Adding Live Rock after the tank has cycled

[gmann1139]

My tank has been up and running for approximately six months now, and has finally finished cycling. Its a 29 long, currently stocked with (2) 1" 4-stripe damsels, (1) 1.5" false perc, and (1) 2.5" saddleback clown, along with a cleanup crew.
I started the tank before joining this site, and decided at that time against Live Rock. Now I'm realizing that decision has severely limited my choices of fish, I'm looking into whether I can now add Live Rock without severely disturbing my tank.
Before anyone jumps on me for being overloaded, my tank was fully mature and cycling with an additional 3" bowtie damsel, who was returned to LFS when his growing size and lousy disposition finally wore out his welcome. My most recent parameters were 0 Amm/0 Nitrite/10 Nitrate. My salinity is 29 ppm and temp is 82.
My plan is to add cured LR in 5 lb increments every 2 weeks until I'm around 1 lb/gallon. Here's the questions:
1. I assume this is going to cause my tank to cycle again, but how badly? Will it be a 'mini-cycle', or am I going to be putting a large amount of stress on my system?

2. Would it be better to add all 30 lbs at once?
3. How is this going to affect my bioload? I am currently changing 5 gal every two weeks, which keeps my nitrates 10 or below. Will I see an increase in the rate of nitrate increase?
4. What other changes to my tank will I need to make? I have a protein skimmer, but minimal lighting and flow. I'm not ever planning on going reef on this tank. That's for the next one.

Any help/advice would be much appreciated.

 

[reefkprz]

I would buy the amount that you want to add to the tank, cure it in a seperate container, then you would be safe to add it all at once.
you can also buy just a little at a time, and add it slowly with a couple weeks between additions to allow each piece to cure in tank, this way would be far slower with a higher risk factor.
Or buy all your rock cured, locally and transport it home under water (5g buckets) if it is cured you would have no problems adding it all at once.
those are your three options as I see them.

 

[b bauer]

on flow try 15x -20x tank size

 

[gmann1139]

I have a few fairly reputable LFS that I would be able to 'carry home' LR from. If I go this route, do I need to QT the LR? FW dip it?

 

[mie]

No, if you are near your lfs buy it and put it in i do it ALL THE TIME

 

[grubsnaek]

agreed if your that local, just drop in

 

[rudedog40]

Based on discussions in other posts, I'd be careful with just dropping LR purchased from your LFS directly into your DT. Before you do, answer these questions:
1) You say they are 'fairly reputable'. They tell you the LR is cured, but what is their definition of 'fully cured'? If there's any chance their LR can cause a 'mini cycle', you could potentially jeopardize your livestock.
2) Where does your LFS store their LR? Is it in a tank all by itself with no livestock at all in the tank with it? Has any livestock been with the LR in the last 6 -8 weeks? Another thread talking about diseases says that ich and various other 'highjackers' can attach to LR.
So based on the fact that it takes 42 days for ich to completely die in a fishless tank, if you want to be 100% sure new LR won't infect your DT, you should QT the new rock for at least that long.

 

[gmann1139]

I say fairly reputable because I trust no one. From discussions on here, one of the LFS is reputable in this area, but b/c of construction ocurring in their tank area, I couldn't actually see the LR. I will definitely take a look before buying though.
Thanks for all the help. Will let everyone know how it goes.

 

[uberlink]

Here is what I would do--and what I have done in the past.
Buy LR from this website (or another reputable site). You'll save a fortune and get good rock. Do not put it directly into your tank. Instead, fill up a rubbermade container with saltwater and throw the rock in there witha powerhead and a heater to cure. Do massive water changes on that container every couple of days until you get stable zero readings across the board in that tank. After a few weeks, you'll have well cured and safe live rock at a good price, which you can put into your tank safely.

 

[gmann1139]

Ok, here's what I ended up doing. Thanks everyone for all the $.02
1. Performed normal weekly testing. Ammonia/Nitrate = 0.0, Nitrate = 10.
2. Bought 40 lbs of cured LR from LFS. Tank contained only LR, and was on a loop that only had LR and empty tanks. They packed it in Styrofoam with wet newspaper on top for drive home. This place is very professional and caring, and I plan to shop there again.
3. Removed everything tank except fish. Cleaning crew was fun to find, especially after the sand bed got kicked up.
4. Aquascaped the LR, with fish giving advice. I'm telling you, my saddleback had some great ideas. I think it has a future in the field. Tried to keep more 'live' sides of rocks on top.
5. Waited until just before lights out, and tested again. Ammonia up to 0.2, though this was probably from the $h!t in the sandbed being kicked up. The 4 big Nass snails that I got at the same time should help with that.
6. Tested the next day and the day after that, and ammonia went back to 0.0, with no real increase in nitrates. Had celebratory beer, and watched fish enjoy new digs.

 

[pimpin chirp]

So I recently purchased about 3-lbs of live rock from a guy who had it in his tank running for over two years I placed it into buckets with his water and brought them to my house and immediately placed them into my DT tank...so what can i expect to happen will any of my levels spike what is the danger in this some of the live rock has corals on it that im going to post some pics of to see if i can ID them

 

[sepulatian]

Never just add rock into your tank, regardless of where you get it from. Add it into a bin with a powerhead for three weeks. Check for ammonia spikes. Sometimes rock that is fully cured will have die off just from a deadspot (a spot that the flow does not reach). You can get parasites from rock as well. They cannot host rock, but can come in on the rock. The three weeks is well worth the wait IMO.

 

[pimpin chirp]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
Never just add rock into your tank, regardless of where you get it from. Add it into a bin with a powerhead for three weeks. Check for ammonia spikes. Sometimes rock that is fully cured will have die off just from a deadspot (a spot that the flow does not reach). You can get parasites from rock as well. They cannot host rock, but can come in on the rock. The three weeks is well worth the wait IMO.
well i completly screwed up in that category i figured cause he had it up and running for so long it was all good

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Pimpin Chirp
well i completly screwed up in that category i figured cause he had it up and running for so long it was all good
Let us hope that all is well. If it isn't then it can be fixed

 

[dinogeorge]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
Never just add rock into your tank, regardless of where you get it from. Add it into a bin with a powerhead for three weeks.

Hey guys,
I wonder how long the bacteria in live rock, or anything for that matter, can go without any waste products to live on? I have no idea what the answer is, but if you leave live rock in a container for three weeks, do the beneficial bacteria start to die off if your not “feeding” the rock?
Any thoughts????

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Dinogeorge
Hey guys,
I wonder how long the bacteria in live rock, or anything for that matter, can go without any waste products to live on? I have no idea what the answer is, but if you leave live rock in a container for three weeks, do the beneficial bacteria start to die off if your not “feeding” the rock?
Any thoughts????
No, not at three weeks even with fully cured rock. If it is left for months without an ammonia source the bacteria will start to die off. In my qt tanks I hardly ever drop an ammonia source in there. I keep everything running and drop some food in once in a while but not often.

 

[dinogeorge]

Thanks for ALL the help SEP. I enjoy reading your posts man.
Happy Holidays to you...........and everyone else at SWF.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Dinogeorge
Thanks for ALL the help SEP. I enjoy reading your posts man.
Happy Holidays to you...........and everyone else at SWF.
Dino, I am a female. I know the Sir Quizz is throwing everyone off. Happy holidays to you as well

 

[dinogeorge]

I knew you were a woman. I just have a bad habit of saying man to everyone. It's like saying "guys". Hope you are not offended......man.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Dinogeorge
I knew you were a woman. I just have a bad habit of saying man to everyone. It's like saying "guys". Hope you are not offended......man.

HAHA not at all!