Live rock

[suzi1780]

I want more rock

the rock is addictive! but here is my question, right now my tank is cycling and I think this would be the best time to add more rock, this will help my cycle right? It's not going to make my cycle take longer is it? Is there anything I should do to the rock before I put it in?
I saw a little brown worm coming out of one of the holes of my lr, I thought it was cool but my boyfriend thinks it is gross... what a baby

 

[bigarn]

If you plan on getting uncured LR than yes, this would be the best time to add it. It may prolong the cycle because there will be die off.

 

[blemmy_guy]

Originally Posted by suzi1780
I want more rock

the rock is addictive! but here is my question, right now my tank is cycling and I think this would be the best time to add more rock, this will help my cycle right? It's not going to make my cycle take longer is it? Is there anything I should do to the rock before I put it in?
I saw a little brown worm coming out of one of the holes of my lr, I thought it was cool but my boyfriend thinks it is gross... what a baby

Its sad when your Spouse asked " what did you buy today " and you say i paid 40 dollars for a rock !!! . But im still the same way!! I love the really good live rock.
Todd

 

[houndhome1]

before adding any live rock to a tank, you should really let it sit in a separate tank or bucket with salt water, put a powerhead in and leave it for several days. This will make such if any thing is going to die off and there are any unwanted vistors they come off before placing in your tank. If the rock has a lot of dead stuff like alge it could really mess up your water.

 

[bigarn]

Originally Posted by Houndhome1
before adding any live rock to a tank, you should really let it sit in a separate tank or bucket with salt water, put a powerhead in and leave it for several days. This will make such if any thing is going to die off and there are any unwanted vistors they come off before placing in your tank. If the rock has a lot of dead stuff like alge it could really mess up your water.
Her tank is still cycleing.

 

[sinner's girl]

go ahead and add now if it's uncured, if it's cured the cycle make cause some die off.

 

[tangy-tang]

I know that feeling! The rock is addictive to me too. I think the reason I like it besides that its pretty is because You never know what is hitch hiking.
Mark

 

[suzi1780]

I bought some off the classifieds, just a little that is coming from someone else's system. I can't wait :jumping: it is just so fun to create caves etc. Since I don't have any fishes yet I will just sit there and stare at the rock and examine it all over. I think my little worm is a peaunt worm, just by looking at some other pics of them. There aren't any little brown round worms that would be bad in my tank right? I don't think I will be able to get a pic of him, he goes back in his hole when I turn the light on.

 

[suzi1780]

Oh i forgot to ask.... since it is coming from some else's system, what can I expect? I can just put it right in the tank? thanks!

 

[hot883]

I bought some lr rubble off the auction site. Nice looking pieces. It had a very slight smell to it so I went ahead and put it in my water tank I use to mix my water. After about 3 hrs. I went and checked on it and decided to test the water. Ammonia, trites and trates were off the chart high within seconds. Scary how much poison there is in there. I went ahead and did a water change, will check on it tomorrow. I do have a small piece with a yellow sponge on it, wonder if it will make it?
Bottom line though, if you get it in the mail it will have die off on it, and will need to be cured again.

 

[zman1]

If you are buying LR from a LFS and it's in their tank and you bring it right home and put it in your tank..... Then you may not see the "cycle" in a huge swing, if you saw it at all. The bacteria in the LR from a LFS should handle a small bio-load rather rapidly. If your rock you put in before and the rock you want to add now comes from what I described above IMO shouldn't have an effect on the "cycle" (or recycle) much, if at all.
If this was an on-line order or you got it from the LFS in a box they just received then you will see a cycle in a more noticeable way, but the bacteria in the LR should somewhat have survived and the "cycle" process should be reduced when compared to a new setup with filters only and no LR/LS. If you got a good protein skimmer you can help short circuit or minimize a re-cycle from uncured rock die-off by pulling out the proteins before they enter the breakdown phase entering into the "cycle".
Post your testing values before and after for a month or so. Also, If you have them from the beginning. I'd be interested if you see and how much of a cycle your system went through.. Include what you are using and how much for the Bio load during this period and size of tank and amount of rock.

 

[zman1]

Side note: If the LR is uncured / an on-line order, rinse and scrub the rock in saltwater first. No reason to leave the dieing or dead matter on while curing it in a new tank you are cycling or curing in a separate tank before adding to an established tank. You wouldn't dump a handful of decaying matter in your tank or seperate tank and call it curing, so clean it off first.
However, you should be good to go if you are getting directly from someone else's tank and putting it in yours.