live rock question

[mrpergo]

I'm setting up my 75 gal DT this weekend.
I have been cycling dry rock in a brute barrel for 6 weeks and plan to get about 20 more lbs of live rock from an LFS.
The question I have is I would like to lay out the all the rock on the kitchen table and as a family aqua-scape the tank. Dry run. We can all have in put , everyone can look and see what looks good where. Decisions all made,no WHINING about not taking part and hopefully not saying oh that one on the bottom would look better over there after its in the tank.........lol
Can the rock stay out of water, for what I hope is not an eternity
Thanks for your input

[Reefmedic79]

If it's in the initial set-up it will be fine out of the water. Unless you were adding a source of ammonia to the brute barrel, there is likely very little alive on the rock anyhow.

[Gundo5000]

You should not have a problem doing so as long as you do not take too much time and allow the rock to begin drying up.

[fishman007]

regarding base rock, am i able to start a tank up with only base rock ? how long would the cycle have to be?

[Reefmedic79]

Originally Posted by fishman007

regarding base rock, am i able to start a tank up with only base rock ? how long would the cycle have to be?

You can start a tank with only base rock, but an ammonia source will need to be added to get the cycle started.

You can use a cocktail shrimp out of your freezer, some fish food or even straight ammonia. These are the generally acceptable ways of getting a cycle going without the use of a living organism.

Doing it this way, you won't get any of the micro-organisms that are common and beneficial that are found on liver rock. So I suggest getting at least 10% of your total rock volume in LR if possible. These same organisms will slowly be introduced when you start adding corals to a tank as they typically hitchhike on frags.

[fishman007]

so if i have a 29 gallon aquarium, can i do 3 lbs of live rock and 30 lbs of base rock? how long do i need to cycle it? how much shrimp do i add and when do i do it? every day, week?

[mrpergo]

I did do the shrimp thing and all to start the cycle. My ammonia was over 4.0 , now about .25 or 0 but Nitrite is like 5.0. so that's why I want to make sure that the rock will be okay out of water for a little bit so I didn't waste 5 weeks of cycling.

[Reefmedic79]

Originally Posted by mrpergo

I did do the shrimp thing and all to start the cycle. My ammonia was over 4.0 , now about .25 or 0 but Nitrite is like 5.0. so that's why I want to make sure that the rock will be okay out of water for a little bit so I didn't waste 5 weeks of cycling.

It will be fine as long as it remains damp. Another option is to just do the planning in the display tank, like folding a map, you will probably not get the pieces in the tank the same way you arranged them on the table.

Fill the tank half way, and do the scaping there. This will allow the rock to stay wet, and once it's where you like it there is no need to move it again.

Originally Posted by fishman007

so if i have a 29 gallon aquarium, can i do 3 lbs of live rock and 30 lbs of base rock? how long do i need to cycle it? how much shrimp do i add and when do i do it? every day, week?

That would be fine, one big raw shrimp to the tank as soon as the tank is full of water, and let it rot. The cycle could take anywhere from 2-8 weeks.

FYI: Per forum etiquette and in respect to the OP, you should start you own thread when you have your own questions.

[fishman007]

after that one shrimp, i would not need any more?

[leemajors]

thx for the knowledge guys