Adding more rock

[Dasani]

Hey I had a question. I have about 13 lbs of BASE rock in my 20H tank. I know that adding LIVE rock after the tank has cycled can like spike your levels and cause a cycle, but what about dry BASE OR DEAD ROCK? Or does adding 100% cured rock spike your levels? PLUS i ALREADY HAVE $75 WORTH OF LIVESTOCK, TANK HAS BEEN RUNNING ALMOST A MONTH

 

[iani]

It depends on if the base rock has any organics on it. If it does it will start a new cycle.

 

[Dasani]

But I thought base rock was dead? NO nothing on it...

 

[iani]

Nope, some dry rock have organics on it.

 

[Dasani]

Hmmm. I'll see what I can do. How do I know if it has organics on it or not?

 

[Eggs]

Considering you have a smaller tank volume, you should be careful with adding either.
Do you have a sump attached?

 

[Dasani]

No, I have a lot of smaller pieces, I would like to trade back some of them for some bigger ones

 

[150er]

Dry or dead rock can have little creatures live in it, or unknown substances that still in there. When you put in your tank, they die or substances leak out, can spike your parameters.

 

[sleeper]

If you do decide to add some, I would recommend adding it in small amounts and watching your parameters. This is how I added rock to my 55g over the course of about a year. I added about 20lbs live rock to start and then added my base rock a few lbs at a time. This way if some gets outta wack its not a huge problem. Probably have about 60lbs in now and it all looks uniform and covered in coraline at this point.

 

[ricwilli]

I would just cure the rock before putting it in the DT to be safe.

 

[knockout]

I would just cure the rock before putting it in the DT to be safe.

++++1

Cure the rock in a bucket with a power head and heater, use the water from your water changes to change the water on the new rock, once you have readings of 0 amonia, 0 nitrite & 0 nitrates, then you can start thinking about adding a few pieces at a time

 

[hounddog01]

I would just cure the rock before putting it in the DT to be safe.

Very good advise. use a rubbermaid and a power head to circulate the water. You can use a heater or not, really does not matter.

 

[amore169]

I would just cure the rock before putting it in the DT to be safe.

+1 I been curing about 400 pounds of live rock and I treat it like if I would treat my tank, with water changes ( not as often ) protein skimmer, heater, power heads, light, filter, suplemments.

 

[Dasani]

My LFS already has cured rock in their sumps. Could I add maybe 10 lbs or that? or would that be too much?

 

[subielover]

I don't trust lfs' to have fully cured rocks. They very well might, but no need to take a chance here, IMO.

 

[Dasani]

I trust my LFS (i know I know) They just opened up in the last year and they don't even have a store, they have lots of tanks in their house and run it in their house. They grow all their frags in their 210g and 160g display tanks. They sale cured rock for $4.50/lb.