Problem with Cycle & Rubble Rock ?!?!?!

[christs]

Hi Folks,
I need some advice please.
I'm trying to cycle a new 6 gallon Nano but the ammonia levels are through the roof and have been for about a week now. Here is what I did:
1: Added the water, premixed from the LFS.
2: Added the LS.
3: Added live rubble rock in one and half of the back chambers.
4: Added charcoal and Purigen.
That was a week ago and my ammonia levels are still through the roof, over 3.
What did I do wrong? I suspect that the live rubble rock may be the culprit. When I got it from the LFS it was dry and maybe uncured, but they said to simply add it to the tank as is.
My LR is being shipped as we speak and I am afraid that if I add it I will see a significant die off on the LR.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank You

 

[chipmaker]

Its actually doing what its supposed to do. No real sense in keepin g charcoal or purigen in it.....Odds are its the liverock since it wsa dry.......YOu could do a partial water change. Depends on what you r live rock looks like that your getting shipped, but 3 may sound high but not necessarily so, and a good portion of that will drop with a water change and get your parameters of ammonia back down a bit lower and still enable a good cycle. Your still gonna have die off as that rock by now that is being shipped no matter how its packed is going to have die off, so one way or the other your not gonna get a a tank with 0 Ammonia, 0 NItrite and min Nitrate and add that new liverock and expect it to stay with the same paramaters. So just clean off the rock you get somewhat in fresh SW add to tank after a water change and let it run its course.

 

[christs]

So 3 for ammonia will not harm the new LR?
Also, how do I clean it off?
Just rinse it off with RO water?

 

[chipmaker]

I would use sw, as fresh water even if ro will kill off more than would normally be killed by using sw. 3 is high, but not all that high, and nothing that a partial change will not reduce. A toothbrush or other small brush works fine, dunk the rock in a bucket with sw, scrub lightly, dunk up and down, swish in another bucket of sw, and then play in tank or tub to start cure / cycle. You can use plain declorinated tap for the water mixed to a minimum of sg to clean the rock, but then place the rock in water with proper sg made with rodi for best overall results.....Using dechlorinated tap and lower sg for cleaning will save a few pennies overall.......

 

[pclown]

Originally Posted by chipmaker
I would use sw, as fresh water even if ro will kill off more than would normally be killed by using sw. 3 is high, but not all that high, and nothing that a partial change will not reduce. A toothbrush or other small brush works fine, dunk the rock in a bucket with sw, scrub lightly, dunk up and down, swish in another bucket of sw, and then play in tank or tub to start cure / cycle. You can use plain declorinated tap for the water mixed to a minimum of sg to clean the rock, but then place the rock in water with proper sg made with rodi for best overall results.....Using dechlorinated tap and lower sg for cleaning will save a few pennies overall.......
I agree with Chipmaker