Need to Cycle After Adding Cured Live Rock?

Navarchus

Almost smarter than a pig
I just purchased fully cured live rock from coral display tanks at my LFS. This rock only took a 10 min ride from the LFS to my house, and was packaged in H2O. There should have been no die-off.

I understand the nitrogen cycle, and was all prepared to wait a few weeks and check ammonia and nitrite levels until they were zero, but a day after adding the rock both are at zero. Then it then dawned on me that the bacteria on the rock will need at least some ammonia and nitrite to survive. Now I am wondering if it will do more harm than good to wait before adding animals.

What say you?
 
Sage advice. Do you think there will be an adverse affect on the biactivity of the rock if I wait too long?
 
I'd go a head and add either a fish or some CUC.
Your right,bacteria has to be fed,or it'll die off.
We set up new fully stocked displays at my LFS all the time using cured live rock.And when I say fully stocked,I mean fish,inverts,and corals.
 
I'd go a head and add either a fish or some CUC.
Your right,bacteria has to be fed,or it'll die off.
We set up new fully stocked displays at my LFS all the time using cured live rock.And when I say fully stocked,I mean fish,inverts,and corals.
and *cough* mantis shrimp *cough*
 
It will take a lot longer than a few days or a couple weeks for the bacteria to die off, so you really don't need to worry about that. If your readings stay at zero for a few days, then I'd say to go ahead and add a small cleaner crew and one or two small fish.
 
Thanks all! I will probably get a CUC in there this weekend if the levels stay low. I don't have time to get to the store until then anyway. I can't wait!
 
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