New to Saltwater question about LR

[amatharu147]

Hello,

I bought some LR from from that was taken out of a tank about 4-5 days ago. It was placed in a dark garage bag but was not wrapped in newspapper to keep it moist. One i got home, I put the LR into a new tank. I got a filter running and power jets blowing and got the temp up to 78.

I have two questions
1-How long can LR live in a dry space? Any chances the Rock is dead?

2- I been reading a lot of artical stating that i need to do a 50% water change every date to keep the Am and Nit levels down, but people have posted that should be done. what do I do?

help
Aaron

 

[MT79]

1-How long can LR live in a dry space? Any chances the Rock is dead?

Most likely the vast majority of the animals are dead along w/ the nitrifying bacteria. It will need to be thoroughly cleaned/scrubbed, then cured again. Some life may still be present, and come back with time.
PWC's should be done when cycling w/ LR to keep ammonia/nitrite levels from getting extremely high and killing the hitchhikers on the LR. Some hitchhikers usually survive regardless, it may just take longer for them to recover w/ no PWC's. HTH

 

[Devilishturtles]

I agree with Mike. The rock will need to be scrubbed off of the dead material, but should provide a nice base for your cycle to start (hopefully).

 

[amatharu147]

Great advise.

What is the best way to scrub the rock? I am in now rush to get the tank started. If it taked 3-4 months to cycle and get life going. That will be fine by me.

I have a friend who has a healty Salt water tank and he has offered to give me some healty Coral to add to my batch. Do you think that will help get life going in my batch?

 

[roka64]

You can scrub the rock with a scrub brush or something like that. As for the corals, that will depend on your lighting and what type of corals.

 

[amatharu147]

Great advise.

What is the best way to scrub the rock? I am in now rush to get the tank started. If it taked 3-4 months to cycle and get life going. That will be fine by me.

I have a friend who has a healty Salt water tank and he has offered to give me some healty Coral to add to my batch. Do you think that will help get life going in my batch?

Just a correction. I am in no rush to get the tank started. I just want to make sure the coral is stong before i dropping in fish.

 

[austinsdad]

I use a plastic and nylon brush without any metal on it. Dedicated to my tank.

Look up "uncured rock". That's what you have now. When you put it in salt, monitor the ammonia and nitrite (read up on curing rock and cycling a tank).

Hold off on the coral to ensure there's not ammonia or nitrate spikes from the rock.

 

[amatharu147]

Thanks for the advise. I will try using a brush tonight and scrub the coral down and they just cycle it for 2-3 months. the should get the stong enough and get all the level down.

 

[roka64]

Don't scrub corals, are you still talking about the rock? I wouldn't add corals until your tank is cycled.

 

[melosu58]

Hopefully he meant rock. I agree with the others in that scrubbing the rock of die off will help. Then you can cure your live rock and cycle your tank at the same time.

 

[amatharu147]

Hello,

I am talking about LR. sorry not coral. I will give it a quick scrub today and get it cycling for the next month. then once the tank level are settled I will try and add more live rock from a heathly tank. Maybe that can help this live rock.

Do you think that might help?

 

[melosu58]

If it is already cured then yes that will help. Here is a few links to help.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/article_view.php?faq=2&fldAuto=6

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/article_view.php?faq=2&fldAuto=15

 

[cmor1701d]

Where was the rock stored when it was out of the tank? There is probably very little life other than some bacteria if it was stored in the cold. You should probably use the cocktail shrimp method for cycling if you don't see an ammonia spike in a couple of days.

How much rock did you get?

 

[austinsdad]

...and you do have a ammonia and nitirite test kit???

 

[amatharu147]

The LR was taken out of the tank on 03/03 and put into a garage bag and kept in a warm eviroment. about 65-7 degrees. It about 75 Lbs of LR. It has not been taken out of the bag until i get home today. I will scub it down and get it into the tank.

I'll let the water moving really fast in the tank.

and yes i and you do have a ammonia and nitirite test kit.

I'll test the water tomororw and if i dont see a jump in the Nitirated, should i drop in the cocktail shrip to kick start things or is that a sign the rock is dead and start with a new batch?

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

You're not looking for nitrates - the first thing you should see show up, assuming the rock has something on it to die off, is ammonia. If you don't see any ammonia over the course of a week, then you can drop in the cocktail shrimp.

 

[Ziggy953]

After having the rock out of water for 4-5 days I don't see there being much life on it. Could you take a few moments and update your "myinfo" for us so we will know a bit more about your tank and what equipment you have.

I wanted to just mention the brush, for your LR, make sure that it is a new brush that has NEVER been in soapy water!!!!! After you have used it for scrubing your rock rinse it off and keep it with your "fish stuff". Just a thought I had about the brush....

 

[amatharu147]

After having the rock out of water for 4-5 days I don't see there being much life on it. Could you take a few moments and update your "myinfo" for us so we will know a bit more about your tank and what equipment you have.

I wanted to just mention the brush, for your LR, make sure that it is a new brush that has NEVER been in soapy water!!!!! After you have used it for scrubing your rock rinse it off and keep it with your "fish stuff". Just a thought I had about the brush....

SO I guess by daugter's baby bottle brush is out of the question No worries, I will go and buy a new brush today.

What is the salt level the hydrometer should be?1.05 is what i have read the most.

 

[roka64]

Depending on if you are doing corals or FOWLR it should be between 1.020 and 1.026.