Live Rock

[border324]

this question is about live rock
i should be getting my live rock in the next day or 2. i plan to cycle my tank with the live rock. but if i do this will i kill all my tag along buddies with the high amm, and nitrites when my tank starts to cycle? if so how do i advoid this from happing thanks
michael

 

[fishfreek]

Depending on how high the ammonia levels get yes you could hurt the population of hitchhikers.

The great debate is this. Do you do water changes during your cycle. People will say NO. Never change your water no mater what during your cycle. I like to think in a different direction. If your want to save as much life on the rock as possible then yes do water changes when ever the ammonia levels get to high. Maybe higher than .5ppm.

Sure the cycle might take a few days to a week longer to finish but if you end up with more critters as a result then whats the big deal.

 

[reefrunner69]

Sure the cycle might take a few days to a week longer to finish but if you end up with more critters as a result then whats the big deal.

It has been my experience that waterchanges on cycling your rock will actually speed the process up, not slow it down.

 

[pm64971]

My opinion is this:

The critters that are in your rock that "eat" ammonia, obviously are well fed since there is so much of it. So, if you reduce the levels by doing a water change, you keep the ammonia level in a safe range, but you don't eliminate their food source. Drop the ammonia level to the middle of the acceptable range, and safe well fed critters will multiply fast!

Obviously if you take too much ammonia out of the water, the critters will be hungry for a while, but think about why you are worried. There is die-off in the rock that is CREATING ammonia. The ammonia levels will rise again. If you overdo it and do to large of a water change, your critters will be hungry for a short time, but the ammonia level will come back up and they will fing food. Nature made them tough little buggers, they won't die that easy.

I agree with reefrunner... it will speed up the process, not slow it down.
Cheers!

 

[border324]

cool guys. that made sense. i should get my live rock tomorrow. its pretty cold out we just got hit bye a snow storm i hope that wont hurt them. about my ammo. dont it have to rise alot for the nitrites to start forming and so on with the nitrates. if so how high should i let my ammo get before doing a water change.
or option 2
use a fresh shrimp to cycle my tank now. and when its done in a week or 2 or mabe 3 put my live rock in then. but in the mean time how do i keep my live rock alive? i hope this makes sense.
thank alot
michael

 

[WarOrks15]

Well when i got my live rock i did not have any thing in that tank but wanted to keep every thing that was on the rock so i did a 35-50% water change every other day. the cycle only took about 3 weeks or so.