Okay, I'm a little confused about A/N/N in cycling a tank and curing live rock. Here's what I "think" I know: when cycling a tank the amonia levels will get really high then turn into nitrites then nitrates so you dont want to do water changes during cycling in order to get these levels up. But when curing live rock you want the Amonia and Nitrites levels to read 0 but you are supposed to do 50-100% water changes every other day? I don't get why you would do water changes when curing but nt when cycling. Is it because when you do water changes during curing you are "washing away" the things that are causing the amonia and Nitrites levels to go up? Sorry for the long post and for the "ignorant" questions.
Amonia, Nitrite & Nitrate Questions...
- Thread starter jaycie
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I'm fairly new at this but I think I've got the correct answer. The more seasoned vets will correct me if I'm wrong.
You don't really want "HIGH" levels of A/N/N but increased or spiked levels during the cycle.
Basically just tossing the new LR into your tank could spike Ammonia to toxic levels and kill off your existing fish. You always want to follow the proper curing process of live rock prior to plugging into your main tank.
By using a separate tub you basically have a good QT setup. Make sure you still have the standard salt water, powerhead and good water mixed in helps.
HTH
Liveaquaria has a great article on this whole process. I didn't see one on our site here. http://www.liveaquaria.com/general/general.cfm?general_pagesid=31
You don't really want "HIGH" levels of A/N/N but increased or spiked levels during the cycle.
Basically just tossing the new LR into your tank could spike Ammonia to toxic levels and kill off your existing fish. You always want to follow the proper curing process of live rock prior to plugging into your main tank.
By using a separate tub you basically have a good QT setup. Make sure you still have the standard salt water, powerhead and good water mixed in helps.
HTH
Liveaquaria has a great article on this whole process. I didn't see one on our site here. http://www.liveaquaria.com/general/general.cfm?general_pagesid=31
cmor1701d
Aquarium Advice Addict
No need to do water changes when curing LR if you are also using the uncured LR to cycle the tank.
Some people try to preserve some of the hitchhikers by doing water changes to keep the ammonia levels down. This extends the time the cycle will take.
Either way the variety of life that will show up over the next few months will be amazing.
Some people try to preserve some of the hitchhikers by doing water changes to keep the ammonia levels down. This extends the time the cycle will take.
Either way the variety of life that will show up over the next few months will be amazing.
So if my tanks not cycled I can put the live rock straight into the tank? I got the rock straight from the beach, not a LFS or online, does this matter at all? PLease let me know because I'd love to put the rock in as soon as possible. Thanks again for all the replies.
Well, I started to take my rocks out of the QT tub and I noticed that there were crabs everywhere. They ranged from tiny to about an inch in lenghth. I shaked them in saltwater and got about 15 of them out, but who knows how many there are in there. Another thing about the live rock is that on one, in a crevice I saw some brownish gooey stuff. It looks like ear wax or something. I took a Q tip to it and some of it came off but not all. Should I be worried about either the crabs or the brown stuff? By the way I but the smelly, "problem" rocks back into the QT tub. I did however put the smaller rock with no crabs (or smell) into the tank. Any suggestions?
It’s illegal to remove lr/coral from Hawaii's waters but what’s done is done.
The crabs could be good or bad but most that come with lr are fairly harmless. I’d try to identify them before putting them in the main tank since removing them later will be more of a pain.
The crabs could be good or bad but most that come with lr are fairly harmless. I’d try to identify them before putting them in the main tank since removing them later will be more of a pain.
vsnsofadrgn
Aquarium Advice Addict
the smell is a sign of curing. imo, i would put it in the tank, the tank is going to have to cycle anyways, so youll have 2 things done at once. not sure about the brown stuff, but the crabs are up to u, if you do decide against them, put them back into the ocean where they came.
tecwzrd, I know that removing live rockis illegal, but the frustration of not being able to have it got the best of me. It's annoying that I live in HAWAII and I can't get liverock but someone in Alaska or Idaho can just get it from the LFS. I know that doesn't make it right,but thant's my reasoning. Thanks for the replies.
Well they do have a law about taking it for noncommercial purposes but only at a gal per days worth. Technically what you did is OK, you should have just taken a little bit at a time. I understand your frustration especially with it being right there and it probably would have cost well over $200 to get it shipped to you from somewhere else.
Did you have any luck identifying the crabs you saw? Personally I love most sw crabs but if you plan on making this a nano reef tank down the road I’d make sure you don’t have any that would be destructive to your fish or corals. Below are a couple of good links to help in that endeavor.
http://www.photovault.com/Link/Animals/Aquatic/rCrustacia/AARVolume01.html
http://www.mov.vic.gov.au/crust/page1.html
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/arthropoda/crabs/swcrabs.htm
Did you have any luck identifying the crabs you saw? Personally I love most sw crabs but if you plan on making this a nano reef tank down the road I’d make sure you don’t have any that would be destructive to your fish or corals. Below are a couple of good links to help in that endeavor.
http://www.photovault.com/Link/Animals/Aquatic/rCrustacia/AARVolume01.html
http://www.mov.vic.gov.au/crust/page1.html
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/arthropoda/crabs/swcrabs.htm
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