I want to add live rock...

[Nitrate]

I have a 150 gal FO SW tank. inhabitants include 1 porcupine puffer, 1 stars & stripes puffer, 1 Lion, 1 cow, 1 trigger 1 frogfish and 1 dori. My tank is overstocked, I realize that, so I'm going to get rid of the stars&stripes and the trigger and add LR.

My question is can I add LR from liverocks.com directly from the box to my established tank without any worry of something horrible going wrong? What should the procedure be for adding the LR?

I'm itching to order the rock, so any help would be appreciated.

[stresco]

If you get LR off line, there will be some dieoff that will cause an amonia spike in your tank, so IMO i would suggest you cure it in a garbage can first.

[1neondottyback]

Yes I agree strongly, you will need to cure the rock in a new clean 30-40 gallon plastic trash can or plastic tub.

There will be die-off on the rock even if the rock is cured by the supplier you go with on line. Most will have instructions as to how long you need to cure the live rock.

It depends on the amount of die off and if the rock was cured when it arrived from the supplier to the online store. You need to cure the rock in the dark with a power head to create circulation.

[gump3842k]

would you need to cure it if it came from liverocks.com?

[Anemoneman]

would you need to cure it if it came from liverocks.com?

Yes. If you get rock through the mail, you need to cure it. The die off may be minimal but cure it anyway. It's not difficult. All it takes is a rubbermaid tub, heater and powerhead. It's cheap and effective.

[stresco]

Any rock that is shipped will have some dieoff. How much depends on factors, like time out of water and environment etc. There may be a little die off or a lot, needing a lot of curing time. Either way, unless you are sure that the rock is fully cured, like out of an established reef tank you should allow for some curing time outside of your main tank. HTH

[dralarms]

would you need to cure it if it came from liverocks.com?

Yes and no, you will have some die off but if you watch your levels you would be ok. I mean by watching your levels, don't let them go high at all. I did mine in the tank and my levels never got above 1. for ammonia, and .25 for nitrite. (I think). If you have a QT then I would consider pulling the fish out and putting them in a QT, then you could put your rock in (with the existing bactieria i might add) and let it cycle in your tank. If you do it this way you will have less die off because your system is already established.

Now lr.com has some great looking rock. I just ordered 40 more lbs and 20 lbs of their sand.

[Zack]

would you need to cure it if it came from liverocks.com?

As Gerald said, yes and no. We have found and what we suggest is that most people put it right in their tanks and exp very little rise in levels that normal filtration and time wont get rid of quick. For example, 40lbs rock shipped from our FL location to WA was placed in a full sps/clam tank and no corals/fish died.

I think however that Anemoneman brings up a good point. often with most LR suppliers that they get their rock from some place far away and turn around and sell it and then ship it 2 day even ground, where our rock is shipped overnight.

Zack

[dralarms]

Hey Zack, speaking of rock, Mine still shipping out in the AM.?

[Zack]

As planned, yes

[dralarms]

Wonderful