Help!!! Any advice or comments would be very helpful!

[jussery17]

So back to the live rock question...the live rock I ordered has been cured for 2-3 mot has and cleaned and I just talked to the guy from premium aquatics who actually packed my order , which are very nice people, and he said that all the dead organic are completely cured off of the rock and new bacteria has been established. I'll have instant live bacteria from this rock and micro life . So I can add this straight in when I get it in from ups right?

 

[beth]

Your best bet is to place it in a rubbermaid or spare tank with a powerhead for circulation for a couple of days using your tank water for acclimation. Test it and if you get zero ammonia/nitrites, then you'll be ok at least for curing.

 

[jussery17]

But they associate assured that it was cured already..all their live rock they cure for about 3 months...is there anything on the rock that I should look for that would cause any spike?

 

[jay0705]

Iam sure it is cured rt now. Cured means all dead matter is removed. However during shipping some stuff may die again.

 

[lmforbis]

There will be some die off but since the tank is still cycling I'd add it right away. That is what I'd do.

 

[jussery17]

And seeding my cycling tank with this live rock will speed up the cycling process right? lol..... the ammonia is steadily going down everyday very very slow is this normal? I've read so many people that constantly feed their tank with ammonia and their tanks break it down very quickly and they add more and so on. My tank, I've put ammonia drops in twice over this whole process and it was at 5ppm a week ago and now it's at .5-1ppm, the nitrates are sky high at 5ppm and nitrates at 15ppm...
Anyways, I will get my package of live rock, of what I could afford until I get paid again, and was wanting to make sure that it would help seed the process up a bit? Thanks in advance for your comments

 

[lmforbis]

It may but no guarantees. It will brovide mor diversity and more surface area. That means it will help with long term success. The cycle will take as long as it takes. Trying to speed it up is not a good idea.

 

[jussery17]

Ok thanks. I'm just worried now bc the pH has dropped to 7.8 for a few days and the ammonia has dropped significantly to .5ppm while the nitrites are sky high and nitrates are sky high as well....the only thing I've done is put a little tiny bottle of stability in over 3 days and I topped off the tank with fresh RODI water last night bc water has evaporated and salt was on the sides of the tank and on the filter...I have three power heads going...causing no dead spots and water surface breakage and an 12" aerator stone going to help with oxygen...so I'm just concerned the nitrates and especially the nitrites are so dang high...I don't want the tank to crash bc this process is freakin long lol and was wondering if I need to change water or if I just need to shut up and wait some more lol

 

[jussery17]

Also, just put the pukani live rock in that I got shipped in today from premium aquatics, who I recommend to anybody. Looks like some really really good live rock and is very clean looking and pourus!

 

[jay0705]

Your high readings are fine its normal. They will drop. You've mentioned PH a few times and i keep meaning to address it. Ph is not critically important. It will vary with salt mixes, water , ect. You want it consistent more than anything

 

[jussery17]

Only could get a little amount....but I love this rock a lot...I only got about 6 pounds and they sent me one big piece and a medium sized piece...big one is in the middle there and the little one is behind the left purple rock....very pourus and was very clean taking it out of the very damp paper...prob going to get like 50 more pounds of this rock

 

[jussery17]

Well when I set up the tank it was at 8.0, the pH and for the past week it's been at 7.8...... when's I get my two clownfish, when this cycle is finally over, what do I need to keep my pH at with fish in? And how?

 

[jussery17]

All the other dry rock isn't as brown as the live rock I got in today but I can tell it's getting a little brown on them....normal I'm assuming? Sorry for so many questions so quickly lol

 

[jay0705]

All normal. The ph is fine at 7.8. Don't do anything except water changes. These will keep it consistent

 

[jussery17]

Ok great to hear that all this is normal....thanks! So I was told not to do any water changes until my ammonia and nitrite go to 0 ....than do water changes to lower my nitrate, correct?

 

[jay0705]

Eh. Honestly the nitrate should drop on its own. However if u want once only nitrate is reading you can do a water change

 

[jussery17]

Well I assumed the nitrate would drop on its own but to drop nitrate to get ready for fish I need to change the water sorry I guess I should of worded it deifferently... lol but yeah I hope the nitrite starts to down...lol

 

[jussery17]

So yesterday I added the live rock not only to look better as far as aquascape but to help seed the tank....I've been in this high nitrite stage for a bit now and was curious if it would help speed things up a little to go to my lfs and see if they could let me have a little of something from their established tank(s) to seed mine better...is this ok?

 

[lmforbis]

It won't likely help for nitrate. Bacteria that breaks nitrate into nitrogen gas is anaerobic meaning it lives in an environment with no oxygen. They live deep in the rocks and sand bed. It takes quite a long time for that to happen.

 

[jay0705]

Agreed