live rock question

Hbohi · 07/08/2013, 09:06 PM

I have a couple of pieces of purple live rock that has been out of the rank for about 3-4 months...if I were to add it to a tank that has a clown and saddle puffer how can I do so without cycling it again and also is it considered dead now?

bnumair · 07/08/2013, 11:14 PM

how big is the tank and current rock inside the system? and how big are these dry rocks?

hollister · 07/08/2013, 11:37 PM

You would want to dry then in the sun for a few days then give them a good rinse.

Hbohi · 07/09/2013, 08:32 AM

It's a 40 gallon tank with maybe 20-25 lbs in there right now

Hbohi · 07/09/2013, 08:33 AM

And there's one about 5-6 lbs and the rest are smaller

kevin kaplan · 07/09/2013, 02:03 PM

It sounds like you would risk an ammonia spike if you just put them back in without cycling them first. How much stuff that was on their is still on their, and have you rinsed the rock. Maybe try rinsing, then drying in the sun. Repeat like 10 times and you might be safe to put them back in without a huge ammonia spike that would kill stuff. Either way it is risky without fully cycling it in saltwater first.

Hbohi · 07/09/2013, 02:27 PM

would putting the rocks in saltwater in a bin with a heater and a power head help cycle it and test the water in the tub...or will that not work because theres no filter or anything

Speed · 07/10/2013, 02:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hbohi

would putting the rocks in saltwater in a bin with a heater and a power head help cycle it and test the water in the tub...or will that not work because theres no filter or anything

that will work fine. thats actually going to cure the rock and make it safe for you to add it to your tank. be prepared to do water changes to the saltwalter you're curing the rock in. its most likely going to get brown and nasty after the first few days.

do a quick search on curing live rock.

good luck.

cu0ngsayz · 07/10/2013, 09:35 AM

Definitely cure the rocks in a desperate tank. I dried some rocks out that I bought from a local tank getting shut down and the ammonia level sky rocket!! Lucky I cured it in a separate tank. Waiting for all my rocks to cycle and cure them start my tank build.

Hbohi · 07/10/2013, 09:40 AM

Awesome. My plan is to clean the rock to make sure nothing nasty is in it and then let it dry in the sun and then do the bins

Thanks guys

07/08/2013, 09:06 PM	#1
Hbohi Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Arizona Posts: 171	live rock question I have a couple of pieces of purple live rock that has been out of the rank for about 3-4 months...if I were to add it to a tank that has a clown and saddle puffer how can I do so without cycling it again and also is it considered dead now?

07/08/2013, 11:14 PM	#2
bnumair Dr. Reef at ur service Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tulsa, Ok, USA Posts: 7,751 Blog Entries: 15	how big is the tank and current rock inside the system? and how big are these dry rocks? __________________ Water Quality: NO3 0,Phos 0,Cal 440,Alk 7.5,Mag 1300 "Reef Fast, You Crash, Reef Slow, You Pass" Mike's Reef 3:16 Current Tank Info: 350g DT,95g sump, 50g Frag tank, 4800gph return 4x Sea swirls. 6x AI Vega Color. 200# Pukani rock, dual recirculating skimmer, Biopellet, GFO Carbon rx's, Cal rx. Closed loop. 1.5hp chiller, genesis renew. Apex & RKE

07/08/2013, 11:37 PM	#3
hollister Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 2,037	You would want to dry then in the sun for a few days then give them a good rinse.

07/09/2013, 08:32 AM	#4
Hbohi Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Arizona Posts: 171	It's a 40 gallon tank with maybe 20-25 lbs in there right now

07/09/2013, 08:33 AM	#5
Hbohi Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Arizona Posts: 171	And there's one about 5-6 lbs and the rest are smaller

07/09/2013, 02:03 PM	#6
kevin kaplan Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Cary, Illinois Posts: 77	It sounds like you would risk an ammonia spike if you just put them back in without cycling them first. How much stuff that was on their is still on their, and have you rinsed the rock. Maybe try rinsing, then drying in the sun. Repeat like 10 times and you might be safe to put them back in without a huge ammonia spike that would kill stuff. Either way it is risky without fully cycling it in saltwater first.

07/09/2013, 02:27 PM	#7
Hbohi Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Arizona Posts: 171	would putting the rocks in saltwater in a bin with a heater and a power head help cycle it and test the water in the tub...or will that not work because theres no filter or anything

07/10/2013, 09:35 AM	#9
cu0ngsayz Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Houston TX Posts: 63	Definitely cure the rocks in a desperate tank. I dried some rocks out that I bought from a local tank getting shut down and the ammonia level sky rocket!! Lucky I cured it in a separate tank. Waiting for all my rocks to cycle and cure them start my tank build.

07/10/2013, 09:40 AM	#10
Hbohi Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Arizona Posts: 171	Awesome. My plan is to clean the rock to make sure nothing nasty is in it and then let it dry in the sun and then do the bins Thanks guys