Adding uncured rock

[aquaduel]

Hi,We have a 45gal with one damsel,70 pounds of live rock with coralline algae,coral and feather worms.I just purchased 10 pounds of uncured Bali alor rock,can I add it directly to my tank,if I clean it well and there is no smell? Thanks,Aquaduel

[cloak]

If the rock smells ok, then I would just go ahead and add it. Your nitrates might rise a little due to some die off, but it shouldn't be anything that an established tank can't handle. If you want, you can wait a couple days after adding the rock and do a small water change. This will just lessen the load basically.

[stingythingy45]

Why are you buying more LR?
Is there any room to put it in after already having 70 lbs?

[aquaduel]

Were adding more rock because we will be switching everything from the 45gal to a 90gal reef tank soon.So far we have the tank and have drilled holes in it for overflow and return,48 inch pfo led lights,25 watt emperor aquatics UV sterilizer,1262 eheim pump,my husband is designing the sump out of a 16gal and 20gal tanks.We only need to get our wave maker.So we will transfer all the rock and sand to the new tank once it is set up.I'm thinking that the 90gal will need about 120-130 pounds of rock.

[Toddrtrex]

I would not suggest adding it right to your tank -- and going by just the smell isn't a good idea. Could be stuff that hasn't started to die off yet on there -- which would cause an ammonia spike, and there could be unwanted hitch-hikers on there. Would be better off placing the rock in a rubbermaid bin, doing a few water changes -- while monitoring the ammonia, and checking for hitch-hikers. In a couple of weeks should be ready to put in your tank.

[Reverend Reefer]

yeah throw it in a bucket and let it cycle in darkness, maybe throw a frozen shrimp in it with a powerhead.

[IAReefer]

I agree with a few and dont suggest adding it right to your tank. I would do a small water change and put that water in a bucket or whatever you need to completly cover it. Put a small powerhead and heater in there and test it in week or so.

Where did you get this rock, was it shipped in or did you get it from a LFS?

[Nanz]

Originally Posted by Toddrtrex

I would not suggest adding it right to your tank -- and going by just the smell isn't a good idea. Could be stuff that hasn't started to die off yet on there -- which would cause an ammonia spike, and there could be unwanted hitch-hikers on there. Would be better off placing the rock in a rubbermaid bin, doing a few water changes -- while monitoring the ammonia, and checking for hitch-hikers. In a couple of weeks should be ready to put in your tank.

Todd you took the words right out of my mouth, +1

Detecting Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter with smell is not good. Use a testkit and make sure the NO2(Nitrite) has spiked and dropped before adding to the tank. Also make sure no NH3(Ammonia) is present. This should only take a few days but it takes 2-3 weeks for (NO2)Nitrites to drop.

[cloak]

I don't know, letting the rock sit in a bin, subjecting it to elevated ammonia levels just doesn't sound right IMO. Especially for a small amount like this. Their reef has already gone through the motions, and is fully capable of processing a little ammonia. This is pretty much what it does. There's got to be a ton of die off as soon as you place the rock in the tank to cause a lethal spike, which I highly doubt considering the environment is stable enough to keep corals and all without any problems. To me, it's almost a win win situation considering the rock doesn't smell.

[Palting]

This is all about opinions, and here is mine. You have 70 lbs live rock in an established tank. You have 10 lbs uncured rock. I see no reason why 70 lbs live rock in an established tank cannot handle whatever 10 lbs of rock will let die-off. You may have to do an extra water change or two depending on parameters, but that may be the same water you would use in a separate bin to separately cure that rock, anyway. Plus, in doing so, you may be able to save any higher form of critters and have more good surprise growth from those 10 lbs.

Again, that's IMO.

[gweston]

You may be able to get away with adding a tiny bit of uncured rock, but you'll still have to watch your parameters closely. There is always risk.

What I did was cure the rock in a brute bin in the basement (seeded with liverock) for ~3-4 weeks. Just need a power head and a heater and let it do it's thing. Remember to seed it with some liverock though (if it isn't live to begin with).

[jeff@zina.com]

Add the rock and test the water. Worst that happens is you have to deal with spikes by doing more/greater water changes. It's only 1/8th of the rock in the tank, it will be fine.

Of course if your tank crashes, it's your fault for listening to fools on the internet.

Jeff

[aquaduel]

OK,I have my brute bin with filtered water and power head running right now.I will add salt in the am,add rock when it comes sometime tomorrow then test the water later tomorrow night ,if the rock smells OK and water test isn't too bad I will add it to my tank.Does that sound like a plan?

