Live Rock For Ten Gallon Reef

[brandon4432]

The tank has cycled with minimal dry rock, I received a shipment of an additional 10 pounds of live rock. After receiving the rock in the mail I started to cycle it in a small container. The water in the container has ammonia reading of over 8 PPM( Api test kit) how long will it be until I can put the rock in my display which houses snails, crabs, starfish? The tank has cycled with the amount of rock in this picture.

 

[Harold Green]

I don't know how much ammonia the star fish can tolerate but the snails and crabs could have probably withstood you adding the new rock directly to your tank. By cycling it in your tank you would have added more bacteria to the dry rock you had started your tank with. I wish the sellers would differentiate between fresh live rock and rock that has to be cycled. Fresh rock depending on shipping often does not need to be cycled whereas rock like you received may have dead sponges, etc. that need to be removed and the rock cycled for a week or more depending on how you cycle it. You can most likely get away with adding the rock little by little to your display starting now as long as you don't add large pieces that still require a lot of cycling. Conversely you can wait until your rock in the small container reads zero on ammonia and nitrites before adding it all at once.

 

[brandon4432]

I don't know how much ammonia the star fish can tolerate but the snails and crabs could have probably withstood you adding the new rock directly to your tank. By cycling it in your tank you would have added more bacteria to the dry rock you had started your tank with. I wish the sellers would differentiate between fresh live rock and rock that has to be cycled. Fresh rock depending on shipping often does not need to be cycled whereas rock like you received may have dead sponges, etc. that need to be removed and the rock cycled for a week or more depending on how you cycle it. You can most likely get away with adding the rock little by little to your display starting now as long as you don't add large pieces that still require a lot of cycling. Conversely you can wait until your rock in the small container reads zero on ammonia and nitrites before adding it all at once.

Yes the rock I received has a lot of dead matter:/ I'm hoping it doesn't take too long to cycle but I'm very nervous about adding it to the tank right now, due to high levels of ammonia

 

[Harold Green]

Normal cycling of a tank is 6 to 8 weeks but in a container that's aerated it may be considerably less. Check daily and don't change the water in the cycling container unless you're trying to save some of the life on the rock as that delays cycling.