Base rock adding?

[True Percula]

Hi,
I am about to buy base rock from a LFS and wondering if i can just directly add it to my 1year old 29gallon with 35 pounds of liverock...Or should i get a bucker take like 10 pounds of liverock and add the new base rock in the bucket and wait for a week for it to become okay to put in the tank...How many weeks must i leave the liverock and base rock n the bucket for the base rock to become "LIVE"?

[spoiledcats]

I think it depends on how much base rock you plan on adding. I had 60 lbs. of live rock, and added 55 lbs of base rock to it. Some base rock can alter PH by raising it. I had no problems.

[True Percula]

so just add it directly?

[cephlopus]

I have added roughly thirty pounds of base rock to a seventy five gallon tank that was ayear old and had no isuues. however, I did the same thing to an empty octo tank(no octo at the time) of the same size and 90lbsof rock and my ph jumped up to almost 8.0. Then I started a nano tank fifteen gal with a half pound of live rock and twenty six pounds of base and it was stabalized after only two days. I would keep the base rock with the live for at least five days but you may be able to switch it over earlier Just keep an eye on the ph. It really depends on the type of water that you start with. if you can use RO/DI hope that helps
Josh

[cephlopus]

I would take the time to bucket cure the base just to be on the safe side and avoid any hassel

[fsa]

When you say base rock, do you mean dry stuff or something that he has put in a tank? Most lfs that I know/read about generally sell a couple kinds of "dry" rock for salt aquariums. Usually "lace" rock or possibly "tufa" rock. I am sure there are others, too.

Most base rock from a lfs (hopefully one you are familiar with) should be safe (just checking here). I have used both the lace and the tufa. The lace, I would rinse (maybe scrub some) pretty good (not sure what is on it) and the tufa, rinse it out some. I don't see either one of those two types really affecting your ph (at least that much), but don't know. What does the guy at the lfs say?

Frank

[True Percula]

I meant DRY base rock

[True Percula]

Anyone?