Adding more LR

[htrae2014]

Hi there,
I have a 29gal Biocube that has just about finished cycling. Ammonia has been at zero for 2 weeks and the Nitrites just a hair above zero. There was about 17 pounds LR on a 2" deep LS bed and I have just added another 10 pounds of (cured) LR yesterday. Did i just set myself back a bit in the cycling process? I am picking up a Nitrate kit today and can test that tonight, and I assume as long as I have a decent ppm reading on Nitrates, they can handle any possible spikes in Ammonia and Nitrite. Can anyone comment on this?

Thanks!

 

[Reefscape]

It all depends on how well "cured" the live rock is really. There is always going to be the possibility there for you to get a mini spike in your water parameters. All you can really do is monitor for a week your ammonia, nitrites and nitrates and see how it goes.

and I assume as long as I have a decent ppm reading on Nitrates

Thats not strictly true as it all depends on the ammount of bacteria thats available to convert ammonia to nitrites, nitrites to nitrates. The ammount of nitrates is not really an indication of the level of what the tank can handle.

Niko

 

[htrae2014]

Okay great thanks for the info Niko! Are there any scavengers that I can introduce at this time that may be able to help with detritus and any dead life (oxymoron I know) that may exist on those rocks that would othewise rot? Cleaner shrimp or hermit crabs? I have 4 turbo snails in there now that are having a blast with my green hair algae and other buildup...
Thanks again!

 

[Reefscape]

Cerith snails are carrion and detrius feeders. if its as cured as you think, there will be very little dead/decaying matter on the rock though..hence only really having a mini spike..

Niko