"Neil K" wrote in message
om...
I have currently got a new marine tank setup going and its in the
first few days of infancy.

I have a RIO 125 tank with a Fluval 204 external filter, marine-glo
and aqua-glo lighting. There is about 1" of crushed coral sand as
substrate too

The Aqua-Glo is a fresh water lamp. You should get the Power-Glo lamp as
your white lamp. Not a big deal but the Aqua-Glo will promote algae growth
more that the Power-Glo.


I would like advice on when or if to put live rock into the tank and
whether or not to use it to aid the cycle of the tank.

As soon as the water is in. The live rock will cycle the tank. The live
rock basically contains all the bacteria needed to complete the cycle. All
you will need is a little waste to start the cycle going. Some people use
hardy fish such as damsels, some consider this cruel, while others use a
dead shrimp that is basically left to rot in the tank to give the bacteria
plenty of organic material to eat. I added the rock and started feeding my
"imaginary" fish and it cycled just fine.


If live rock is a good idea how soon should I put it into the tank and
how much should I get?

Usually 1 to 1.5 pounds per gallon. Of course it depends on the quality of
the rock.


Thanks in advance



Good luck,

Robert