Okay, we decided not to do coral for the moment. But...

jdecorse25

We still need help on what we should put in the tank with the Lionfish. We are going to get some live rock before adding any new fish and shopping around for some. I live at the beach. Shold I just go and get some from the beach, or would that not be a good idea? I do like the look of the Fiji rock though.

I also have a question in regards to my skimmer. We hooked it up yesterday, and everything is whirling, but how do I know if it's working properly? There's foam going up to the top but nothing going into the collection cup. Also it's kind of making the water cloudy where it's re-entering the tank. Is that normal?

bettababy

What kind of skimmer are you using? (make/model/hang on?)
Is there a sump system? How big is the tank?
I would not suggest using rock picked up from the beach. You would be risking contamination of many sorts. Pollution levels would then be added to your tank, and can be difficult to impossible to fix later. The best rock to get is from a store, cured, and not full of algae or aptaisa. Fiji and Marshall Island rock tend to be the better in quality.

caferacermike

The rock from Virginia is terrestrial based, meaning not at all what live rock is. Live rock is from the source of our tropical salt environments. it is primarily calcium and made up of everything good about where your fish and corals tend to come from. Unlike the rock found in VA, typically granite, it is light and porous.

Chances are your skimmer is working properly. It can take a few days to show any skimmate. You probably won't fill the cup but every 3-4 days.

jdecorse25

Thanks a lot guys, I thought that about the rock right after I posted. The polution would be the biggest thing wrong with going to the beach and gathering rock.

caferacermike

No the biggest problem with getting your rock locally is you do not live in a reef area. Your rock, being terrestrial, is actually broken granite, shale and quartz. That rock is rock that has been eroded away by the ocean and has fallen in. It is NOTHING like the rock we buy from the LFS as live rock. It is smooth and heavy, not porous and light. Also your area is probably considered a cold water area unlike the sub tropical areas that live rock comes from, meaning that any sort of hitch hiking fauna will die unless a chiller is used on the tank to keep it below 76F.

Once the proper rock is found, pollution is a serious consideration.

I hope that helps you to understand liverock a little more and why it is important to buy the right rock for the purpose.