Live Rock/Base Rock Question

[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.

[SmallFry]

Originally Posted by Myka

Also, do not fall for the 1 snail/hermit per gallon trick. .

+1

Myka warned me about this one when I started my tank off. Good thing - if I'd gone with the recommendations of 1 per gallon I'm sure they'd have been starving to death in no time.

If you're thinking of turbo snails I'd be very conservative in the numbers - I can tell you from experience (I used to have a big algae problem) that given a chance a zebra turbo snail can eat a truly mindboggling amount of algae.

Was kinda cool though - every time I left for work I'd look in the tank and there'd be another big bright white patch on the rocks.

Rob.

[Eb0la11]

Originally Posted by 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...

Too bad you dont live in Calgary I was going to suggest I come grab a couple off you!

Originally Posted by 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.

Ahhh, the old fishless cycle trick. Good idea actually. Wouldnt there be some ammonia on my cured rock, even if only a small amount? Maybe I'll try something like this just to see how strong my denitrifying bacteria is.

Thanks for the help guys. I'll keep checking levels and be sure to introduce some extra ammonia just in case my live rock isnt really producing any. Though there are also two crabs in my tank that hitch hiked. One's body is half the size of a dime the other the size of a quarter so they are definitely producing some.

I'll have to research my CUC a bit more. I was thinking snails, hermits (even though some people dont like them), probably 2-3 emerald crabs, some brittle stars and perhaps one tiger tail cucumber.

Only thing is Im not sure what kind of snail. Ive researched in the past and "thought" turbo snails were destructive, often knocking over corals (which seems like a sort of small problem to me) What snails should I stay away from?