Adding liverock from LFS Tues. What should I expect?

[RussC]

McGyvr has been a huge help. Helped ease my mind about some parameter concerns. So I'm adding REAL live rock tomorrow from the LFS. The tank has been up and running strong for 5 days. Things arerunning well. I'm looking forward to this next step. What should I expect?

I'm guessing it won't take long and I should see a significant spike in Amonia. Anything I can add or do to help establish or kickoff the good bacteria I need? If I can get a handful of gravel from an established tank would that help introduce some good "stuff"? I plan to leave my lights off during cycling. Don't see a need to encourage any inecessary algae growth. Plan to run all the other equipment on regular schedule. And will do a 20% water changed every two weeks.

As always, appreciate your thoughts and suggestions. Looking forward to getting this aquascape in the tank.

[Jakers88]

Sounds like a good plan. My tank just finished cycling. You'll get high ammonia, the nitrites and nitrates. From what I've read, don't add any of that quick start or anything like that. Just let the live rock do its thing. You'll get some die off but shouldn't be too much.

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[mcgyvr]

You know my answer..

[scooters reef]

When using live rock I've never seen any ammonia spike, and on my current build I moved so slow I never even bothered buying an ammonia test, lol. If the rock has a lot of life on it, like sponges, etc. and you have a lot of die off you might see it, but otherwise you'll likely just see nitrates come up.

I tend to let things just sit a long time when first set up and have usually only added pods to give them a head start before there is any predation while I wait. LOL, and then, like my current system, I didn't have the canopy built and took forever so the tank was at 4 months before it even got any light

[cincyjim]

If it's truly "live rock" then you shouldn't see any ammonia or the like. Maybe a tad but nothing to get worried about. I'd put the rock in and let it run for a week, test the water, and see how it panned out. You shouldn't have to go through a true cycle if it is really live rock.

[divetoday]

It's been said before, by wiser heads than mine, take your time! Particularly, it's going to seem like time will crawl during the first year. I've just finished my first year on my big tank, and it feels like I've been doing it forever. The truth is, your tank will go through stages of maturing, and that will include lots of ugly phases that you're not going to like. Stay on top of things .and remember the race is a marathon not a sprint. Have fun! I can't wait to see pics and here which hitchhikers you get.


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[RobZilla04]

Originally Posted by RussC

McGyvr has been a huge help. Helped ease my mind about some parameter concerns. So I'm adding REAL live rock tomorrow from the LFS. The tank has been up and running strong for 5 days. Things arerunning well. I'm looking forward to this next step. What should I expect?

I'm guessing it won't take long and I should see a significant spike in Amonia. Anything I can add or do to help establish or kickoff the good bacteria I need? If I can get a handful of gravel from an established tank would that help introduce some good "stuff"? I plan to leave my lights off during cycling. Don't see a need to encourage any inecessary algae growth. Plan to run all the other equipment on regular schedule. And will do a 20% water changed every two weeks.

As always, appreciate your thoughts and suggestions. Looking forward to getting this aquascape in the tank.

Expect the water level to rise.

[mako61]

Glad to see your are getting to the rock stage. Thats when things get fun!

I used base rock that had been curing in a trash bin for a few weeks before adding to tank. I Never saw any hint of ammonia, much less a spike. Since you used live rock from an LFS which is even better, I doubt you will see ammonia.