adding live rock

[ZOOT098]

how much CURED live rock can i add at a time without setting off some kind of cycle?

 

[daugherty]

you never know you could ad 100 pounds once with no problem and add ten pounds another and get a cycle. just smell the water the rock comes out of if it stinks that i would not use it. i would try about 20 pounds at a time.

 

[reeffreak]

To be on safe side,add small amounts....maybe 10lbs at a time.The rocks should smell fresh and not like a dirty old sock.

 

[ZOOT098]

played it safe
went with 15lbs
brought it home in a bucket of water
rock smelled fine

 

[Alexander]

15 that doesn't smell bad should be just fine. Really it depends on how well the rock is shipped. Unless you have bought it direct from a lfs that has already had it in a big live rock container cycling. Damp newspaper methods of shipping usually fair best as the temp won't be able to fluctuate as bad as lr that is submerged in water. The die off should be less so it will have less of a chance of much cycling.

 

[ZOOT098]

luckily my semiLFS is That Fish Place in Lancaster Pa
swear i could spend the whole day there
i still take my coral book with me though because the salespeople will tell you anything is easy to take care of

1 sales guy actually told me a mantis shrimp would be fine in my community tank

i just look it up for myself

so i picked my rock right out of their holding tanks and into my bucket of water

i think it will be fine

 

[RAYRAY]

good luck with that.. I put about 15 lbs of cured rock and didnt have a cycle.

 

[simpleman]

1 sales guy actually told me a mantis shrimp would be fine in my community tank

Technically he's right, the mantis would be just fine, I don't know about everything else :shock:

 

[Piggy]

That's where I bought my last LR. I just made sure it didn't have any loose stuff then added it to my tank. Never got a mini cycle. I'm going there at the end of the month for their big sale.

 

[ZOOT098]

simple, i didnt even think of that
you are correct a mantis will be fine in a community reef tank, its everything else that may not fare too well:D