Live Rock Inquiry

[C4Rez]

Hi folks!

I have a 100gallon DT (& a 30gallon sump). About 8 months old now. I want to add a bit of more biodiversity. Received 10lbs (just to seed the tank) of premium Gulf Live Rock shipped overnight.




It’s been curing (SW 1.026) in a separate container for the last 3 days. Did daily 100% WC to help with the ammonia. I’ve basically removed anything that appears dead, eradicated aptasias, etc. I was hoping the bacteria on the rocks would have resolved the ammonia spikes by now. Must have been more die off than expected. It’s interesting still seeing the coral skeletons with active tentacles.

I want to seed the tank via sump/DT placement, but the ammonia levels are still high. I do the daily 100% WC (5 gallon bucket) when I see Ammonia spike to 2-4ppm. The WC usually brings it down to 1ppm.

How long do most ppl cure before placing in a tank? Hopefully by the end of a week, ammonia levels will be safe to introduce rocks.

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

 

[brandon429]

its not leaking ammonia at all, excellent pre surgery

* you aren't using digital kits to discern that ammonia is why what I'm saying feels suspect. I can show you a thread where a 9 month old reef, fully stocked, not in harm, is equally shown in ammonia distress on the same kits you use

ten of those threads

you have great ready rocks not causing any issue. smell them: I bet they smell normal for sure. lift out of water, smell, no rot is the bet

smells like ocean rock is the bet.

 

[brandon429]

the bacteria + surface area on those rocks is eating up free ammonia faster than anything you can possibly do in reefing


I know this won't be believed: old cycling science will never factor anything but what the cheap test kits say and that's final. updated cycling science could set those rocks alone in a 5 gallon nano, input two clowns and $1000 in sps frags, and have a full antler reef by August / have threads for that too.

put any test animal you want in that container: it lives if the salinity shift was acceptable. you have a picture of the greatest fastest ammonia reducer in all off reefdom: non digital test kits are adulterated by compounds other than actual ammonia, that's why when someone merely relocates an existing rock in a tank using API/red sea, they get an extended 5 day 'mini cycle'

-which is false, there are no mini cycles in reefing. that's a term originating solely from non digital test kit readouts

no seneye ever recorded showed a mini cycle on rocks pre cured surgically like that, there's nothing on or in them to be dying and overcoming the ability of the rock + surface area

 

[C4Rez]

@brandon429 Thanks for the replies! You are correct, I use Hanna for all my tests, except for ammonia (API). I'll try a test animal like you suggested; maybe an invert.

 

[brandon429]

A shrimp, especially lysmata, is the best mine canary of all animals

Recent ammonia studies in the chemistry forum from Taricha shows snails tolerating massive doses of ammonia