[Nanz]

Originally Posted by aquaduel

OK,I have my brute bin with filtered water and power head running right now.I will add salt in the am,add rock when it comes sometime tomorrow then test the water later tomorrow night ,if the rock smells OK and water test isn't too bad I will add it to my tank.Does that sound like a plan?

I would not advise you putting uncured rock in a tank until its been in a tub for 3 weeks with powerhead/heater and you have tested a spike of NO2 and then watched it drop to 0. There are two very important bacteria that need to develop on that rock. Nitrosomonas will grow first and break down Ammonia(NH3) into Nitrite(NO2). The second bacteria cannot even begin to survive until the Nitrite Levels rise which is TOXIC to any tank. Once the Nitrite(NO2) levels drop due to Nitrobacter they are converted to Nitrate(NO3) which is alot less toxic at low concentration. If we only had to deal with one bacteria it would be as easy as dosing a tank with the bacteria but we need to 2 bacteria to complete the cycle of NH3->NO2->NO3.

[Chris27]

Originally Posted by Nanz

I would not advise you putting uncured rock in a tank until its been in a tub for 3 weeks with powerhead/heater and you have tested a spike of NO2 and then watched it drop to 0. There are two very important bacteria that need to develop on that rock. Nitrosomonas will grow first and break down Ammonia(NH3) into Nitrite(NO2). The second bacteria cannot even begin to survive until the Nitrite Levels rise which is TOXIC to any tank. Once the Nitrite(NO2) levels drop due to Nitrobacter they are converted to Nitrate(NO3) which is alot less toxic at low concentration. If we only had to deal with one bacteria it would be as easy as dosing a tank with the bacteria but we need to 2 bacteria to complete the cycle of NH3->NO2->NO3.

What's to say that the required bacteria aren't already on the rock - it is of coarse live - unless you know for certain that it was shipped directly from the rock farmer in Bali?

[Vin7250]

she said the rock was uncured... that is way different then cured and shipped with some die off..... uncured suggests it needs a.....wait for it.......here it comes........curing period!!!!! For a few weeds in a rubbermaid tub. It will be well worth it. Your tank is already stuffed with LR why do you NEED to add 10 more lbs today? You said yourself it is for your tank move to a larger setup....wait, cure the rock, then add it. Hell i would just let it sit in the tub until the larger tank is ready but thats just me. Sounds like you are itching to pull the trigger and dump it in your tank..... patients is a virtue, you DONT need it in the 40 gallon right now why risk it? Just so you can see it in your tank?

[RcToners]

My suggestion,

Post some images of the rock, lets get an idea of what you are actualy working with before anyone starts making suggestions. People refer to the same thing is several different ways. If the rock is uncurred and has alot of die off then you can deal with that in a certian way, If the rock is uncured but actually dead and white you can deal with that in another way, if the rock is uncured but only been out of the water for a day or two then you can deal with that in another way. For people to try and tell you what to do when they actually dont know what your working with is just plain silly.

If you have 70lbs of rock in your tank already and you purchase new rock but the new rock is only out of the water for a very small amount of time you can simly toss it right in. Your tank can handle a little die off.

If your tank has 70 lbs of rock already and you throw in 10lbs of dead rock thats been sitting for a long period of time there is most likely not going to be much die off so you would most likely be fine.

The list goes on and on as to what you may or may not have. There are no 100% across the board rules in this hobby so the people here should really simply be asking for more details about what your working with.

[aquaduel]

First off,Thanks to all of you for the great advise.The rock just came and when I opened it I was so excited.It is beautiful!,I got it from premium aquatics.After looking at it I decide to put it in the bin with power head but know heater the location that I keep my water change bin in stays warm,79-81,so I will just keep an eye on the temp here and there.The rock doesn't smell,but I'm afraid it will make my water spike,so I'm taking the better safe than sorry route.This tank has been running since June 14th,I cycled 7 weeks before I added my first fish.I cant wait until my 90 is up and running.Thanks to all,Aquaduel

[Nanz]

Originally Posted by Chris27

What's to say that the required bacteria aren't already on the rock - it is of coarse live - unless you know for certain that it was shipped directly from the rock farmer in Bali?

That is why I suggested testing the NH3 and NO3. But there really isnt any problem with leaving it in the tub for a couple weeks. You might even have a hitchhiker and can easily remove it before it escapes into your display tank. Think of it as a QT for Live rock.

[aquaduel]

I just checked out your tank,it's beautiful.How long have you had it?Looking at tanks like that get me a little impatient but I know I will get there in time.Great job.Aquaduel