Adding live rock- already matured tank

yakfishin · 10/03/2007, 07:48 AM

I have a 215G that has been setup for about 10 months now. I have a place in my tank where I wanted to add a taller piece of live rock to fill in a gap that I have never liked, and to give me more attachments for corals up higher in my tank. My tank currently has about 200lbs of rock. I saw a piece of live rock at the LFS that looks like it would fit the description of what I need. I picked it up and it is a good bit denser than the live rock I currently use, but that's ok because I'm using this for decoration only, not added filtration. I would say it weighs perhaps 15lbs. I'm wanting to place it in my aquarium ASAP, but I'm going hold it in a separate curing container for a couple of days to make sure it has no bad hitchhikers attached. Can adding 1 piece of liverock like this to an already cycled aquarium have much of any effect on the water quality or livestock if not completely cured? Since my tank cycled and matured I no longer have my test kits for ammonia and nitrite, so I can't be postive that it would be completely cured, but the LFS (for what it's worth) has told me that all his rock is cured and the rock had no smell that my nose could pick up. Thanks.

an411 · 10/03/2007, 07:56 AM

Why not just do a fresh water dip to get rid of unwanted hitchhikers and scrub the rock for any dead stuff on there and then throw it in the tank. There should be nothing on there that is going to die off and start a mini cycle. Plus that size rock in that size tank i don't think th at you are going to see that big of an effect on livestock

yakfishin · 10/03/2007, 08:22 AM

You know, I didn't even think about giving it a fresh water dip, I guess in the past I never wanted to kill anything that might be good or neat to have in the aquarium. This particular rock wasn't very porous or holey, so I really don't think anything like a brittle star or anything could be hiding in it. How long can or should I leave the rock in freshwater. I definitely don't want to introduce anything like aptasia or flatworms into my tank. Is there anything wrong with leaving it for an hour or two- or is that really not necessary. Any opinions?

taillonjohn · 10/03/2007, 08:51 AM

I'm not understanding the frshwater dip craze that seems to be going around lately. I've never freshwater dipped anything before, and I can't understand the logic of purposely stressing an animal almost to the point of death just to make sure its healthy.

anyway, I agree with you, if the rock is in water at the LFS, and you cant smell anything, it must be fully cured, so 1 rock shouldn't hurt your large 200+ gallon system. my opinion only

an411 · 10/03/2007, 08:58 AM

I mean the purpose of dipping it is to get rid of stuff on the rock so I would assume that it wouldn't matter if you left for any period of time that you want

yakfishin · 10/03/2007, 09:05 AM

I've never dipped a fish, but I can understand why I should dip this live rock addition- or at least observe it for a few days in a separate container. My tank is currently free of any unwanted pests, and just 1 bad hitchhiker could end up causing a headache to try to eliminate. I'd hate to think that something as simple as adding 1 piece of rock all of sudden caused a bloom of flatworms or the addition of a mantis shrimp that will then need to be dealt with. The purpose of this freshwater dip wouldn't be to stress- it would be to kill. Like I said, from what I remember of the rock I don't think it could have anything residing that I would hate to harm, but it could have some small aptasia or flatworms hiding out in it. I agree otherwise though, I have never dipped anything up until now, and I'm still open to suggestions as to why I shouldn't or still should dip this rock. The more opinions the better, so please keep them coming. Thanks.

an411 · 10/03/2007, 09:06 AM

taillonjohn yeah animals are different I agree and would not fresh water dip them unless necessary but liverock you would do this to get rid of unwanted hitchhikers. I am sure that there are other ways to do this and you would not want to do this to new live rock going into a new tank but if the tank is already established I think that a fresh water dip and a scrub would make this virtually the same thing as base rock

yakfishin · 10/03/2007, 09:11 AM

"I mean the purpose of dipping it is to get rid of stuff on the rock so I would assume that it wouldn't matter if you left for any period of time that you want"

I'm just wondering how long it takes to kill some of the unwanted hitchhikers. Mainly concerned about any potential aptasia or flatworms. I'm guessing a dip of a few minutes like you give a fish might not be long enough to kill some pests. When I see what was able survive my live rock curing originally, some of the critters are right tough!

hmello@bermexin · 10/03/2007, 10:10 AM

My vote is for a 24 sit in the freshwater. (RO/DI or Distilled freshwater NO TAP WATER)

kuoka · 10/03/2007, 10:21 AM

You can definitely add new LR to an established tank. You could get a little die off but in a tank your size, it won't make a difference. Of course doing a freshwater dip would kill anything that could die off anyway. You don't need to dip it for more than 20 or 30 minutes either. I've dipped for as little as 5 min (but like others I rarely dip anything now a days).

yakfishin · 10/03/2007, 10:37 AM

Will definitely dip in filtered water only. I'm figuring on dipping for at least a couple of hours, perhaps giving it an overnight treatment.

an411 · 10/03/2007, 10:41 AM

Good luck

10/03/2007, 07:48 AM	#1
yakfishin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 696	Adding live rock- already matured tank I have a 215G that has been setup for about 10 months now. I have a place in my tank where I wanted to add a taller piece of live rock to fill in a gap that I have never liked, and to give me more attachments for corals up higher in my tank. My tank currently has about 200lbs of rock. I saw a piece of live rock at the LFS that looks like it would fit the description of what I need. I picked it up and it is a good bit denser than the live rock I currently use, but that's ok because I'm using this for decoration only, not added filtration. I would say it weighs perhaps 15lbs. I'm wanting to place it in my aquarium ASAP, but I'm going hold it in a separate curing container for a couple of days to make sure it has no bad hitchhikers attached. Can adding 1 piece of liverock like this to an already cycled aquarium have much of any effect on the water quality or livestock if not completely cured? Since my tank cycled and matured I no longer have my test kits for ammonia and nitrite, so I can't be postive that it would be completely cured, but the LFS (for what it's worth) has told me that all his rock is cured and the rock had no smell that my nose could pick up. Thanks.

