Adding rock?

[michaelbog]

Hello

 

I’d like to add a softball sized piece of rock to a 10 gallon. It would go on top of current live rock. I want to add some hieght to the aquascape.  I’d like it to be a piece of live rock but if dry would be a better option I can do that too. The tank has been running for 1 year 3 months. Corals, clown fish and anemone. Snails and crabs. It’s doing well. Any problems from adding rock dry or live. Mini cycle is a term I read about. Should I cycle in a bucket first? 

 

Thanks for the time. 

 

Michael

[slowngreen]

You want it to be fully cured. Easiest will be to buy a piece from you local fish store out of an established tank.

[Clown79]

The safest way to know if day or liverock will be safe to add is by placing the rock in a container of SW with a heater and water movement.

 

Test ammonia for a week(or use ammonia badge alert) 

 

If no ammonia is present after a week, you are safe.

 

 

I have used caribsea liferock with no issues, that's another option.

[4Swanson2Reefer0N00b]

What's the possibilities of adding a piece of dry to an established tank anyhow?  I've been rather cavalier about adding little chunks and fragments in the last few months of a similarly established and aged tank.  Diatoms at worst?

[Pinner Reef]

Smell your LR before adding it. This sounds stupid but if it smells like rotting sea creatures you'll need to cycle that in a bucket. If the rock smells 'earthy' (like a wet cave) it will cause little to no cycle. 

 

You don't need a heater to cycle the rock but it'll speed up the process.

 

Dry rock will still house some detritus from when it was dried but will be the least detrimental.

 

A tank that established should be watched but will most likely be able to handle everything but uncured LR. 

 

A $10 ammonia badge would be a wise investment regardless.

[Clown79]

6 hours ago, 4Swanson2Reefer0N00b said:

What's the possibilities of adding a piece of dry to an established tank anyhow?  I've been rather cavalier about adding little chunks and fragments in the last few months of a similarly established and aged tank.  Diatoms at worst?

You can have a spike in ammonia if it's not completely devoid of life.

 

Caribsea liferock is man made and injected with bacteria, so it's safe.

 

Regular dry rock isn't usually man made and may have organics in it that causes ammonia spikes.

 

I added a small piece of dry Rick to my pico jar and even though there was established LR in there, I had an ammonia spike.

 

I added lots of caribsea liferock yo mu 25g with liverock and no issues. Same thing with my 10g.

I've tested liferock in a bucket and no spikes from it 

 

 

Most recently, I added liverock to my 5.5g after redoing my aquascape.

The liverock was full of feather dusters, coralline, and didn't smell bad nor any dying material on it.

My 5.5g went through a spike with a half pound rock added. I had to use Prime and bacteria for 2 weeks.

 

[michaelbog]

Thanks for the advice. I think I’ll go the live rock and cycle in a bucket. 

 

Happy thanksgiving. 

 

Michael. 

[michaelbog]

Ok so I have had a piece of live rock from a saltwater planted tank I have in a bucket of SW with a heater and a power head since Nov 23. I have scrubbed. Can I add it to the tank now or wait longer?

 

thanks for the time. 

 

Michael

[Clown79]

Most likely. Did you ever test the water it was in? 

[michaelbog]

I didn’t life got crazy. I barely had time for WC. Thanks for the time. 

[michaelbog]

Ok so added the rock. 

 

The frag plug with the  anemone fell over. But all seems ok.