Putting live rock in while cycling?

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

I don’t know if this is in the correct forum sorry. But I know that you are supposed to put live rock into a tank to cycle it, but what if you want hitchhikers and you don’t want them to die? This is probably a very newbie question, but I needed to know.

[JBM]

Live rock is supposed to go in the tank and cycle with the tank. It is after all your filter.

 

If you have hitchikers, you could soft cycle the tank.

[Clown79]

I've never lost hitch hikers during a cycling.

 

If you are cycling with dosing ammonia, then there is a risk of the beneficial life on the rock not making it. 

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

28 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

I've never lost hitch hikers during a cycling.

 

If you are cycling with dosing ammonia, then there is a risk of the beneficial life on the rock not making it. 

How should I play this out, bc I’m making a hitchhiker tank? What do you think I should do?

[ReefGoat]

Aren't you having problems with your other tank? Like horrible cyano problems? Or have you gotten that taken care of.......If you haven't gotten that squared away and the problems figured out. Why would you want to add another tank to the mix? Not trying to be rude.  To answer your question though...........If you buy TRUE LIVE ROCK. Meaning it was cycled and wet when you bought it and you transport it a short ways, wet and immediately home and set the tank up. You shouldn't see a very strong cycle. Maybe not even a cycle at all. Because true live rock is already cycled..........Like mentioned above you could monitor the levels and do water changes when you see the ammonia spike (if it does). Just make sure the "live rock" you are buying is actually good quality "live rock". You shouldn't have any problems. 

 

edit

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

1 hour ago, ReefGoat said:

Aren't you having problems with your other tank? Like horrible cyano problems? Or have you gotten that taken care of.......If you haven't gotten that squared away and the problems figured out. Why would you want to add another tank to the mix? Not trying to be rude.  To answer your question though...........If you buy TRUE LIVE ROCK. Meaning it was cycled and wet when you bought it and you transport it a short ways, wet and immediately home and set the tank up. You shouldn't see a very strong cycle. Maybe not even a cycle at all. Because true live rock is already cycled..........Like mentioned above you could monitor the levels and do water changes when you see the ammonia spike (if it does). Just make sure the "live rock" you are buying is actually good quality "live rock". You shouldn't have any problems. 

 

edit

DONT WORRY, I’ve said on other threads that I have dealt with that problem. I just had too many fish and not enough flow.

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

The live rock that I’m going to buy is this, bc I want as many hitchhikers as possible.

[hotdrop]

It’s probably a waste of money, good chance you will seed with a bunch of very hardy pests and not much else interesting. 

[Clown79]

I don't know anything about that rock but if you use liverock that is established(not dirty or full of dying matter) you will most likely have no cycle if it stays wet from purchase to home.

 

 

There may be a small spike but you can always use prime to detoxify the ammonia in the event it does. 

 

Now if its dirty liverock you will have a full cycle. 

 

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

56 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

I don't know anything about that rock but if you use liverock that is established(not dirty or full of dying matter) you will most likely have no cycle if it stays wet from purchase to home.

 

 

There may be a small spike but you can always use prime to detoxify the ammonia in the event it does. 

 

Now if its dirty liverock you will have a full cycle. 

 

The live rock that my LFS sells has absolutely no hitchhikers in it, it’s a real bummer. Would know any good sites that I can go to buy live rock?

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

Anyone know where I can buy some live rock that will have hitchhikers? My LFS doesn’t sell anything interesting.

[Tamberav]

On 2/26/2019 at 9:58 AM, EthanPhillyCheesesteak said:

Anyone know where I can buy some live rock that will have hitchhikers? My LFS doesn’t sell anything interesting.

Gulf live rock I ordered came with crabs, mantis, corals, nems, clams, cucumbers, urchins, ect.

 

However, depending where you live, you may want to wait till weather is favorable to keep as much alive as possible. 

 

http://www.gulfliverock.com/purchase-now.html

 

Keep in mind shipping is usually more expensive than the rock from any of these companies unless you live near Florida. 

 

[JBM]

12 hours ago, Tamberav said:

Gulf live rock I ordered came with crabs, mantis, corals, nems, clams, cucumbers, urchins, ect.

