Opinions Please

I have a 55 gallon tank that I am about to set up with a wet/dry bio ball sump setup. I have about 50 lbs of dry base rock, 40 pounds of dry sand and 20 pounds of live sand. Do you think I should add about 10 lbs of live rock to seed the dry base rock or let the bacteria from the live sand do its thing?

 

If the live sand is from a bag it really isn't that beneficial. If the sand is from an established tank it is good. Getting 5 to 10lbs of live rock is a good way to start the cycle. No need to use the bio balls with the rack and sand you have.

 

So in your opinion I should take the bio ball out the sump for the trickle affect?

 

With the live sand, you will get nitrifying bacteria which is very important. However, you won't get any obligate anaerobes. There are numerous ways of obtaining these but live rock is one of the easiest ways.

 

Ditch the bioballs and seed your base rock with a few pounds of live rock.

 

Should I place the dead rock where the bio balls are located and place the live rock in the tank, or place the live rock where the bio balls are located?

 

I think there's entirely too much violence in the world. I suspect this is due to our 24 hour news cycle that glorifies war and violence - the old adage "if it bleeds it leads" needs to be reexamined.

Taxes suck. I realize they're a necessary evil, and mostly go towards the great good and altruistic goals of our society, but I should have more say in what areas of public government my tax dollars go towards. I imagine if there were boxes on our tax forms that gave up the option to designate where our money is spent we'd have more towards education, health care, and environmental concerns and less towards corporate bailouts, farm subsidies, and empire building. I think we'd still have a strong defensive military budget, but would have less money to spend on offensive programs.

People should be required to get a license to reproduce. If I had to pass a test to drive a car or carry a concealed firearm I think people should have to prove their ability to competently raise their kids. I don't care about how much money you make, more like not drinking.smoking while pregnant, how to change diapers, what to feed kids at differnt ages, etc... i.e. True or False, it's sometimes acceptable to hit your baby if it wont stop crying. You know how many people would fail that question? And they're allowed to have kids?

All drugs should be legalized. I'm not saying everyone should abuse, or even use, drugs, I'm just saying that as a consenting adult it's my right to do whatever i please to myself. I can drink a beer, smoke a cigarette, and ingest all manner of herbal supplements and chemicals for dieting, weight gain, etc... but I can't eliminate my stupid ass from the gene pool with an OD of heroin? Sure, things would be pretty bad for a while as massive parts of our population died from over doses, but think of all the money we'd save on prisons...

Kids should spend less time in school and more time in their communities developing social skills and working towards making a better community for themselves, their families, and the next generation. Schools today are essentially prisons, very little education happens. Most of what I learned between grades 5 and 12 were how to cheat on tests, avoid getting caught, etc. The actual academics could fit into 2-3 hours a day, 3 days a week. Parents should tutor their kids at home in addition to their out-of-home schooling.

Religion is the opiate of the masses. Worship how and where you want, just don't tell me one religion is superior to another. I'm not going to convert, no matter how many doom and gloom pamphlets you illegally stuff in my mailbox or toss into my driveway in a little baggies of gravel. I have to admit tho, some of the artwork on religion pamphlets is quite good.

Regan closing the state mental hospitals was a mistake. It put peaceful and good people on the streets where they were corrupted. Half of them are in and out of prisons now which costs more. the Baker act has saved people I know, only to have them released for lack of a long term option for their care, and they wind up dead or in bigger legal trouble. Mental illness is a problem our society needs to address.

People who give money to panhandlers on street corners aren't helping anyone, expecially not the pan handlers. There ARE social, community, and church organizations out there to feed, clothe, and council the homeless and indigent. When you give them money they're using it for drugs, prostitutes, etc. The basics are provided for them elsewhere. All you'e doing by giving them money is reinforcing their determination to harrass others for money. If you want to help the homeless donate to a local shelter, or the United Way, or volunteer at a "soup kitchen" or something... don't encourage begging.

Dogs are better than cats... but just barely.


... I have more opinions if you want them.

-Doug

 

This is all good information from a social standpoint lol, but I was looking for more of an opinion on whether I should put the base rock where the bio balls are located.

 

I see.

My opinion on that is we often obsess over balls, and rocks. I am not in favor of putting rocks where balls go, nor of putting balls where rocks should be.

 

you can put some small live rock rumble pieces down there, or put some chaeto or mangroves in there with a light above to grow. you'll have to get rid of the drip tray and cover the drain line hose goes through, and install a sock there. or put nothing in there., either way lose your balls.