cured live rock

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unmc2001

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Dec 27, 2002
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I have a 58 gallon that i set up 1 week ago. I put 40 lbs of dry base rock and then 5 lbs of cured live rock from LFS. They are going to get more in but all they had at the time was 5 lbs ( a few small pieces). can I add 2 small false percula clowns 1" or so now. I did notice that there is a small star fish and some featherdusters on the live rock now and they have been doing fine but I have not added any food to the tank.
 
It is best to check your ammonia and nitrites and make sure thay are at zero before adding any inhabitants. With only 5 lbs of cured live rock I am not sure if this will provide enough bacteria to prevent a cycle. Hopefully someone else can enlighten us both on this.
 
I would say that you are a few weeks away from adding any livestock. Cured live rock will not help a tank to cycle. Have you checked your water parameters, especially ammonia and nitrites? You might try adding a cocktail shrimp and then checking water parameters until both ammonia and nitrites reach zero.
 
cured live rock will cyslce a tank completely actually. I set up a tank for a freind the other day 90 gallon with 160 lbs of cured live rock and immediatly stocked. The live rock had cured with fish in tank and had all the bacteria on it. But the 5lbs amount I doubt would be substantial enough for this. The cocktail shrimp will cycle the tank but the ammonia spike could kill any hitchikers on the new rock. I would say introduce a very small ammonia source i.e. the cleanup crew and then add your fish very very slowly if you dont want to loose anything on the rock you have. But being its just 5lbs unless you got some really cool hitchikers the cocktail shrimp will work.
 
I agree with gbolton. You could also add more cured LR (at least 10lbs more). IMO I would wait about a week before adding any fish to make sure you had no die off during transportation. Either way, with this small amount of LR I still only add 1 fish until either your dead rock becomes live or you buy some more cured LR.

Brian
 
Cured live rock has already had all the critters die off it that are going to. Lots of time collection will kill inverts like sponges and they rot releaseing amonia into your aquarium and stink into your house. IMO there is noting out there that smells quite as bad as rotting sponge. Cured live rock has been all the way through this and has a variety of good gacteria, algae and all other sorts of hitch hikers on it. IMO cured live rock is the way to go but, it's a lot more expensive than the uncured.
hth and welcome to aquariacentral
chris
 
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