can i add live rock ?

john sarfas · 07/09/2006, 11:38 AM

i have a 150gal salt water tank with 200l/b live rock,i would like to add about 50l/b of rock how much can i add at a time ? with out recycling my tank. have 4 tangs and cleaner shrimp and 1 small coral pollup with 200 blue leg crabs. i am going to cure rock i a 55gal tank for about 4 weeks. when this is done how much at a time 1l/b 4l/b 5l/b 10l/b or can i add it all?

sir_dudeguy · 07/09/2006, 11:57 AM

is there any reason you want to add more, or is it just for looks? becuase 200 is plenty of rock for your filtration.

anyways, if you cure it all yourself, i would say you dont gotta wait and do it slow. Just add it all at once, because its not that much (compaired to what you have in there already) so i wouldnt think you'd see any changes in the water quality.

john sarfas · 07/09/2006, 12:02 PM

well it is for looks i want to make sheffs or ledges to place corals on and to fill in back of my tank

BONDQ · 07/09/2006, 12:04 PM

I would think that with consistent water changes weekly of about 15% that you would be able to add all of the 50 additional pounds of rock, without too much of an ammonia spike.

Another thought, would be to try to find some cycled rock to add, instead.

I purchased about 50 pounds of cycled rock at my LFS for my 32gal Nano and had little to no die-off and was able to add fish within 3 weeks.
My parameters were very stabilized for a new tank within just 2 weeks. I believe with completely uncycled rock my timeframe would have doubled, so this may be a better approach for your existing tank.

john sarfas · 07/09/2006, 12:10 PM

well i am being told that even if i cure it my self when it goes in to a new tank things will die off and start new cycle?

john sarfas · 07/09/2006, 12:15 PM

hey that stuff at the LSF i do not think that it is fully cured. still rock needs to go in to quarntine for about 3 weeks ?

BONDQ · 07/09/2006, 12:16 PM

Yes, even if it is not visable, you will have die-off.

I believe it's simply a matter of how much.

IMO Cycled rock can mean less drastic die-off, nothing more.

But in your case, less die-off would be very positive as it would cause less of an ammonia spike for your existing tank.

sir_dudeguy · 07/09/2006, 12:36 PM

if you cure your rock, you are cycleing it, and you shouldnt see anything. Its when there's die off that you will get amonia and stuff, but if you're cycleing/curing in a seperate tank then the die off would be gone.

john sarfas · 07/09/2006, 12:37 PM

thanks for the info right now geting 50 gal set up for live rock my rock delivery next 3 day and will post a report then

07/09/2006, 11:38 AM	#1
john sarfas Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: hollywood florida Posts: 32	can i add live rock ? i have a 150gal salt water tank with 200l/b live rock,i would like to add about 50l/b of rock how much can i add at a time ? with out recycling my tank. have 4 tangs and cleaner shrimp and 1 small coral pollup with 200 blue leg crabs. i am going to cure rock i a 55gal tank for about 4 weeks. when this is done how much at a time 1l/b 4l/b 5l/b 10l/b or can i add it all?

07/09/2006, 11:57 AM	#2
sir_dudeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 10,841	is there any reason you want to add more, or is it just for looks? becuase 200 is plenty of rock for your filtration. anyways, if you cure it all yourself, i would say you dont gotta wait and do it slow. Just add it all at once, because its not that much (compaired to what you have in there already) so i wouldnt think you'd see any changes in the water quality. __________________ TAKE...LUCK!!!

07/09/2006, 12:36 PM	#8
sir_dudeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 10,841	if you cure your rock, you are cycleing it, and you shouldnt see anything. Its when there's die off that you will get amonia and stuff, but if you're cycleing/curing in a seperate tank then the die off would be gone. __________________ TAKE...LUCK!!!

07/09/2006, 12:02 PM	#3
john sarfas Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: hollywood florida Posts: 32	well it is for looks i want to make sheffs or ledges to place corals on and to fill in back of my tank

07/09/2006, 12:04 PM	#4
BONDQ Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: So CA Posts: 621	I would think that with consistent water changes weekly of about 15% that you would be able to add all of the 50 additional pounds of rock, without too much of an ammonia spike. Another thought, would be to try to find some cycled rock to add, instead. I purchased about 50 pounds of cycled rock at my LFS for my 32gal Nano and had little to no die-off and was able to add fish within 3 weeks. My parameters were very stabilized for a new tank within just 2 weeks. I believe with completely uncycled rock my timeframe would have doubled, so this may be a better approach for your existing tank.

07/09/2006, 12:10 PM	#5
john sarfas Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: hollywood florida Posts: 32	well i am being told that even if i cure it my self when it goes in to a new tank things will die off and start new cycle?

07/09/2006, 12:15 PM	#6
john sarfas Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: hollywood florida Posts: 32	hey that stuff at the LSF i do not think that it is fully cured. still rock needs to go in to quarntine for about 3 weeks ?

07/09/2006, 12:16 PM	#7
BONDQ Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: So CA Posts: 621	Yes, even if it is not visable, you will have die-off. I believe it's simply a matter of how much. IMO Cycled rock can mean less drastic die-off, nothing more. But in your case, less die-off would be very positive as it would cause less of an ammonia spike for your existing tank.

07/09/2006, 12:37 PM	#9
john sarfas Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: hollywood florida Posts: 32	thanks for the info right now geting 50 gal set up for live rock my rock delivery next 3 day and will post a report then