PDA

View Full Version : Adding live rock to an existing tank- Q


chicagophil
12/26/2008, 10:41 AM
So i have a 24Gallon Nano and want to Bump up the LR amount in the tank. I am going to be adding some Gobbies, blennies and a 6 Line Wrassie to the tank.

So adding some LR means a re-aquascaping.

I am thinking about drilling some nice sized Tubes through the LR for my inhabinants. Thoughts-?

The LR that i am going to use if from a LFS and sits in a Giant Tank with alot of flow. - Will it still cycle in my tank?

Do i need to do anything special with the LR?

jon99
12/26/2008, 11:05 AM
It depends a lot on how long the rock has been at the store. If they just got it in it will most likely create a small cylce no matter what you do. If it has been there for weeks it probably already has cycled and you can minimize the one in your tank. One thing I would suggest you do to minimize the cycle (if there will be one) is treat it just like a coral or fish. Bring a bucket to the store when you pick it up and keep it submerged in water on the way home. Try to do this on a warmer day (Chicago, haha, yeah right) and do it as fast as you can, without getting speeding tickets ofcourse. You can even drip acclimate it once you get it home, the whole nine yards to make the transition from one tank to the other as undisruptive as possible. Again this will all be in vain if the rock just flew in from Fiji wraped in newspaper 2 days prior. Maybe you can pay for the rock in advance and have them hold it for you in their tank for a few weeks so you can make sure it's cured. That or set up some trashcans and do it yourself! Good luck

Jeff
12/26/2008, 11:10 AM
You can wrap the rock in soaked paper towels or newspapers to keep the die-off down and minimize the cycle.

cczarnik
12/26/2008, 11:19 AM
Depending on the type of rock, drilling might not work. Some of the rock I've worked with is quite soft- just crumbles and breaks apart. Other as hard a concrete- ymmv. If you want rock with tunnels / etc., be selective in the new pc's you buy and see if you can get the effect without chiselwork.

As far as the cycle q, if fully cycled at the LFS, you prob won't have to worry much (just keep it moist). But be in the habit of testing for a cycle for a week or so after you add rock (or other things that substantially change the bioload, such as fish).