Live Rock

[jsteph24]

I just purchased about 15-20 lbs of Live rock from the LFS today. My question is that it was fully cured when i bought it. However, it was out of the water in a cooler for a few hours before we just got home now.
Will it be safe to add to my DT? Do you think it has too much die-off? Should I just swish it in some saltwater first then add it?

 

[1journeyman]

If it was out of the water for a few hours I would not add it to your display.
Put it in a sperate tub of salt water and add a powerhead to it. Let it sit for a week while testing for ammonia. if you get a positive test you will need to re cure the rock.

 

[jsteph24]

ok I was hoping i would be able to add it tonight but i guess I will play the waiting game

. btw my tank is 55 gallons and already has 50-60 lbs in it plus some livestock. Even 3-4 hours would have enough die-off to create an spike? If I put it in the tub of saltwater How soon would I expect to see a spike of ammonia?

 

[jsteph24]

:help:

 

[jsteph24]

bump

 

[cam78]

If it were me I would put it in a container like earlier stated and wait a week. After that you should be fine, just test for ammonia. A week should be plenty though. Just make sure you have the powerhead.

 

[joojoo]

Was it covered in newspaper or something wet? With an already established tank and this is what, 2-3 pieces of rock? If I were you, I would add it to the tank and do not feed the fish tomorrow. This way, if there is a spike, it will get taken care of in a matter of hours.

 

[aztec reef]

I would not add it to DT tank. You don't even know if it's cured 100% so i would put in a bucket like already stated twice. Check ammonia , if you don't get Ammonia in a week then go ahead and put it in.
The plan is that you don't wanna risk loosing livestock by adding a bunch of liverock(ammonia) at once.
I would only add directly to tank if it came from a mature stablished tank.

 

[joojoo]

Does it smell like decay? If not, then it should have been fully cured when you bought it.

 

[jsteph24]

Two of the pieces were fully cured, had all sorts of coraline algea growth and smelled like cured rock should. The other piece was a giant (12 pounds, biggest piece so far!) piece of "base" rock, and smelled fine as well. I made up a batch of saltwater and put the rock in that with a powerhead and a heater. I am going to wait a week, test the ammonia, and if all is ok, I will add it. I do not want to risk losing any fish, I have had good luck with the ones I have now (except my tiny, tiny clowns ). Thanks for all the suggestions!!!!

 

[joojoo]

A week is a bit much, imo. Test for ammonia tomorrow and the next day, if none you're good to go. 3 hours out of water is nothing as long as it was kept damp somehow.

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by joojoo
A week is a bit much, imo. Test for ammonia tomorrow and the next day, if none you're good to go. 3 hours out of water is nothing as long as it was kept damp somehow.
I tend to disagree. Many types of life, including sponges, begin to die immediately.
15-20 Lbs. of live rock to a 55 gallon is a significant addition. While most of the life will survive on the rock, it doesn't take much die off to throw off your ammonia. Especially when considering it's on newly placed live rock. (there will be some die off at your points of contact that could decay for a while).
Better safe than sorry. It doesn't hurt to keep the rock out of your tank for a week, and the alternative could be a disaster.

 

[joojoo]

Not trying to argue... but ime, it does take a lot of die off to raise ammonia. I have had 4 dead mexican turbo snails, at least an inch apiece in a 20 gallon tank and no ammonia registered. A few sponges, worms, whatever will not impact a 55 whatsoever... just my opinion. Her amphipods and hermit crabs will make short work of any dead organics they find.

 

[dapak83]

sorry to butt in but if i want to add like a few lbs of live rock at a time like little peices and they are out of water for like 30 mins or so..... do i still have to recure them or i can add it to the DT with out any problems?

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by dapak83
sorry to butt in but if i want to add like a few lbs of live rock at a time like little peices and they are out of water for like 30 mins or so..... do i still have to recure them or i can add it to the DT with out any problems?
30 minutes doesn't scare me, especially if you keep the rock cool and most. It's the original poster's "few hours" that bothers me.

 

[aztec reef]

yeah few hours is cutting it too long, Could you last a few hours underwater without oxygen? How about 30minutes? maybe not.

But i can only imagine how much MORE die-off there is in LR that's left out for few hours VS. lr left out for only 30 minutes..

 

[mace]

Originally Posted by 1journeyman
30 minutes doesn't scare me, especially if you keep the rock cool and most. It's the original poster's "few hours" that bothers me.
I would wait the week like 1journeyman said. Its better to be safe then sorry, IMO.

 

[jsteph24]

Her amphipods and hermit crabs will make short work of any dead organics they find.
lol, I guess I need to stop posting under my husband's username and create my own! considering I am making him sound like a her....