Storing Live rock question?!?!?!

[000trick000]

So I'm new to the hobby this is my first tank (46 gal fowlr 20 gal long sump) and it's not set up yet. I ran across a guy selling 75 lbs live Fiji rock for 2$ a lb so I bought it. Have a barrel set up with saltwater that I made with my rodi water, heater going about 75 degrees, circulating pump and old aquarium light. Also was told to have a cocktail shrimp on the rock to keep ammonia in the water. My questions are, do I need the light on, how often to do water changes and what percentage of a change, and how high should I let my ammonia levels get (with the cocktail shrimp in there) thanks for any input.


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[Sniperhank]

You are just curing the rock. You do t need a light on it at all. All you are doing is stabilizing and growing beneficial bacteria for your nitrate cycle.
You can do water changes to bring nitrates down, but you're water tests will tell you if/when you'll need to do that.
To cure the rock, all you need it a pump for flow, heat(which I run my stuff at about 78), and that cocktail shrimp.


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[000trick000]

Ok I shut my light off a few days ago because it looked like my algae growth was getting dark. It looks better already. How high can my ammonia levels get before It starts affecting or killing the rock growth, or is that not possible? Thanks sniperhank


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[Ingy]

Ammonia won't harm the bacteria that eat ammonia, or other nitrifying bacteria. Don't sweat that. But all ammonia eventually becomes nitrates, and there is no point in putting too much in the tank. And the longer you have to wait before you set your aquarium up also the more nitrates you'll have.


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[Sniperhank]

Using the cocktail shrimp method will keep things at a nice steady pace, so you won't see ammonia or nitrite get too high.
Just as Ingy said, the longer the rock and shrimp are in the container the higher the nitrates will get over time. I guess a good gauge for this, as I get the idea you are looking for a number before doing a water change...though that king of black and white doesn't really exist for curing rock...you want to try to keep a FOWLR system under 40 ppm for nitrates so you could use that as a water change point if you'd like, but don't see it as necessary.

 

[000trick000]

Ok, thanks for all the help!


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[000trick000]

Using the cocktail shrimp method will keep things at a nice steady pace, so you won't see ammonia or nitrite get too high.
Just as Ingy said, the longer the rock and shrimp are in the container the higher the nitrates will get over time. I guess a good gauge for this, as I get the idea you are looking for a number before doing a water change...though that king of black and white doesn't really exist for curing rock...you want to try to keep a FOWLR system under 40 ppm for nitrates so you could use that as a water change point if you'd like, but don't see it as necessary.

Ok, so I've been testing my water and my ammonia and nitrites are on the lower side, my nitrates are high and I have a hard time keeping it under 40, when you say "you don't see it as necessary" that means I don't need to do any water changes at all when curing the rock? The high nitrates won't harm the growth of good bacteria/algae?


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[Sniperhank]

I never did water changes during my cycles. Some do though. It's up to you for that. You're aiming for your ammonia to disappear in 24 hours if using the pure ammonia method or to have no detectable ammonia if using a cocktail shrimp.


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[000trick000]

Ok thanks, I appreciate all the help!!!!


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