i want to add rock but i dont know what to do

[raggie]

I have a 55Gallon FLOWR right now and transfered everything to a new 95G. i want to add new rock but the 95G already had my fish from my 55, would be a bad idea to add uncured rock to that tank? i was thinking about drying out the new rock cleaning it and then adding it to the tank so there is no die off and rise in ammonia or anything it would just seed it fresh right?

[nikon187]

any un cured or dried rock will have to cycle. Even base rock needs to cycle. I would just fill up a rubbermaid with new rock, water, powerhead,heater and cure it there.

[Playa-1]

You need to cure the new rock in a remote container. Treat it as if your were cycling a new tank for the first time. Make sure you get an ammonia spike either from the rock or maybe a raw shrimp. Once the Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates are at 0 your rock is ready to add to the display. This could take from 2-8 weeks. Pre-cleaning the new rock will likely accelerate the process.

[kel2682]

+1 on the remote container to cure the rock I just cured about 25 pounds took like 3 weeks and I did a water change every 2 to 3 days and scrubbed the rock the first couple of changes.....
no lights
heater at like 80
and power head
youll be good to go

[chase01]

In agreement with the above posts- I just did the same with 25 lbs dry rock, although I let it cure for about a month and then added some live rock from my display, let that sit for a couple of weeks before moving the whole works to my display. Worked well with minimal stress on my livestock.

[amithi]

O:

[Everyones Hero]

You guys cycle dry/base rock?

What's the purpose in that? There are no organisms living on dry rock so there's not going to be an ammonia spike.

I added 40lbs of base rock to my tank that only had 25lbs of live rock. All I did was rinse it off to get the dust off & then added it to the tank. No ammonia, no mini-cycle, nothing.

[kevin2000]

Originally posted by Everyones Hero
You guys cycle dry/base rock?What's the purpose in that? There are no organisms living on dry rock so there's not going to be an ammonia spike.

I believe the initial post refers to purchasing uncured LR - then drying it out to make "base rock" to avoid ammonia issues. If so -curing the LR in a seperate container is a better solution since it will avoid ammonia issues and it doesn't make a lot of sense to buy expensive live rock just to convert it into inexpensive base rock. Just my 02.

[SWINGRRRR]

Originally posted by Everyones Hero
You guys cycle dry/base rock?

What's the purpose in that? There are no organisms living on dry rock so there's not going to be an ammonia spike.

I added 40lbs of base rock to my tank that only had 25lbs of live rock. All I did was rinse it off to get the dust off & then added it to the tank. No ammonia, no mini-cycle, nothing.

They may not be living but their dried dead bodies are in the rocks. When the bodies re-hydrate, then they start to break down, causing the ammonia.

[kevin2000]

Originally posted by SWINGRRRR
They may not be living but their dried dead bodies are in the rocks. When the bodies re-hydrate, then they start to break down, causing the ammonia.

For what its worth - I have used base rock for over 20 yrs in multiple tanks and have never/ever seen any indication that base rock contributes to ammonia issues.

[Everyones Hero]

Originally posted by kevin2000
I believe the initial post refers to purchasing uncured LR - then drying it out to make "base rock" to avoid ammonia issues. If so -curing the LR in a seperate container is a better solution since it will avoid ammonia issues and it doesn't make a lot of sense to buy expensive live rock just to convert it into inexpensive base rock. Just my 02.

Alright, I understand curing uncured live rock.

They may not be living but their dried dead bodies are in the rocks. When the bodies re-hydrate, then they start to break down, causing the ammonia.

I highly doubt that would happen. Everything on the rock would be dead & decomposed. All that would be left is carbon & other minerals. There would be nothing to break down/decompose to create ammonia.

[Shawno]

This is my 1st week and a 34 gallon red sea max.
second day i bought about 10 pounds of live rock for the tank. and found some dead coral/rock in the basement from a long time ago my Uncle went to Aruba on vacation and brought some back.
So i boiled the dead stuff for about 10 minutes and rinsed a second time. put the dead stuff around and on top of the live rock. i hope that wont EFF up my cycle? and is it ok that i did this also?? everyone else tells me its fine...

but hey i get to say that i actually have rock from Aruba. haha

[Everyones Hero]

It'll be fine. It's just rock, and coming from an area like Aruba I can't imagine it being contaminated with any chemicals it absorbed in the water.

[SEAFROG]

HI all
You should do what you think is right.I have always used a trash can to cure all my Rock. You just don't no whats inside the rock. it may be ok but then you never can tell, then it's to late. then you have a spike in you ammo. its up to you on how you cure the rock.

[kel2682]

Seafrog got any pics of your main tank and or your whole fish room???? Sounds like a good setup

[SWINGRRRR]

So, I catch a fish and throw him up on my deck. He dries out over a couple of weeks, months. I throw him back in some water, and theres no break down? I know we are talking a lot bigger scale, but an aquarium is not that big at all.
Why take chances?

[Playa-1]

It's better to be safe then sorry. If you cure the rock in a remote container then you don't have to worry about it. If you like living life in the fast lane and like drama in your life then just throw the rock in the DT and See what happens

[raggie]

man so much to do, i think im just going to leave my 55G running take my rock from there move it into the 95 and then throw the new 45LBS of rock into the 55 and let it run till it cures, ill leave my sand bed too to speed up the process ??

[kevin2000]

Originally posted by SWINGRRRR
So, I catch a fish and throw him up on my deck. He dries out over a couple of weeks, months. I throw him back in some water, and theres no break down? I know we are talking a lot bigger scale, but an aquarium is not that big at all.
Why take chances?

Interesting analogy ... but what happens to that same fish when it sits on the dock for a thousand yrs - which maybe a more appropriate analogy for std base rock.

The potential problem with std base rock (and LR for that matter) is what chemicals it has been exposed to rather than ammonia issues. Unfortuantely std methods of curing base rock aren't going to have a significant impact on the chemicals.