Live Rock/Base Rock Question

[Eb0la11]

Hey guys,

ok so I have a mixture of rock here that Im wanting to get into my system.

• I have about 20 lbs of dry rock that was in a fellow reefers system about 5 months ago. This rock had aiptasia on it and has been drying out for those 5 months. Yesterday I sprayed it down pretty good and scrubbed it a bit to get off loose particles and some old dried out aiptasia.
  
• Next I have some live rock I bought from a reefer about a month ago. Its been in a rubbermaid tub with a lid on it to prevent any evaporation as well as a heater and powerhead circulating the water. I have about 30 lbs of this.
  
• Lastly I have some rock I bought from Gold's aquarium and also a piece from Pisces. In total here I have about 22 lbs. These are fully cured I suppose.

So my question is mostly pertaining to the dry base rock that had aiptasia on it, do you guys think, now that Ive cleaned it off, that I should just add to my system right now with all the other rock? This is a brand new system, this is the first rock going in and its basically going to start my cycle. So should I put in that dry stuff now or should I put it into the rubbermaid for a bit first (maybe a couple weeks?) to leach out any other nutrients it still may have on it and then into the display?

Thanks!

[Myka]

If I were you I would put the dry rock into a separate Rubbermaid and cook it for several weeks to get all the nutrients out of it. It will leach a lot of nutrients having been dried out, and it will take quite a while to flush it all out of the rock.

[Eb0la11]

Ok, and so when I add it to my display after cooking it, will it cause the tank to endure another mini cycle or what do you think? I am hoping my cycle of the DT will be done by that time, but I cant say for sure I guess?

Say I have my CUC in there once this dried rock is done cooking, it wont hurt them will it?

[Eb0la11]

Also, whats the difference in cooking old LR in regular old tap water compared to salt water? Nutrients would still leach out wouldnt they? Does anyone do this? Its not like it has anything valuable on there Im trying to preserve, Im just stripping it down to its bare rock essentials... no?

[Myka]

You could cook dried out rock in tap water. Are you using tap water for the tank? If you are using RO water for the tank you should cook in RO water at least though since you will probably contaminate the rock with heavy metals and organics from the tap water. However, it would be wise to finish the cooking with saltwater for the last couple weeks to get the saltwater well flushed into the rock, once you do that add a few pieces of cured "real" live rock to seed the previously dead stuff with bacteria and oter life forms. If you cook the rock properly, and don't have the rock out of the tank long when transfering into the display you will not create a cycle.

[Eb0la11]

Ok sweet, I can handle all of that. I'll cook it in RO since thats whats in my display. Right now its in the same water the live rock from one of the fellow reefers was in. So I'll leave it in that for like a week then go back to RO so I dont have to waste salt. Then for at least a week or two at the end it'll be back in salt with a seeded rock from the DT like you said. Thanks Myka!

[Myka]

You're welcome. Have fun with your Rubbermaid tubs...I have three going right now - driving me nuts!

[Eb0la11]

So I got another question lol. Ok so keep in mind this is my first ever start from scratch tank, including my fresh water days. Ive always had some kind of seeded bacteria (such as in a filter or whatever) for FW, so Ive never gone through a brand new cycle really. Only small ones when I add stuff to the tank.

So yesterday I put in my live rock. You can see what kind of live rock I have up above.

I only put in LR 'B' and 'C' from that list. LR 'A' is curing for several weeks Ive decided.

Soooo, I feel like I have good LR that has been well preserved and doesnt have much die off because today I took a reading for the first time (roughly 24 hrs after putting the LR in my tanK) and right now my ammonia level is zero and my nitrite level is zero as well. Nitrate is miniscule as well at between 5-10 ppm.

So obviously I have some denitrifying bacteria on my LR already. So my question is, do I have a bigger release of nutrients on the way that will cause a big cycle? I mean I thought I'd be experiencing it in my test levels by now. Am I foolish to be "dreaming" that I can add my CUC two days after adding my LR to a brand new system?

[Myka]

IMO, wait until you have 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite for a full week. You may not actually get much or any cycle using cured rock. Don't ever add a CUC unless there is something for them to eat. Also, do not fall for the 1 snail/hermit per gallon trick. I have 7 Astrea snails, 2 Emerald crabs, 2 small fighting conches, and Stomatellas snails breed on their own in my 90 gallon tank to give you an idea of what you're looking for. If you can find someone who has stomatella snails that you can get 2 or 3 from they will breed. My tank started with only 2, and now has many. They are great because their numbers will decline or increase with the amount of available food.

[PoonTang]

You can also introduce ammonia to your system and cause it to cycle to increase your bacteria population. Throw 1 uncooked table shrimp into your tank and let it rot. Now take your readings and it is ready when everything reaches 0 again. You can wait to do this until you add your last pieces of rock that you are cooking. Then sit back and wait for a week or so at least. Some people wait 2-4 months.