Live Rock Water Change

greenmonkey51 · 04/07/2007, 02:49 PM

I'm cycling a 75g with 110lb of uncured rock and 15lb of cured. At what ppm of ammonia should I do a water change.

KAKLANGLEY · 04/07/2007, 02:53 PM

I did 25% water changes 2 times a week and it took three weeks to get to zero. With uncured rock however, It may take much longer from the info Ive gathered.

greenmonkey51 · 04/07/2007, 02:59 PM

I found a 40g rubbermaid bin in my basement that had clothes in it. Would it be safe for mixing water.

AZDesertRat · 04/07/2007, 03:07 PM

Walt Smith recommends not doing water changes until the ammonia and nitrites are at 0. Thats the method I used since he is supposed to be the authority on live rock.

http://www.waltsmith.com/media/pdfs/ROCK_curing.PDF

greenmonkey51 · 04/07/2007, 03:15 PM

See thats what I always thought and did with freshwater, but someone said to do a water changes to keep the ammonia level low enough not to kill anything on the rock. Doing water change would only prolong the cycle also.

AZDesertRat · 04/07/2007, 03:23 PM

You are exactly right, changes proplong the cycle since you are exporting the ammonia which is a source of food for the bacteria. You are wanting to grow two types of bacteria, nitrosonomas which converts ammonia to nitrite and nitrobacter which turns the nitrites into nitrates which can be exported through water changes, macro algae or other methods and are not as toxic as the first two.

greenmonkey51 · 04/08/2007, 06:53 PM

How long usually does it take for the ammonia to get going using uncured rock.

szgppl · 04/08/2007, 07:04 PM

Iâ€™ve read other articles and posting on here that says to do water 20% ever other day for the 1st week than do 20% every week until itâ€™s cured. Which way is correct

AZDesertRat · 04/09/2007, 08:34 AM

Personal opinion, but since Walt is the largest supplier of rock in this hobby I tend to lean his direction and it worked for me.

04/07/2007, 02:49 PM	#1
greenmonkey51 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,092	Live Rock Water Change I'm cycling a 75g with 110lb of uncured rock and 15lb of cured. At what ppm of ammonia should I do a water change.

04/07/2007, 02:53 PM	#2
KAKLANGLEY Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Nashville, NC Posts: 165	I did 25% water changes 2 times a week and it took three weeks to get to zero. With uncured rock however, It may take much longer from the info Ive gathered. __________________ 92RR Corner, 2- Hydra 26HD, Ruby 30, 2- MP40, BM Crv5 Neptune Apex HIT EM WITH THE HEIN

04/07/2007, 02:59 PM	#3
greenmonkey51 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,092	I found a 40g rubbermaid bin in my basement that had clothes in it. Would it be safe for mixing water.

04/07/2007, 03:07 PM	#4
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	Walt Smith recommends not doing water changes until the ammonia and nitrites are at 0. Thats the method I used since he is supposed to be the authority on live rock. http://www.waltsmith.com/media/pdfs/ROCK_curing.PDF

04/07/2007, 03:15 PM	#5
greenmonkey51 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,092	See thats what I always thought and did with freshwater, but someone said to do a water changes to keep the ammonia level low enough not to kill anything on the rock. Doing water change would only prolong the cycle also.

04/07/2007, 03:23 PM	#6
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	You are exactly right, changes proplong the cycle since you are exporting the ammonia which is a source of food for the bacteria. You are wanting to grow two types of bacteria, nitrosonomas which converts ammonia to nitrite and nitrobacter which turns the nitrites into nitrates which can be exported through water changes, macro algae or other methods and are not as toxic as the first two.

04/08/2007, 06:53 PM	#7
greenmonkey51 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,092	How long usually does it take for the ammonia to get going using uncured rock.

04/08/2007, 07:04 PM	#8
szgppl Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: aurora il Posts: 335	Iâ€™ve read other articles and posting on here that says to do water 20% ever other day for the 1st week than do 20% every week until itâ€™s cured. Which way is correct

04/09/2007, 08:34 AM	#9
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	Personal opinion, but since Walt is the largest supplier of rock in this hobby I tend to lean his direction and it worked for me.