Adding LR to an existing System

[Gizmo]

I've been thinking of adding another 60lbs of rock to my tank, which has been up and running since january, but I'm worried about getting the rock to cycle without killing off my tank. Has any one else done this? Any good methods to doing this?

[OCDP]

I would think if you add cured live rock, at about 10lbs. at a time or even 15 , I don't see how there would be a problem. Please correct me if I am wrong... but if it's cured live rock then it shouldn't do any damage.

[Delphinus]

Not that I've ever added as much as 60 lbs. in a single go before, but IME, it's usually harder on a system to pull out rock than it is to add new rock in. At least I've found that I've spiked a tank by pulling out too much at once, but I've never spiked a tank by adding rock.

Anyhow, I would think you'll be OK if you use cured rock.

The only caveat I can think of is that 60lbs may be a fair amount of rock, which may involve moving things around, etc., which in turn may prove to be a slight disruption to the system. That said, it's not really any worse than a re-aquascaping project and usually things settle back down after a day or so.

[Gizmo]

Its not going to be cured though, I'm shipping it to Edmonton from the coast, so I have to cycle it somehow.

[christyf5]

You can always set up a rubbermaid tank (or two, 60lbs is alot of rock) with a powerhead and heater. I've cycled/cooked rock that way. It works great and as soon as all your parameters are in order you're set. :biggrin:

[Gizmo]

Last time I bought a box of rock, I didnt find that it covered much of the tank (70g) I need at least 120lb at best guess to get the tank covered properly. I could cycle it in rubbermaids I guess, that damn stink though :eek:

[Invigor]

fwiw the most rock I've purchased at once was 40lbs, and it was for a friend's tank. my tank already had about 70lbs in it. It was shipped in wet newspaper, and sat on the airplane from vancouver to regina. Once it arrived I put it all into my 105gal tank with a .1 spike of nitrites that lasted the better half of a day. none of my tank's inhabitants were discomforted by this, they were more curious as to what's all this new stuff!

it was shipping as "cured rock" so I decided to take my chances.

They only "preventative" thing I did was I had a IO pail of tank water that I rinsed off every piece of rock in before it went into the tank, to shake of dirt and such.

[Ruth]

Boy I would not add 60 lbs. of uncured rock to my tank. Even cured I would probably put in a rubbermaid container with a heater and powerhead for a week or to check for ammonia from die off. As for the smell if it is uncured you are going to get it no matter where you cure it. At least putting it in rubbermaids you can control where you put those (basement, spare room etc.) I just would not take the chance personally.