Adding Pukani dry live rock to an established aquarium
Hello Everyone!
I have a newly established 125 g saltwater aquarium with 60 Lbs live sand and 30 Lbs live rocks and some green chromis. Everything is good so far! I recently purchased 80 Lbs of Pukani dry live rock. My question is how to add the dry rock to an established aquarium. Any help will be appreciate it and thank you. |
If it were me I'd like to know if the rock will leach any nutrients into the water.
If yes, then I'd add slowly over time placing about 10-20lbs in at a time while the rest is in a brute container curing. If no, then I'd add all at the same time and scape once. I'd be willing to bet you wont have a leaching problem with this rock. |
Thank you for the quick reply.
I was told to just wash the rock for any dust then just put it in the tank, but I am not sure. I am planing to put the new rock in a saltwater for a bout a week then introduce it to the tank! |
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After the week in the container test for phosphates. If the phosphates are high then it's easier to take care of the problem before it goes into the aquarium. Otherwise you will be battling algae until all of the phosphates leach out and are exported from your aquarium. I bought the same rock and have high phosphates. They are still in the garage. If I were in a hurry I would run GFO, but im not so I use my water I take from the aquarium in water changes and use it to change out the rock bin.
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Perfect I will do that. I really appreciate your help :)
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save The water, when you do water change. Soak the rocks for week or 2 with a small circulation pump. Then add to system. That’s what I would do
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Thank you! Yes, I am about to do my first water change after having the tank running for about a 3 weeks now with some chromis and a clown tang which are doing just great so far and for that matter I am not sure when to do the first water change since I will be adding my dry rocks in a week from now. Will it be better to do the water change now and use that water for the dry rocks or wait til I introduce the dry rocks then do a water change. Any thoughts?
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The rocks will be leaching for months so it makes no difference. The longer you cure the roxka outside of the tank the better off you will be. Set a heater and power head in the cure container and forget about it for a while.
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Dry Pukani will leach phosphates... there’s tons of dried dead stuff on there. Soak it in a brute trash can with RODI water for a couple of days, it will stink... badly. Change the water every couple of days and repeat the process for a few weeks until the water doesn’t stink any more. Then soak in heated saltwater and test for phosphates. It will be sky high. If you’re not in a rush, change the saltwater every week for a few months until the phosphate readings go down. To speed up the process, dose lanthum chloride (commercial strength SeaKlear). Lanthum chloride dosing is detailed in this long but very informative Pukani dry rock curing thread.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2049855 |
How much do phosphates bother you? They will in fact go away. I think it is over kill to acid bath the rocks for months but thats just me. People freak out about nothing in this hobby
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I would not add dry pukani to any tank without first washing it and soaking it for a bit to see if phosphates are an issue.
I just rebooted my tank due to dry pukani leeching massive amounts of PO4 that was fueling algae growth and killing corals. Have a look through my build thread and you'll see the issues and corals I have lost over the course of this last year. Not an overblown issue at all, but I would not acid wash them for a month. A couple hours in muriatic acid, then a soaking in RO/DI while testing PO4, and possibly using some lanthanum chloride to mop up the PO4. Then and only then would I add it to my tank. |
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An acid bath is over the top IMO, however curing in salt water with regular water changes is a good idea. |
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I would wager that the few green chromis that he has in his tank would be dead in no time due to the massive ammonia spike were he to add some uncured Pukani into his tank. We both know that stuff is filthy. If handled properly however, I think it’s the best dry rock available in our hobby.
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I'd give the rock a bleach bath then rinse it off in rodi or old tank water a few times then cure it in salt water and test for PO till they are close to 0.
I like bleach over acid since its safer and the acid can remove 15-25% of your rocks weight. Bleach is almost as good but take your time. Once your PO readings are close to 0, I'd play it safe and add the rock slowly to your tank to be on the safe side. |
I did acid, bleach and cure for a month. The rock is filthy and you'll save yourself a lot of problems down the road.
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Just to confirm what Dmorty217 said: yes, this is a new setup. It is 125 G with 60 lbs live sand, 30-40 lbs of live rocks and some Chromis in and no corals that's been running for less than a month. I asked a couple of local fish stores experts here in VA (not petco or petsmart) and I was told just rinse the rocks is a salt water from the aquarium for couple days (maybe a week) and I should be good to go!
Always thank you to all |
When you smell the water from that first soak, you may very well change your mind... In fact you might want to keep the soaking rock on the porch or in your garage. Trust me! ;)
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I would cure the rock for a month or two in some heated salt water with a circulation pump, changing the water every other week or so. There's a stickie up top on how to cure rock http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2622801
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Obviously I am not going to put that rock in my tank til the smell is gone and the water is clear and yes I am going to cure it in the garage.
Always thank you! |
Update:
After 8 days of soaking the dry rocks in a heated saltwater and power head on and changed the water 100% after 4 days when I noticed the water is terribly bad, green, stink,...now after 8 days, the water looks so much clear, no odor and after testing for first time the water today, all parameters are good except of little ammonia. Planing to do another water change tomorrow and test again and I think I should be good to go :) |
Keep an eye on that PO4 as well...
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