how to introduce new base/live rock into established aquarium

[ls1boost]

just as the title says i have a 55 gal been up for 6 or so monthes and i have some corals and fish and dont want to hurt them but i purchased some base rock for a 110gal build and there are a few peices that i think would add nicely to my 55 so what is the correct way to do this and not goof with the levels in the tank thanks in advance

 

[budsreef]

Just to be safe, I would put it in a separate container like Ares said to make sure. If it is out of the ocean, even if it has been dry forever there may be dead sponge material in the rock that is dry but not gone. Once it gets wet it will start the decaying process.

 

[jennm]

I'm with Ares and Bud on this one. I had a customer recently re-start a tank with old "base rock" (read: dead live rock) and weeks later he's still not fully cycled. If he'd put that into a tank with livestock, they'd have been hurting at best, and dead at worst.

Cure it in a separate vessel and test the water - you'll get your answer there. You may even want to seed it with a bit of live rock while it's curing, to help establish a new bacterial colony.

If you are adding cured live rock (cured = being in a local system and well established) and you move it to your system within a couple or 3 hours, you should be fine to do that directly into your display.

Jenn

 

[chymos45]

Not to hijack, but just for grins as it is somewhat related, I will ask. What about dead live rock that was dried in the sun, thoroughly blasted with a pressure washer to remove all signs of life (including even the coraline), and hasn't been wet in over a year?

 

[chymos45]

It's only about a 4 lb piece that is very flat and will work awsome for a shelf. Going in my existing 185 with lots of well established LR. I'm not too worried since I think I have the volume to handle it, but needed that extra ARC validation.

Back to the OP, sounds like the dry rock could be added to the existing tank slowly over time, keeping an eye on the param's.

 

[jennm]

Chymos45;374196 wrote: It's only about a 4 lb piece that is very flat and will work awsome for a shelf. Going in my existing 185 with lots of well established LR. I'm not too worried since I think I have the volume to handle it, but needed that extra ARC validation.

Back to the OP, sounds like the dry rock could be added to the existing tank slowly over time, keeping an eye on the param's.

In that instance, you should be fine, IMO.