Starting small zoo tank

[Kelso]

Should I be changing the water completly, and scrubbing the rock everyother day all the way untill its ready to go in my tank?

Ive been making clean declorinated water and filling a second bin. Then I scrub the rock in the bin its in, then put it in the other bin with clean water. Im just wondering if I should do this everyother day, or give it more time inbetween.

 

[Cylias]

You don't need to change the water completely. I would just do a good 50% water change every 3 days until the parameters are where you want them. No ammonia, no nitrates and no nitrites. If you don't have the test kit you should go get the API one with the test tubes. I've never used the strips but so far all I've heard is problems and mis-readings.

 

[Kelso]

Also, should the bin be open top or closed? And should I scrub with water change every three days?

 

[PrettyFishies]

Use the top. That way you prevent algae from growing.

I was told you don't do a water change till the end. That way more bacteria will form than if you change the water and remove their food source. Stronger population if you ask me.

Scrubbing is fine. Every few days should suffice.

 

[Krypt]

Use the top. That way you prevent algae from growing.

I was told you don't do a water change till the end. That way more bacteria will form than if you change the water and remove their food source. Stronger population if you ask me.

Scrubbing is fine. Every few days should suffice.

Not changing the water is ideal for cycling a new tank with pre-cured LR. However when curing the rock in a separate tub, the ammonia levels in the curing tub can get so high that they will actually unnecessarily prolong the curing process.

The process of curing the rock isn't to establish a bacterial colony (even though that happens as a side effect), it is to get rid of dead or dying organisms, so flushing the proverbial toilet every few days will move the process along at a much quicker pace.

 

[Kelso]

Just did drip tests.

NitrAtes are 0
NitrItes are 0
Ammonia is 1

Does this sound normal? Its day 10, 4 more and I'm at 2 weeks.

 

[Krypt]

Yup, completely normal. It'll take 4-6 weeks to fully cure uncured LR so your going to play the waiting game.

 

[Kelso]

Well the rock was bought fully cured online, then shipped to me from florida in a bag partally filled with water. Almost passed out when I opened the bag ha.

Is the rock going to take just as long as uncured live rock, or is what I have uncured? Ive heard of uncured, partally cured, and fully cured. I know what they all are but what stage is fully cured shipped rock in when it gets to the door?

 

[mr_X]

what you have is now uncured.

 

[Kelso]

dang, should have just bought dry base rock, rinsed it off and let it grow bacteria right in the tank. oh well I got what I got, hopefully it will go quick. I got a bulk order of emeral crabs, my buddy and I thew in. He couldent take them right away so they all went in my frag tank, which I already had plans to make a zoa tank with rock. But they are causing caos in that tank, nockin stuff over, moving things around, sitting on to of frags for like 20 min. I got to get rock in there so they have something else to crawl on. My buddy also needs to come get the rest of his half, dangit.

 

[Kelso]

also, what should the temp be in the bin? Right now its crankin pretty good.

 

[Krypt]

Around 80 would be fine. That's hot enough to speed up the decomp of the dead organisms.

 

[Kelso]

ooo, ok right now its at 86. better turn it down a bit.

 

[Kelso]

Ammonia went down from 1 to .5 in the past 2 days. Now is this someting thats going to slowly drop to zero, or suddenly drop to zero?

 

[Kelso]

Just tested. Heres a pic of the drip of ammonia. Just want to make sure but it looks like 0 to me. Nitrate and Nitrite are at zero as well, so the main question is am I good to put the rock in? Just need another opinion.

 

[thincat]

You should have had the rock in from the start. That would give you more area for your bacteria to grow...

 

[Kelso]

I mean in my tank from the bin. Not sure if thats what you were saying. Its been in the bin for two weeks now. ive been scrubbing and changing the water every three days. Im just seeing if im good to transfer the rock to my 20 gal tank, which is sumped to my display.

 

[Kelso]

well I was just about to put the rock in the tank, but I figured I would test one more time to make sure. Ammonia is at 0, NitrAte is at 0, but suddenly I got a minute, almost nothing reading of NitrIte.

Should I hold off on the transfer, or am I good to continue?

 

[Krypt]

Ideally, once the levels all hit 0, leave the rock in the bin one more week as a precaution. During the waiting week, don't make any water changes. That will allow you to see if there is any ammonia being produced. If everything tests fine then, your good to place it in the tank.

 

[Kelso]

alright one more week will do. Thanks.