about live rock

[aaronfeeney]

Opinions on RF seem to be ...add live rock and wait weeks before adding anything else, then if you plan to add more live rock wait weeks again. But if a guy got already cured LR, fresh out of another reef system, and kept it wet all the way home , wouldn't the cycle of bacteria in the LR still be OK from the original owner. and essentially be ready to go? my tank is already in the cycling process from the rubble I threw in last week.

 

[lilfishie]

I'll tell you what I did. I set my tank up with fresh made saltwater. I got about 40 or so lbs of live rock from a 1000 gal tank that had been running for 10+ years. I took it home in buckets, no water, just wet rock, and put it in my tank. I checked every day for three weeks for an ammonia spike and NEVER got one. I added my black clowns at I think 5 weeks. I actually had snails and crabs in it from the day I got the rock. Never had any problems.
If the rock you get is from an established tank, it will have the good bacteria to keep the filtration going. You will need to feed that bacteria or it will die off and cause an ammonia spike. Add snails and crabs and feed them small pieces of mysis or table shrimp. That will help feed the bacteria. Check water parameters for a few weeks for a cycle and if you dont see any ammonia or nitrates I would go ahead and add a fish or two.

 

[lilfishie]

Oh and if you want to add a rock or two once in a while, its not going to cause a problem, unless it is a dead, uncured rock.

 

[aaronfeeney]

Now, This makes sense,,, thank you