Adding new live rock to an established tank

[Garrett706]

I'm wanting to add some live Rock to my tank, my LFS has live rock in their tanks for sale and of course they just tell you buy it and throw it I which I'm pretty sure wouldn't be to good of an idea.

What is the proper way to introduce new live rock without a QT?

 

[naplesbaitman]

I'm by no means an expert, but I do know this... CHECK IT WELL. I added about 25 more pounds to my tank last week and come to find out, one of the rocks is infested with aptasia.

 

[dmolavi]

Run it in a QT tank for a while, make sure any die off is gone, and that it isn't infested with any little critters.

 

[Sniperhank]

Any container that'll hold water will do. When I added more rock to my 55, I put it in an old keg orator with a pump and heater. Keep it going for a month and test levels. Even if there was no die off from the original rock, a 'cure' period will at least ensure as few baddies get in.

 

[erichm20]

+1 go get a Rubbermaid tub and put the rock in there with a powehead and a Heater.

I just started curing a bunch of dead dry rock my uncle had in his garage for 2 years. For the first fill up I used the tank water from my water change. I'll do 100% water changes the first few times and rearrange it and inspect it.

In a month or so, when ammonia and nitrite is zero I'll put it in the tank and sump

With yours since it is already partially "alive" I would inspect it closer to see what hitchhikers you may have.

This is the tub I used its 22 gallons

 

[Bray84]

I've started adding more as not long upgraded and get from lfs cured rock but only add bit at time and its been ok so far so. ill say little at time and you should see not spikes

 

[clark4feathers]

live rock

I have a Seahorse tank....I have added rock on occasion...I like to soak it in a bucket that has water that is hypo salinity. The critters bail out like rats on a sinking ship. Small worms are ok however when they start to get big, I give them the boot

 

[Garrett706]

I have a Seahorse tank....I have added rock on occasion...I like to soak it in a bucket that has water that is hypo salinity. The critters bail out like rats on a sinking ship. Small worms are ok however when they start to get big, I give them the boot

I've done a lot of research and doing a hypo salinity treatment sounds to be the best I've come across but, I can't find any info on doing it on live rock.

Do you add it straight into hyposaline water or bring the SG down slowly as if you we're treating an ill fish? How long do you treat it? Does it get rid of aiptasia ( that is one of my biggest concerns)? Do you use water from the DT and dilute it down before you add the rock?

I know it's a lot of ?'s for rock but its not the rock concerned about, I want to take all the precautions so that when I add it to my DT I won't have head aches.

KCCO

 

[marsh]

Omg I am following this thread... I have a 55g I plan to set up this week with cured rock, but I am also tearing down an Ex-room mates 29+15 that must have 45 pounds of LR in it, sadly I also see tons of green hair algae(which I rip off pretty often) and sparse bubble algae here and there.

The confusing part is what to do with the pulsing favia and polyps that have magically survived 5 months of maltreatment...

good luck

 

[clark4feathers]

ahh to me it was not rocket science. I pulled the rock out of the old tank, placed it in a bucket. Poured the old salt water on top about 1/2. Filled the rest of the buket with RO water and lots of hitchickers bail. Aptasia? not so sure we will see about that.