Adding live rock

jmestayer1

jmestayer1

Member
I just my LFS where I was purchasing a lb of live rock and some new coral. The guy i usually work with was busy so another guy who works there wanted to know why I was buying more live rock and I told him how we have been adding a lb a week to increase our live rock load, slowly. He told me that you should never add more live rock to an established tank, even if it is already cured. I researched before I started this process and thought you could add live rock slowly to an established tank, as long as it is cured. I only live 15 minutes from the LFS and their live rock is cured. Am I doing the right thing?
 
ruaround

ruaround

Active Member
you can add LR at anytime... you just run the risk of starting another mini cycle if the rock isnt cured...
 
larryndana

larryndana

Active Member
yeah, you may want to qt it before putting it in your display. to make sure it is cured and no parasites are on it, like ick.
 
networkguy

networkguy

Member
As long as your LFS GAUARNTEES it's cured you should be good. Before I bought some I actually read all about curing on here and other sites...then I asked my LFS how they cure theirs. I knew what the right answers should be so I was just testing them. The guy actually took me in the back showed me the curing tub they have, etc. I bought 25lbs and introduced it all at once...it actually helped my tank not hurt it.
 
aztec reef

aztec reef

Active Member
make a 5g bucket of saltwater with a powrhead in there if you have one. put the lr in that bucket for a few hours if you see a ammonia spike then it's not cured.
if it's cured than just keep doing regular water changes....
 
larryndana

larryndana

Active Member
Originally Posted by ruaround
ich is a parasite and needs a host... LR cant host ich...
i've seen several lfs have lr in the same system as their fish. also, depending on when they got it and when you buy it. Just as a precaution, it wouldn't hurt. But it is a slim chance, at least make sure its cured.
 
jmestayer1

jmestayer1

Member
They cure the rock in a large bucket with strong flows of water and a powerhead. They also only have live rocks in their curing buckets, no fish, and I am pretty sure that rock can't carry ich. The cured does not smell fishy and has been there for at least a month.
 
aztec reef

aztec reef

Active Member
Originally Posted by Jmestayer1
They cure the rock in a large bucket with strong flows of water and a powerhead. They also only have live rocks in their curing buckets, no fish, and I am pretty sure that rock can't carry ich. The cured does not smell fishy and has been there for at least a month.
yeah but even if they say its cured ,they sell alot daily which means they're constantly refilling the tank with new rock which in return they get ammonia spikes regularly. and you might not get cured lr
 
newtankman

newtankman

Member
I have purchased quote/un-quote (cured) lr at the lps and placed it directly into my tank with no problems in the past. But the last time I did this with only a 4lb lr I had a mini cycle with the lr from the same lfs source. I plan on curing everything from now on as a precaution. It is not hard to do and the benefits outweigh the risks.
As a n00b I have learned to never trust the lfs.
Just my thoughts.
 
networkguy

networkguy

Member
Originally Posted by Aztec Reef
yeah but even if they say its cured ,they sell alot daily which means they're constantly refilling the tank with new rock which in return they get ammonia spikes regularly. and you might not get cured lr

Not necessarily true....my LFS sells only cured rock. They cure it all prior to ever putting it out in the display tank (sales tank?) if you will. When you buy some they replenish from already cured rock in the backroom not new un-cured rock. I can be sure of this because all their tanks are connected including the LR tank so if they were just tossing un-cured rock in they would risk killing their livestock and I'm sure they're not doing that.
 
reefkprz

reefkprz

Active Member
you should be fine then, when I buy LR I bring a bucket, for the price stores charge for LR they can darn well fill the bucket with tank water to cover the rock to make sure there is no die off on the ride home. I have only had one store refuse to do this, I put the 75$ worth of rock on the counter and left with out buying anything. the next time I went in the manager spoke to me and informed me that they would be happy to do that in the future.
 
networkguy

networkguy

Member
Originally Posted by reefkprZ
you should be fine then, when I buy LR I bring a bucket, for the price stores charge for LR they can darn well fill the bucket with tank water to cover the rock to make sure there is no die off on the ride home. I have only had one store refuse to do this, I put the 75$ worth of rock on the counter and left with out buying anything. the next time I went in the manager spoke to me and informed me that they would be happy to do that in the future.
not a bad idea, never thought of it....I love to buy it pre-cured with growth on it but the price is killer...I pay $5.99 a lb....anyone think thats high for pre-cured with growth?
 
larryndana

larryndana

Active Member
Originally Posted by reefkprZ
you should be fine then, when I buy LR I bring a bucket, for the price stores charge for LR they can darn well fill the bucket with tank water to cover the rock to make sure there is no die off on the ride home. I have only had one store refuse to do this, I put the 75$ worth of rock on the counter and left with out buying anything. the next time I went in the manager spoke to me and informed me that they would be happy to do that in the future.
thats funny.
i do like the idea of bringing a bucket with you.
 
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