10/03/2007, 08:51 AM	#4
taillonjohn Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 753	I'm not understanding the frshwater dip craze that seems to be going around lately. I've never freshwater dipped anything before, and I can't understand the logic of purposely stressing an animal almost to the point of death just to make sure its healthy. anyway, I agree with you, if the rock is in water at the LFS, and you cant smell anything, it must be fully cured, so 1 rock shouldn't hurt your large 200+ gallon system. my opinion only __________________ John

10/03/2007, 10:10 AM	#9
hmello@bermexin Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,205	My vote is for a 24 sit in the freshwater. (RO/DI or Distilled freshwater NO TAP WATER) __________________ Henry Somewhere something incredible is waiting to be known. Current Tank Info: 29g BioCube, AI SOL 12" Super Blue

10/03/2007, 10:21 AM	#10
kuoka Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: NorCal Cali Posts: 713	You can definitely add new LR to an established tank. You could get a little die off but in a tank your size, it won't make a difference. Of course doing a freshwater dip would kill anything that could die off anyway. You don't need to dip it for more than 20 or 30 minutes either. I've dipped for as little as 5 min (but like others I rarely dip anything now a days). __________________ They say don't talk about someone unless you've walked a mile in their shoes.. But if you do, at least you'll be ahead of them AND have their shoes! :) Current Tank Info: 72gal glass bow front reef, mostly LPS with some SPS, tangs, anthias, blenny, paired percula clowns, gold headed sleeper goby, red fairy wrasse

10/03/2007, 07:56 AM	#2
an411 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Derby CT Posts: 2,861	Why not just do a fresh water dip to get rid of unwanted hitchhikers and scrub the rock for any dead stuff on there and then throw it in the tank. There should be nothing on there that is going to die off and start a mini cycle. Plus that size rock in that size tank i don't think th at you are going to see that big of an effect on livestock

10/03/2007, 08:22 AM	#3
yakfishin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 696	You know, I didn't even think about giving it a fresh water dip, I guess in the past I never wanted to kill anything that might be good or neat to have in the aquarium. This particular rock wasn't very porous or holey, so I really don't think anything like a brittle star or anything could be hiding in it. How long can or should I leave the rock in freshwater. I definitely don't want to introduce anything like aptasia or flatworms into my tank. Is there anything wrong with leaving it for an hour or two- or is that really not necessary. Any opinions?

10/03/2007, 08:58 AM	#5
an411 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Derby CT Posts: 2,861	I mean the purpose of dipping it is to get rid of stuff on the rock so I would assume that it wouldn't matter if you left for any period of time that you want

10/03/2007, 09:05 AM	#6
yakfishin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 696	I've never dipped a fish, but I can understand why I should dip this live rock addition- or at least observe it for a few days in a separate container. My tank is currently free of any unwanted pests, and just 1 bad hitchhiker could end up causing a headache to try to eliminate. I'd hate to think that something as simple as adding 1 piece of rock all of sudden caused a bloom of flatworms or the addition of a mantis shrimp that will then need to be dealt with. The purpose of this freshwater dip wouldn't be to stress- it would be to kill. Like I said, from what I remember of the rock I don't think it could have anything residing that I would hate to harm, but it could have some small aptasia or flatworms hiding out in it. I agree otherwise though, I have never dipped anything up until now, and I'm still open to suggestions as to why I shouldn't or still should dip this rock. The more opinions the better, so please keep them coming. Thanks.

10/03/2007, 09:06 AM	#7
an411 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Derby CT Posts: 2,861	taillonjohn yeah animals are different I agree and would not fresh water dip them unless necessary but liverock you would do this to get rid of unwanted hitchhikers. I am sure that there are other ways to do this and you would not want to do this to new live rock going into a new tank but if the tank is already established I think that a fresh water dip and a scrub would make this virtually the same thing as base rock

10/03/2007, 09:11 AM	#8
yakfishin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 696	"I mean the purpose of dipping it is to get rid of stuff on the rock so I would assume that it wouldn't matter if you left for any period of time that you want" I'm just wondering how long it takes to kill some of the unwanted hitchhikers. Mainly concerned about any potential aptasia or flatworms. I'm guessing a dip of a few minutes like you give a fish might not be long enough to kill some pests. When I see what was able survive my live rock curing originally, some of the critters are right tough!

10/03/2007, 10:37 AM	#11
yakfishin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 696	Will definitely dip in filtered water only. I'm figuring on dipping for at least a couple of hours, perhaps giving it an overnight treatment.

10/03/2007, 10:41 AM	#12
an411 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Derby CT Posts: 2,861	Good luck