Live Rock 2.0

[esaone]

After 12 days in my new tank my tank has completely cycled.
My concern is that my Live Rock looks pretty bare.
When I got it it looked incredible and now it pretty much has
just some green and red left but for the most part is bare bones.
During the very short cycle the Ammonia and Nitrite never got too high.
I was wondering if this kind of die off is normal and will my rock be OK
and come back?

 

[austinsdad]

What was the highest reading on your ammonia? How many lbs of rock in what sized tank?

Just wonderin if it did cycle. Change water yet?

The answers may help us gauge what's going on better.

 

[esaone]

What was the highest reading on your ammonia? How many lbs of rock in what sized tank?

Just wonderin if it did cycle. Change water yet?

The answers may help us gauge what's going on better.

1.0 ppm

40 lbs

30 gallons

yes, no question. It went from having no ammonia to having ammonia.
Then less ammonia and nitrite. Then no ammonia and nitrite. Then only nitrate.

yes 50%

 

[cmor1701d]

Did you buy cured LR?
1.o ppm of ammonia is pretty small. But, if you saw the spike and drop for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate (no drop) then you are ready to add livestock to your tank. Start small with just 1 item.

You will be amazed at what the LR looks like in 6 months. Things just start showing up. Take pictures every week.

 

[melosu58]

I agree that it will grow back to better than what it looked like. Mine got all white and then a month or two after the cycle it started to look better.

 

[austinsdad]

ya'll sure it was a successful cycle with the ammonia topping out at only 1.0???

 

[melosu58]

ya'll sure it was a successful cycle with the ammonia topping out at only 1.0???

Depends on weather the LR was already cured. 12 days is awfull quick for a cycle.

 

[cmor1701d]

The cycle could be that quick with fully cured LR. The bioload is neglible but the spike, small as it was, did occur. Adding something small at this point SHOULD be fine.

I used 50 pounds of uncured Fiji in my 125 for the cycle and my ammonia hit 8 (or more, the chart stopped at 8).

 

[austinsdad]

OK, add a couple snails and hermits too, right?

 

[cmor1701d]

Come on Ray, you know how much I despise hermits .

Yes to snails, no to clawed animals other than shrimp.

 

[esaone]

OK, add a couple snails and hermits too, right?

What are we talking about?
I don't want to add anything, I was just wondering if my live rock was going to come back any time soon.

 

[cmor1701d]

We're jsut saying that you should be able to start adding some livestock to your tank, e.g a small clean up crew of snails a/o hermit crabs.

Unless you only want LR in your tank...

 

[esaone]

We're jsut saying that you should be able to start adding some livestock to your tank, e.g a small clean up crew of snails a/o hermit crabs.

Unless you only want LR in your tank...

I was thinking about adding some fish.

 

[cmor1701d]

Go SLOW. Add 1 fish, not some. You have had a very minimal cycle. Your tank needs time to adjust to any increase in bioload. Adding one fish at a time with a 3-4 week wait between each addition would be about the correct rate. You can add inverts (snails, brittle stars, even hermit crabs) as they have a minimal impact on the bioload.

Do you have a livestock list of what fish you want to add?

 

[esaone]

Go SLOW. Add 1 fish, not some. You have had a very minimal cycle. Your tank needs time to adjust to any increase in bioload. Adding one fish at a time with a 3-4 week wait between each addition would be about the correct rate. You can add inverts (snails, brittle stars, even hermit crabs) as they have a minimal impact on the bioload.

Do you have a livestock list of what fish you want to add?

Royal Gramma, Sixline Wrasse, False Percula Clownfish, and Purple Firefish

 

[cmor1701d]

Here are the comments from LiveAquaria.com on your choices.

Royal Gramma - A single specimen should be housed in a minimum of a 30 gallon tank.

Sixline Wrasse - requires a 30 gallon or larger aquarium with a generous supply of hiding places and live rock in which to forage for food.

False Percula Clownfish - Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons

Purple Firefish - requires a 10 gallon or larger aquarium with plenty of loose coral rubble as part of the aquascape, and a tight-fitting lid to prevent it from jumping out of the tank. Use eggcrate instead of a lid.

 

[esaone]

Here are the comments from LiveAquaria.com on your choices.

Royal Gramma - A single specimen should be housed in a minimum of a 30 gallon tank.

Sixline Wrasse - requires a 30 gallon or larger aquarium with a generous supply of hiding places and live rock in which to forage for food.

False Percula Clownfish - Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons

Purple Firefish - requires a 10 gallon or larger aquarium with plenty of loose coral rubble as part of the aquascape, and a tight-fitting lid to prevent it from jumping out of the tank. Use eggcrate instead of a lid.

Right on man.
I read a good bit about the fish before I even set up the tank.
Also there is a thread here on this forum discussing these choices.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f14/stocking-tips-30-gallon-99871.html
My main concern with this current thread was for the status of my LR.

 

[cmor1701d]

Jus read your other thread. Glad to see you dropped the damsel. You need eggcrate for the top. I also lost a purple firefish to carpet surfing.

Just add 1 fish at a time, let the tank catch up with the new bioload and then add another.

 

[esaone]

Jus read your other thread. Glad to see you dropped the damsel. You need eggcrate for the top. I also lost a purple firefish to carpet surfing.

Just add 1 fish at a time, let the tank catch up with the new bioload and then add another.

I'm still trying to understand the dynamic of the live rock.

 

[jgpa]

I also lost a purple firefish to carpet surfing.

You sure the cat didn't have a hand in it? I am real curious as to how my guys are going to react to a tank of snacks. And to think the wife wanted gerbils...