how long?

[Monkey55]

Just wondering, I added 43 lbs of live rock to my 29 gallon Tank. And I seeded a 2" sand bed with a handful of sand.How long until I start to see some action in my tank. All I have seen so far is: a rock crab which I got rid of, and a ton of aptasia on two rocks. (which I ten pulled the rocks out and thoroughly flushed the portion of the live rock that had aiptasia with boiling water, it seemed to work, It didn't come back, but I probably killed a ton of good stuff too) I have also seen a few feather dusters, a white tentacle/root? I can't ID, and a sea sponge. But it has ben three days, And I am just wondering how long until I see some really neat stuff?

[navajo]

It usually takes a couple weeks to really see any reproduction/regrowth. Was it cured LR or Uncured?

[TekCat]

varies from LR to LR. I've just found something new... and I had rock for 1 year :)))

[navajo]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8860527#post8860527 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TekCat
varies from LR to LR. I've just found something new... and I had rock for 1 year :)))

Good point! I fond new stuff all the time and it has been months since I added any rock. It is probably the part I like best about the hobby, never knowing what will pop up next.

[reefshadow]

It depends on how long the cycle takes and what lives through it. You may seem some unnoticed critters if you look in there with a flashlight a few hours after lights out.

Hope you got alot of goodies. If not you can probably find some fellow reefers willing to give you some 'starts' of things like stomatella snails, mini brittles, spaghetti worms, pods, and things like that.

Some things you may not notice for a couple of months, some macro algaes in particular can be dormant little nubs for a loooong time.

Good luck

[Monkey55]

It was cured rock, and according to tests I am getting the smallest cycle ever. I was thinking of throwing a piece of raw shrimp in to get it going, what do you think?

[navajo]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8862277#post8862277 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Htmack
It was cured rock, and according to tests I am getting the smallest cycle ever. I was thinking of throwing a piece of raw shrimp in to get it going, what do you think?

If it was really fully cured and not out of the water very long, you won't get a very big cycle. If you want to be sure, go ahead and throw a small shrimp in there and track your levels, but it may be that you are ready to go (slowly, of course). One sure fire way to tell is check your NitrAte levels. If you have 0 NitrIte and Ammonia, and some NitrAte, you are cycled.

[Monkey55]

It was only in transportation for 3 hours, so yah, it is probably done.

[TekCat]

So, LR pretty much cured and stuff. Now the key is sloooowly add bioload so nitrifying bacteria has enough time to multiply. IMHO, you could start feeding imaginary fish (frozen foods or flakes) instead of dropping a dead shrimp. In a few weeks you could add cleaners.

good luck