this might be a real newbie live rock question...

[dave601m]

I am very slowly beginning the conversion of my FO tank to a FO or FOWLR which is set up more like a reef tank, because i've had some really bad nitrate problems in the past, and hope to get rid of them.


Previously I had a magnum 350 w/ two biowheels filtering it. nitrate city. I have since ditched the magnum and added a cpr overflow, 10 gal sump w/ ASM G-3 skimmer, and a 10gal tank full of chaeto. i also removed all my old coarse crushed coral and replaced it with a shallow oolitic bed. skimmer is still breaking in, but i think it'll rock when it's done and fitted w/ the recirc mod.

now that things have stabilized out again, and i am debating my next move, which may be live rock, but i am still trying to find out the overall purpose of the live rock is. I was told a while back to ditch the biowheels and convert to live rock, though i thought the point of the two systems was exactly the same... convert ammonia to nitrite to nitrate. why would live rock be more beneficial than the biowheels? It seems to me that if both break down any ammonia in the tank into nitrate, then my final nitrate level is independant of which of those i use. additionally, it seems as though the live rock would be more of a detritus trap than the biowheels, which don't retain any waste on them. i'm still having a tough time understanding exactly the role the live rock plays and why it is necessary. can anyone clarify this for me?

 

[Moe_K]

You're correct, the roles are similar: conversion of ammonia to nitrite, and then nitrite to nitrate. The final conversion of nitrate to nitrogen gas takes place in areas without oxygen - like a deep sand bed, or maybe recessed pockets of LR.
You're never going to get anaerobic areas on a biowheel.

Live rock also provides structure to your reef, and is visually appealing. The corals can be secured to LR, and your fish can hide in the LR. None of those benefits can be obtained from biowheels.

 

[JBendel]

Try this link

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rs/feature/index.php

 

[~Flighty~]

Also, don't discount the effects of all of the critters that come with and live in the live rock. The tiny filter feeders, sponges, worms, pods etc etc.

 

[Moe_K]

Good point!

 

[dave601m]

Ah, i didn't realize live rock would be a good source of anaerobic bacteria, thought i needed a deep bed for that. i think i'm still trying to weigh the pro's and cons before i decide to go buy 100 pounds of rock... If it was a reef, i would defnintely go live rock for the aquascaping and locating of corals, though I'll never be keeping any corals in this tank thanks to the puffers.
Cindy, you have a good point too, though most of that sounds like puffer food

Any thoughts to what makes a better nitrate reducer, chaeto or live rock? And final questions... fuge is barebottom, has some chaeto, glass shrimp (puffer food), pods, mysis, a few tiny stars, snails and hermits. what else should i toss in here to keep it healthy and clean and whatnot?thanks alot for all your help!

 

[Moe_K]

i'd just go with "dead" rock if i were you.
it'll become "live" soon enough, and is much cheaper.

 

[dave601m]

Thanks Moe, I actually have small amounts of rock in there already which by now are live i'm sure, but if i do stock up with lots of dead rock, do you recommend buying some live rock to seed it and add some diversity then, or should i jsut wait and let whatever bacteria i have spread without adding any new/different organisms. tank already has some pods and stuff, no worms though which i wouldn't mind having, provided puffers don't have their way with them. thanks again for the advice!