair algae. This is why my brother gave me the tank in the first place. I originally started the tank using city water, now I'm using RO water from WalMart. I really have two questions:
1) Can live rock "die"...i.e. stop being useful as live rock?
2) Can I ever expect success using the Walmart RO water? Should I just bite the bullet and buy a RO system? Can anyone recommend a good value RO solution?