Adding live Rock to 8 month tank

[sdtrippe]

Hello I have a 55 gal with dsb. and 4 damels.I have 48" 4 X 65 watt lighting system.I am new to sw and I was told that all sw aquariums need live rock .But my problem is that I was worried about my having to cylcle again while the live rock is in place .Or should I place a fews pounds at a time? Theonly thing about that is that I have to get this live rock air shipped to me from Fla.The only source I have right now for live rock.I could see if my lfs would hold them or give me credit, since I would like more dosel fish.What should I do?Thanks for any ideas.

sdtrippe

 

[hdtran]

If you're getting live rock from the local store, where it has already cycled, and you bag it (in water) and bring it home, you will most likely not have a second cycle in your tank.

If you have it air-shipped (FL to MS is not that long a flight), you may or may not have a second cycle.

A few pounds at a time is safest. But if you don't want to kill yourself with shipping, a secondary tank (can even be a large rubbermaid tub) with suitable equipment should do the trick.

Or, just gamble, and be prepared to do daily (or 2x/day) water changes for a week (or two) to keep your ammonia/nitrites from going toxic on you.

By the way, would a kind administrator give you the big "WELCOME TO REEFS.ORG" banner message?

I would say, finally, that I consider a good protein skimmer just as important as the live rock and substrate.

Hy

 

[Fl_Seagull]

If you want to do a fish only tank, live rock is not required. You are currently running some form of filter system. Live rock is used along with a skimmer to be a filter system.

Live rock does have other advantages which include the various animals and plants that come with it. Some of those things can cause problems most do not. The normal recommondation of waiting several months after put rock into your system is usually based on the cycle which is likely to occur. That cycle will stress or kill your damels.

The issue that is not very much talked about is the introduction of disease and parasites. Adding the rock and waiting, in effect, minimizes the risk of problems. Adding the rock to a system with fish increases the risk of problems for the fish. The rock curing process cause stress and stressed fish are less able to fight off disease. If the rock introduces something, your fish are working at a disavantage. If the fish get sick, most of the time you can't added meds to the tank without killing something on the LR.

Since I suspect I have introduced parasitic isopods to my system by adding LR after I added fish, I would either not add LR or turn in the damsels for credit and then add the rock.

 

[ZooKeeper1]

Are you getting florida aquacultured liverock? If so the rock usually comes very full of life like sponges, mussels, algae, and usually mantis shrimp. Chances are there will be some die-off with this kind of rock, so I would cure it in a seperate tank just to be safe. Or move Your damsels to a seperate tank, but remember damsels are a tough fish that is commonly recomended for cycling new tanks.

 

[Anonymous]

Here is the safest way

Get your rock and put it in a rubbermaid trashcan with salt water, a heater, and a cheapo powerhead.

Test the water and do water changes until the cycle is complete. That took about a month for me. During this time you can also pick off any things you do not want on the rock, and you can scrub off any dead organisms.

After the cycle is complete, and you have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and 0 Nitrates you can add the rock to the tank.

This went pretty hassle free for me

 

[sdtrippe]

The rubber maid sounds like a good idea. How much room should I give the lr in the rubbermaid? In other words do I have get a 55 gal for a 100lbs of LR?

 

[Anonymous]

I used a 20 gallon trashcan for 40 lbs of rock, there was a bit of room left over.

 

[Baianotang]

throw it in the tank, lets not go crazy here. Come on its: <4 "damsels">

 

[Anonymous]

Damsels. The fish we love to hate!