got live rock for x mams gift...what do I do now!!

[tava716]

Hello all,

I recieved 30 LB of live rock as a xmas gift (3 large pieces). The rock was from a LFS and was sealed nicely in a plastic bag and then in a styrofoam container. The rock sat like this for 28 hours in my friends basement. I brought it home and put it into a 20 gallon tank with saltwater mix that I had ready for a water change I planned on doing tomorow. Befor placing it in the tank, I vigorously shook it in a bucket of saltwater to "sort of rinse it off" (the water was almost black when I was done with this proccess). The rock is now in a 20 gallon tank with a powerhead with a couple of air stones.


1. My question is....what do I do before puting it in my 90 gallon display tank?

2. How long do I keep it in the 20 gallon tank by itself, and how much/how often do I change water in the 20 gallon tank?

Obviously, it is no longer "cured" (as the LFS says it is). I found a dead searpent star in the bag with the rock......

What is the process I take in order to make it safe to put it in my display tank?

I do not believe it to be fully cured when it left the LFS. I think it probably came in to the LFS dry . The only reason I say this is becouse there is no coraline on it. But there is a lot of snails and a baby serpent star living on it! Really nice rock!
Thanks for the help!!

James

 

[Kensn]

I would let it cycle, and put a skimmer on it if you have one. I would test the water every couple of days to watch the cycle. Shaking it between water changes will probably help. Don't change to much water untill you see the cycle coming to an end. The water test will tell the tale...

 

[tava716]

Thanks! I agree. I did plan on testing. How much water should I change, and how offten?

I do not have a spare skimmer. I do not want to take the one off my display tank.

I did find a baby serpent star in the 20 gallon tank/tote! It has only been about 45 minutes since I put the rock in there! See photos! It is very active! I think in the morning, I will pull him out, and aclimate him to my display tank!

 

[tava716]

How long will it take to cycle?

 

[Detri]

I would suggest you acclimate him for the main display foir sure, he has a better chance of surviving.

It's hard to say how long it will take though. It will cycle faster if you had a piece of cured rock in there with it. But could still take 6-8 weeks to cure, maybe longer. The only thing you can do is test the water every few days.

 

[Krish]

That's a nice gift James! I agree with what all Ken said. Also,if you don't have a spare skimmer, then I'd atleast add a little flow it there to blow anything that dies on the rocks off (which I see you have done). You'll want to test the water for ammonia and nitrites. When these two have read 0, then you should be safe to add them to your tank. A time frame isn't something you can really put on LR (as Detri suggested). Some cure quicker than others depending on the condition of the rock when you received it. Hopefully in your case, not too long though Best of luck!

 

[tava716]

Just did a water test. The rock has been in this water for only 12 hours.

PH: 8.2
Ammonia: 0
Nitrate: 10
Nitrite: 0
Salinity: 1.023
Temp: 75

Should I expect to see a Nitrite spike too? Will the ammonia spike come AFTER the Nitrates go down?

 

[tava716]

What is all the white stuff on the rock?

 

[tava716]

Thanks Krish! Hows life in the Bahamas? How is your tank doing? Sorry to hear you lost a clownfish

 

[tava716]

Sorry to ask so many questions... (This is the first time I have ever added more rock to my display tank).

Do I need to provide light for the LR, or is it ok in a dark closet in the tote withthe lid on it?

 

[Detri]

Naw, no need for light. No light will help control diatom and other algae growth, specially since there is no filtration.

Not sure what the speghetti is though

 

[dpaynter]

What is all the white stuff on the rock?

They look like worm casings. I get these on the bottom of rocks that rest on my sand bed.

 

[Krish]

Thanks Krish! Hows life in the Bahamas? How is your tank doing? Sorry to hear you lost a clownfish

Life's great and so is the tank. Can't really complain...Thanks!

Should I expect to see a Nitrite spike too? Will the ammonia spike come AFTER the Nitrates go down?

The ammonia will spike first and as they go down the nitrite will go up and then when the nitrite goes down then the nitrate goes up. Usually once ammonia and nitrite have gone back to 0, they usually don't re-surface

Sorry to ask so many questions... (This is the first time I have ever added more rock to my display tank).

Do I need to provide light for the LR, or is it ok in a dark closet in the tote withthe lid on it?

I agree with Detri. Light isn't really necessary and is said that during cycling you shouldn't really use any anyway. I've always cycled without light...Best of luck

 

[tava716]

Thanks Krish!

Merry Christmas!

 

[Krish]

Thanks Krish!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you too I hope you have a good one

 

[NaH2O]

I agree with what has been said. Krish hit the cycle dead on...first the ammonia spikes, then nitrite spikes as ammonia drops off, then nitrates rise up as nitrites fall. Once ammonia and nitrites are zero, your good to go. What I suspect happened, is the rock was already cured when it left the store. You probably experienced a little die-off, but there was enough bacterial population on the rock to process the ammonia and nitrites quickly. Blast the rock off with a powerhead before you add it to the tank. Also, if you are concerned at all for your tank about adding the live rock, then you can add one piece at a time. Wait several days, then add another. You can do a small water change on your live rock bin.

Great to find the mini brittle star. Those are wonderful hitchhiking additions to a tank, and you will sometimes see them with their arms hanging out of the live rock at feeding time. As for the white things on the underside of the rock...they look like tubes for a species of tube worm.

 

[My2heartboys]

Thanks! I agree. I did plan on testing. How much water should I change, and how offten?

I do not have a spare skimmer. I do not want to take the one off my display tank.

I did find a baby serpent star in the 20 gallon tank/tote! It has only been about 45 minutes since I put the rock in there! See photos! It is very active! I think in the morning, I will pull him out, and aclimate him to my display tank!

I would not wait till morning as the ammonia can be very toxic to the poor critter. If it has survived this long--give it the best chance you can by getting it into relatively clean water.

Anne

 

[tava716]

Thanks guys! I will leave the rock in the tote wit a power head for a week or two. I went to the LFS and got another 20 LB of rock today. I frequent this LFS offten and know the owner. I know the rock I got today (and the rock my buddy got) has been in there LR tank for over a month. I will add it to the display in a week or so as soon as I get some PVC pipes cut. I plan on making a staircase on PCV for the rock to sit on. I want it really tall in the tank!

Thanks!

 

[Krish]

I plan on making a staircase on PCV for the rock to sit on. I want it really tall in the tank!

Who needs PVC when you've got me! Let me balance it for ya!(LOL) Best of luck! Make sure you post some photos of your progress...

 

[tava716]

I sure will post photos!