LR and new tank cycle no ammonia??? is this true

[Fishgirl]

I was reading on another forum site (not sure which one) but the post was about putting cured live rock into a new cycling tank. It said that if you put cured rock into a new set up you won't get the ammonia spike is this true? I am wondering if this is true now does that work do you still get the nitrite and nitrate spike or is that whole thing eliminated? I have a 125gal I am setting up, and I want to cycle it as fast as I can so I can put my fish in and have them all be happy and safe. I am going to get 120lbs of LR hopefully today and what I want to do is put it into a rubbermaid tub with a filter and heater on it. For a week or two until I get my tank up and running with water. I was thinking that by that time the all the rocks die off should be done and the rock would be safe to put into the tank???? How do I cure the rock this way and make sure there is as little die off as possible when the time comes to put it into my tank? I have a light I will be putting on it as well. Anyway help on this would be great sorry if this is a repost I search but didnt' find anything on this topic here.

[untamed]

Yes, that is mostly true...but you have give some thought to adding the fish.

Putting your new LR into a holding tank with water movement, temperature and lighting is essentially just like putting it into an aquarium. You'll get some die off of things which should generate a cycle and create a bacterial population that you need. Once completed, you can transfer this rock into your new tank and you should not experience much of a cycle.

The key is that the bacterial population that you will create will be based on the "load" that your rock experiences while it is in your holding tank. That load doesn't have any fish or food being added. Don't assume that this means that the rock will be able to suddenly absorb the increased load associated with a bunch of fish all at once.

In other words, yes you can avoid a cycle by curing your rock in this way..but you will still need to add fish SLOWLY to build the system's bacterial population to match your fish load. Too many fish, too quickly and you'll still create a cycle that can kill the fish.

[Fishgirl]

so do I still do waterchanges on the LR well it is in the Tub? and once the rock is cured and everything is stable to so Put just the rock into the tank OR do I put the rock and the water in the tank?

[untamed]

Since you've said that you want to light the rock while curing, I'm assuming that you want as much life to stay alive on your rock as possible. I agree with that approach, but others would disagree and mainly just want their LR to house bacteria and not much else.

So..Water changes... Yes, I would do them while curing the rock. You'll reduce the build up of ammonia and nitrite which can both be harmful to anything trying to survive the cycle on your rock.

When you go to transfer the rock to your new aquarium, there is no particular reason to transfer the water also. Doing so would just mean that you'll need to make less new SW to fill up your display. No bacterial benefit either way.

[BlueWorldAquatic]

One word "stability"

I never used to believe the reports of this product, until I tried it on a 180gal bowfront.

live forck was semi cured
sande was new in bag
H2o salt and RO water

The tank seemed to completly miss the ammonia spike. Never showed much ammonia when tested throughtout the 2 months.

I am a believer now.

Now to test a smaller tank with un-cured rock.

Ken - BWA

[naesco]

I was reading on another forum site (not sure which one) but the post was about putting cured live rock into a new cycling tank. It said that if you put cured rock into a new set up you won't get the ammonia spike is this true? I am wondering if this is true now does that work do you still get the nitrite and nitrate spike or is that whole thing eliminated? I have a 125gal I am setting up, and I want to cycle it as fast as I can so I can put my fish in and have them all be happy and safe. I am going to get 120lbs of LR hopefully today and what I want to do is put it into a rubbermaid tub with a filter and heater on it. For a week or two until I get my tank up and running with water. I was thinking that by that time the all the rocks die off should be done and the rock would be safe to put into the tank???? How do I cure the rock this way and make sure there is as little die off as possible when the time comes to put it into my tank? I have a light I will be putting on it as well. Anyway help on this would be great sorry if this is a repost I search but didnt' find anything on this topic here.

I agree with what others have posted. You need to proceed slowly not as quick as you can. The key to success in this hobby is patience.
After you are certain your tank has cycled wait a few weeks than add one one fish per month unless they are very small fish.

Your water needs to age a bit and your sand bed has to develop. If you push the envelope you will most certainly develop diatom, cyno and algae problems and you do not want that.

[Fishgirl]

Hello and thank you for your advice, I guess I should reword what I put I didn't mean I was going to put them all in at once, and yes I will do this slowly I was thinking if I put the rock in lets say next week wait a week and put in my two cheap damsels lol and wait 2 more weeks and add my 2 clowns then wait another week and then add my majestic, and singapore and tang??? all my fish are between 1.5in - 3.5in there all pretty small(of course always checking water chemistry and do my water changes in this period as well in between adding fish if it is off I'd wait longer to add fish but if good it would be ok right? )


I agree with what others have posted. You need to proceed slowly not as quick as you can. The key to success in this hobby is patience.
After you are certain your tank has cycled wait a few weeks than add one one fish per month unless they are very small fish.

Your water needs to age a bit and your sand bed has to develop. If you push the envelope you will most certainly develop diatom, cyno and algae problems and you do not want that.

[Red Coral Aquariums]

Yes, that is mostly true...but you have give some thought to adding the fish.

Putting your new LR into a holding tank with water movement, temperature and lighting is essentially just like putting it into an aquarium. You'll get some die off of things which should generate a cycle and create a bacterial population that you need. Once completed, you can transfer this rock into your new tank and you should not experience much of a cycle.

The key is that the bacterial population that you will create will be based on the "load" that your rock experiences while it is in your holding tank. That load doesn't have any fish or food being added. Don't assume that this means that the rock will be able to suddenly absorb the increased load associated with a bunch of fish all at once.

In other words, yes you can avoid a cycle by curing your rock in this way..but you will still need to add fish SLOWLY to build the system's bacterial population to match your fish load. Too many fish, too quickly and you'll still create a cycle that can kill the fish.

Well said