Cycling Live Rock

[realfish]

Not sure if that is the approriate title, but anyway, I'm getting ready to set up a 100 gallon tank. I bought some live rock out of an established tank the other day. It looks like it's in pretty good shape as far as die off goes. I have it sitting in a rubbermaid container in my garage with a skimmer and heat.

Should I be throwing something in there to generate some ammonia so that I have the bacteria ready to go when I put it in the tank?

 

[jennm]

No, if it's already cured, you should be able to set it up right away. I'm assuming you will let the tank settle out a bit before you start adding livestock?

Rock from an established tank may not (should not) cause an ammonia spike, and IMO it's not necessary when setting up a new tank in this fashion.

I do suggest letting it run without livestock once you get it going - keep an eye on chemistry and wait for the diatom bloom before proceeding.

Jenn

 

[realfish]

Just to make sure, the live rock will be stored in a rubbermaid for several weeks before being put into the tank (I don't have the tank yet). I was thinking it would be a good idea to generate some ammonia to keep the bacteria going.

 

[dakota9]

If you wanted to feed the live rock </em>sparingly while it was in the container, that would be completely acceptable. That would help bolster bacteria populations. Also a calcium supplement and a standard light bulb would give you a jumpstart on coraline.

I've done both these with good results...

 

[realfish]

Dakota9;336265 wrote: If you wanted to feed the live rock </em>sparingly while it was in the container, that would be completely acceptable. That would help bolster bacteria populations. Also a calcium supplement and a standard light bulb would give you a jumpstart on coraline.

I've done both these with good results...

Thanks. This is what I was after. I'll have to rig up some kind of light. Too bad I already hung my T5 light.

 

[jennm]

I wouldn't "feed" it - it has already got biological processes (eating/pooping) going on by the fauna within it.

JMHO
Jenn

 

[dakota9]

True,
The rock already has organisims eating and pooping, but by (SPARINGLY, like a few flakes every few days)feeding more, you would actually be increasing the rock's ability to grow more bacteria, If you over feed then you're running into the same issues with ammonia a nitrite you always would......

A regular light bulb can make a huge difference in coraline algae growth at this phase, as it would be putting out close to the actual spectrum the algae would need to grow, providing you provide a calcuim source to feed the coraline.

Cooking the rock would be a huge waste of the natural fauna and flora you paid for. Why do people buy live rock and then cook it? Why not just try to procure dead live rock to begin with and save some money? You end up with the same thing. I understand in some instances when a parasite or nusance algae is involved, but to take healthy live rock and intentionally kill it is just a waste of resources, to say the least!!!!!!

I'm not just hypothosising here, I've actually done this several times with good results.

I also incorporated a few basic water changes, btw.

Happy Reefing