hey, sorry to bother anyone with a long read. just started curing my liverock in the tank (16 gallon nano with 16 gallon sump. 33 gallon cut down the middle, the short way). I noticed crab feet floating around in the bucket I used to "swish" the liverock in. During aquascaping, I found two of these crabs. One's about an inch across, one about 3/4 inches across. I called the LFS, and he said to "crush them", but I figured I'd get a second opinion, since I'm only in the curing stages of the rock and I don't forsee them doing any damage at this point.
If it is a good idea to keep them (innocent until proven guilty, I heard), I'm wondering if they'll survive the curing process.
Here's details on the system they came from, my cleaning process, and and my own setup:
note: my nano is using tapwater. the LFS said tapwater would be fine until I move to more difficult corals that require more lighting.
Bought about 20 lbs of indo liverock from the LFS. I was referred to this store by other members on a canadian reef forum. They have two systems for their liverock. One for the "fresh in" rock, which is basically allways getting constant water changes, then a "nice display" system which they use to display pieces individually which have cured. He said the pieces I've bought were in their display system for 3 weeks. I have no clue how that's economical, but sounds good to me
. They put the ones I bought in a box in plastic bags. no water added by them.
when I got home, I spun each piece of liverock in a bucket of fresh saltwater at the same parameters as the tank, like the guy at the LFS said to. Noticed the crab feet floating and squirming in the bucket on the second piece, and while aquascaping, I found both of the crabs. I moved them into the sump/refugium area until I was finished aquascaping, since I didn't want to crush them.
My tank's temperature is at 80F to speed up the curing process, ph's at 8.3, kH is at 200ppm, nitrates/phosphates both undetectable from my tapwater and the aquarium before I added the liverock. Instead of 100% changes once a week, I'm going to be doing 10% daily with matching, well mixed, aerated and heated saltwater. The tank has very good water flow throughout the rock.
Will they survive if I decide to keep them? I don't have anywhere to put them during the curing process, so I know they'll experience the nasty spikes.
oh, and here's my system, which I'm quite fond of already, being my first reef. (I have a 120 gallon tanganyikan community tank, but this is my first forray into saltwater)
(the lights were only on for the pictures)
If it is a good idea to keep them (innocent until proven guilty, I heard), I'm wondering if they'll survive the curing process.
Here's details on the system they came from, my cleaning process, and and my own setup:
note: my nano is using tapwater. the LFS said tapwater would be fine until I move to more difficult corals that require more lighting.
Bought about 20 lbs of indo liverock from the LFS. I was referred to this store by other members on a canadian reef forum. They have two systems for their liverock. One for the "fresh in" rock, which is basically allways getting constant water changes, then a "nice display" system which they use to display pieces individually which have cured. He said the pieces I've bought were in their display system for 3 weeks. I have no clue how that's economical, but sounds good to me
. They put the ones I bought in a box in plastic bags. no water added by them.when I got home, I spun each piece of liverock in a bucket of fresh saltwater at the same parameters as the tank, like the guy at the LFS said to. Noticed the crab feet floating and squirming in the bucket on the second piece, and while aquascaping, I found both of the crabs. I moved them into the sump/refugium area until I was finished aquascaping, since I didn't want to crush them.
My tank's temperature is at 80F to speed up the curing process, ph's at 8.3, kH is at 200ppm, nitrates/phosphates both undetectable from my tapwater and the aquarium before I added the liverock. Instead of 100% changes once a week, I'm going to be doing 10% daily with matching, well mixed, aerated and heated saltwater. The tank has very good water flow throughout the rock.
Will they survive if I decide to keep them? I don't have anywhere to put them during the curing process, so I know they'll experience the nasty spikes.
oh, and here's my system, which I'm quite fond of already, being my first reef. (I have a 120 gallon tanganyikan community tank, but this is my first forray into saltwater)
(the lights were only on for the pictures)