 

However, depending where you live, you may want to wait till weather is favorable to keep as much alive as possible. 

 

http://www.gulfliverock.com/purchase-now.html

 

Keep in mind shipping is usually more expensive than the rock from any of these companies unless you live near Florida. 

 

 

those are some fantastic prices. IDK, maybe it's just that im more established in life and wouldnt mind dropping $500 on 100# of live rock, or that I live in new york where everything is so dam expensive (most LR from lfs here are $8-10/lb) that $5-6.5/lb is a deal including shipping.

 

I will definitely keep them in mind for when I buy a house and set up my 900g monster plywood tank

[MainelyReefer]

KP Aquatics, uncured liverock.  Set up a QT for when it comes in and soft cycle.  With this I was able to keep the Mantis shrimp, limpets, chitons, sponges, macroalgaes and numerous other life forms alive through the stinky dirty process of curing actual liverock taken from the ocean.  IMO for diversity it would be easier to buy frags with hitchhikers that self propagate.  Also hydroids have been an issue since this rock was added in my tank for what it’s worth.

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

1 hour ago, GraniteReefer said:

KP Aquatics, uncured liverock.  Set up a QT for when it comes in and soft cycle.  With this I was able to keep the Mantis shrimp, limpets, chitons, sponges, macroalgaes and numerous other life forms alive through the stinky dirty process of curing actual liverock taken from the ocean.  IMO for diversity it would be easier to buy frags with hitchhikers that self propagate.  Also hydroids have been an issue since this rock was added in my tank for what it’s worth.

How would you even buy frags with hitchhikers? Isn’t it just random?

[SmolReef]

On 3/4/2019 at 12:49 PM, GraniteReefer said:

KP Aquatics, uncured liverock.  Set up a QT for when it comes in and soft cycle.  With this I was able to keep the Mantis shrimp, limpets, chitons, sponges, macroalgaes and numerous other life forms alive through the stinky dirty process of curing actual liverock taken from the ocean.  IMO for diversity it would be easier to buy frags with hitchhikers that self propagate.  Also hydroids have been an issue since this rock was added in my tank for what it’s worth.

What kind of hydroids have you had issues with with the KP rock? I just got some, looking to try and manage issues before I move it to the display tank.

[NSReefer902]

I am

just setting up a new 75G and was planning to use a combination of KP rock and dry rock....how did you guys find the KP rock?

[Tired]

Order it from their website, KPAquatics.com.

[NSReefer902]

Just now, Tired said:

Order it from their website, KPAquatics.com.

Sorry I ment more or less how you liked it. If there was any issues with pest and how it reacted to cycling?  

[Tired]

Any place that sells rock fresh from the ocean comes with a risk of pests. All live rock comes with a pest risk, but especially the stuff packed with critters. The upside is, you get an immense amount of very interesting and harmful/beneficial creatures as well, including some that you won't find for sale anywhere. 

 

For cycling, unless you want everything on the rock to die, you're going to have to do large daily water changes for the first few days after it comes in. That removes the ammonia from whatever died in transit. Test the water daily, and when you start seeing less ammonia, you can reduce water changes. You'll have to keep doing water changes frequently until the die-off finishes rotting away, and then your tank will be cycled due to the beneficial bacteria on the rock. No need to dose ammonia or ghost feed. It'll probably be quicker than cycling with dry rock, and you'll start off with much more biodiversity. 

If you spring for the option where your rock is sent submerged in water, you should have essentially no die-off. Your tank will, essentially, be cycled as soon as you put the rock in. It costs more for shipping because the water is heavy, but you can contact them and ask about it- I believe it's something they do. The upside is, the lack of die-off means that your live rock is already cycled when you put it in, and all the cool, sensitive animals (shrimp, clams, corals, rarely even a fish) will likely survive shipping and arrive into your tank. It's what I'll be doing when I set up my next tank. You'll just want to watch for awhile in case any unwanted critters show up, destructive crabs or whatnot.

[NSReefer902]

Awesome thanks for the info! Really appreciate it!