Adding Cured Dry Rock?

[Kasey Grohowski]

Just wondering when I can safely add cured (sitting in aerated water for 2 weeks, no ammonia) to an established tank? Will it cause the tank to become very cloudy (80 pounds in a 220)? Also will it affect my fish?

 

[James M]

Cure the rock then add it

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

Cure the rock then add it

Very Helpful

 

[Ajayabb]

You should be fine. My 32 g underwent a new cycle however after I added dry rock but I didn’t do the prep work with the rock like it sounds you did. I had a diatom and gha bloom after putting 30 lbs in my tank

 

[BeejReef]

Don't know.. peeps have different definitions of curing, cycling, maturing.. etc. What state was the rock in when you put it in to cure? Was it sterile dry rock, used dry rock, shipped moist live rock, shipped wet live rock?

Have you been ghost feeding it and trying to cycle it, or just making sure any die off has already happened. Like I said, I don't know the answer, but 80lbs is a lot of rock to add, even in a tank that size. You might consider seeding it with a small piece of LR from your existing setup and ghost feeding or dosing ammonia (depending on if it's live or dead) just to help it to "feel" more like the existing rock in your system.

How old is your DT and what kind of parameters do you maintain? My understanding is that the new rock will be much more susceptible to algae, cyano, dinos, etc. The more you let your established bacteria and calciferous algae colonize on it, the less of an issue that may be. Hoping you get some expert advise, but that's what I'd be thinking about.

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

Don't know.. peeps have different definitions of curing, cycling, maturing.. etc. What state was the rock in when you put it in to cure? Was it sterile dry rock, used dry rock, shipped moist live rock, shipped wet live rock?

Have you been ghost feeding it and trying to cycle it, or just making sure any die off has already happened. Like I said, I don't know the answer, but 80lbs is a lot of rock to add, even in a tank that size. You might consider seeding it with a small piece of LR from your existing setup and ghost feeding or dosing ammonia (depending on if it's live or dead) just to help it to "feel" more like the existing rock in your system.

How old is your DT and what kind of parameters do you maintain? My understanding is that the new rock will be much more susceptible to algae, cyano, dinos, etc. The more you let your established bacteria and calciferous algae colonize on it, the less of an issue that may be. Hoping you get some expert advise, but that's what I'd be thinking about.

I received it as dry rock sterilized I presume. Haven't been dosing ammonia. Tank is 3 months old and parameters are: ammonia 0 nitrates 20ish ph 8.2 temp 73

 

[BeejReef]

I received it as dry rock sterilized I presume. Haven't been dosing ammonia. Tank is 3 months old and parameters are: ammonia 0 nitrates 20ish ph 8.2 temp 73

I don't know any more about it than you. Our tanks are the same age. If the rest of the tank is young as well, I'd just go for it personally. The whole thing is still growing, maturing, stabilizing. You might get some diatoms or algae, but it has to get done. I was thinking maybe you had a 3yo tank with $6k in corals and sensitive fish. In a case like that, I'd be nervous to rock the boat.

Temp is 73?

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

I don't know any more about it than you. Our tanks are the same age. If the rest of the tank is young as well, I'd just go for it personally. The whole thing is still growing, maturing, stabilizing. You might get some diatoms or algae, but it has to get done. I was thinking maybe you had a 3yo tank with $6k in corals and sensitive fish. In a case like that, I'd be nervous to rock the boat.

Temp is 73?

Oh its a fowlr tank, no corals. Yes temp is 73 I have a coral catshark and a marbled catshark in this tank. They need very high dissolved oxygen levels hence the low temperature. I don't run heaters

 

[BeejReef]

I keep waiting for someone who knows for sure to tell you what to do.. lol. It's just you and I talking to each other so far.

A man's got to know his limitations...
#reefsquad

 

[Reefahholic]

Just wondering when I can safely add cured (sitting in aerated water for 2 weeks, no ammonia) to an established tank? Will it cause the tank to become very cloudy (80 pounds in a 220)? Also will it affect my fish?

How do you know for sure it’s fully cured? 2 weeks isn’t that long. It will probably be fine in a FOWLER tank, but I would let it sit a few more weeks since it’s 80 lbs. Siphon your water change water into the rocks holding tank. It’s gonna destabilize the system for sure. I’d let it soak more. Don’t rush it.

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

How do you know for sure it’s fully cured? 2 weeks isn’t that long. It will probably be fine, but I would let it sit a few more weeks since it’s 80 lbs. Siphon your water change water into the rocks holding tank. It’s gonna destabilize the system for sure. I’d let it soak more. Don’t rush it. You don’t have any acropora do you?

No I don't have acropora, should I get some; will it help? Also what can I do besides letting it cycle so that it doesn't destabilize the system?

 

[Jon Fishman]

Oh its a fowlr tank, no corals. Yes temp is 73 I have a coral catshark and a marbled catshark in this tank. They need very high dissolved oxygen levels hence the low temperature. I don't run heaters

You put TWO sharks in a 220?!? Where are the pictures of your tank!???!!! I saw a shark-egg at my local shop.....was wondering if you ever got yours sorted out, and now you have TWO!

 

[Idoc]

Good advice given above...take some of your current water after a water change and put in with the rocks and keep them another 2-4 weeks in a tub to "cycle" with nitrifying bacteria. You can add some bacteria in a bottle to the water as well to speed things up. Ghost feed with a little food for a few days and let the bacteria start to grow and multiply.

Since your system is very young (only a few months old), you could possibly just add them to your display tank now...but you will probably have a new cycle occur...hence why I'd just do it in the tubs outside your display tank!

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

You put TWO sharks in a 220?!? Where are the pictures of your tank!???!!! I saw a shark-egg at my local shop.....was wondering if you ever got yours sorted out, and now you have TWO!

Yup they are doing great, eating like pigs. After doing countless hours of research I've found out they are much more comfortable in pairs. Hide during the day hunt at night. It's not easy to get pictures of these fellas they don't come out much during the day. Anyways they have plenty of room to swim only 40 pounds of rock in there right now. And I highly recommend fishybusinessaquatics and liveaquaria.

 

[Reefahholic]

Good advice given above...take some of your current water after a water change and put in with the rocks and keep them another 2-4 weeks in a tub to "cycle" with nitrifying bacteria. You can add some bacteria in a bottle to the water as well to speed things up. Ghost feed with a little food for a few days and let the bacteria start to grow and multiply.

Since your system is very young (only a few months old), you could possibly just add them to your display tank now...but you will probably have a new cycle occur...hence why I'd just do it in the tubs outside your display tank!

Was gonna say the exact same thing. Add some Dr. Tim’s one and only and ghost feed it to keep the bacteria population established. I let my live rock sit for about 6 weeks because I ordered the rock before the tank. Wink Wink. By week 2 the foul smell was completely gone from all the die off and by the time I did a few water changes and fed the tank over the next two weeks it was nice and fully cured. I did put some bacteria and established Siporax in there with it to speed up the process. Good luck!