once i put live rock in and my tank is cycled can i then start adding coral?

It's usually rock, paper, siccors

I disagree that smaller tanks are harder to take care of! If you are having a problem you can do a large percentage water easily. You change 8 Gallons and you have just done an 80 % water change. As long as salinity temp and ph are the same as the tank water this is not a problem. Topping off due to evaporation has NO effect on a tanks salinity level. Salt does not evaporate. Only water is evaporated out, NO minerals at all . What happens is salinity increases with evaporation, but it happens so slowly it does not affect fish at all. Also you can go to walmart and get a 5 gal bucket of Rodi water instead of having to buy an RODI filter for your house. If you do not do corals you do NOT need better lighting. Put the live rock in at the beginning. This will help cycle the tank faster! You will need a hang on the back filter, some live rock, A power head for water movement, salt and a hydrometer to measure the salt and a test kit. Follow my advice and you may be able to add a clown fish in as little as 4 weeks.

once you have proper lighting too. Live Rock will serve as a rock base for soft corals, thing like polyps and mushrooms often are already attached to a rock base that you will just sit on top of the LR...You can position the corals anywhere you like, in the sand or on top of the LR...there are lots of pictures of coral reef tanks if you need ideas. You have to have a lot more testing kits too..alkalinity, phosphates, lots of stuff..this link is a beginners guide to the coral reef

http://www.aquariumarts.com/beginningreef.html

http://www.thereeftank.com/totm/jan06/main.jpg

http://z.about.com/d/saltaquarium/1/7/B/8/lbrunner...

http://www.salofamily.com/troysarah/images/reeftan...

http://z.about.com/d/saltaquarium/1/0/9/T/paverys6...

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploads/bungle%20(19)....

http://www.practicallyeveryebook.com/sites/dlingle...

coral does not, there are a number of days for coral to adjust in your tank before you add fish, coral changes the PH levels so measure you acidly levels... dont add fish without keeping moderate look out for a few weeks

alright your missing a few steps.

1. after u put in the live rock, make sure it actually is alive.

2. i usualy put my fish in first before my coral just to make sure there isnt any poisons in the water, like if u drowned someone in that fishtank before hand.

3. i then cover the coral in cow fecies before putting them into the water. the protiens in it will help the coral grow.

4. just let the coral be and it'll grow big and strong.

good luck with your coral. hope your successful.

for your questions and more see the articals at www.drsfostersmith.com

Yes, it really should.

:D

It should. I didn't have any problems with mine. ^_^

pretty sure

i think so.