New Live Rock into new tank - procedure?

[ScubaDrew]

Hi everyone,

Just wondering what procedure you all recommend for adding live rock to an empty but cycled tank.

I've read everything from basically dumping the rock into the tank directly from the boxes to setting up a separate saltwater tank for cleaning - ranging from swishing the rock around, to using tweezers and basters to clean crevices.

I do have a 30 gal tank, currently empty that I could use for cleaning. I am concerned that in my deep, 90gal corner bow, catching anything will be very difficult.

Opinions?

Thanks!

Drew

[AQTCJAK]

I would say this only because this is how I do it. I have had people do it your way however I personally do not like the look of the die off.

In a Large trash can:

Put the rock in
Fill with RO water (To kill any un-wanted Hitch hikers) 24Hours
The drain & pressure wash the rock to get all the reamining mud & or dead off
I then Mix Salt enough salt to make 190 Gallons @ 1.025 in a 40 gallon trash can about 1/2 full
Wait for the water to clear
Add rock
Fast moving pump
Cover & let simmer for about 2 weeks
Rinse
Place in the tank

This has worked for me very well. When all is said & done the rock looks great, Very little if any diatoms after the introduction to the tank. Best of all not un wanted surprizes ie Mantis shrimp rogue crabs snails etc...

[mps9506]

Originally Posted by ScubaDrew

Hi everyone,

Just wondering what procedure you all recommend for adding live rock to an empty but cycled tank.

I've read everything from basically dumping the rock into the tank directly from the boxes to setting up a separate saltwater tank for cleaning - ranging from swishing the rock around, to using tweezers and basters to clean crevices.

I do have a 30 gal tank, currently empty that I could use for cleaning. I am concerned that in my deep, 90gal corner bow, catching anything will be very difficult.

Opinions?

Thanks!

Drew

Is it cured live rock or fresh live rock?
If it is fresh live rock I would cure it in a seperate tank where you can clean all the dead and dying stuff off and let it clean up for a few weeks before adding it to your main tank.
If it is already cured and you are just worried about hitch hikers, then yes keeping it in a separate tank for a few weeks is not a bad idea.

[mps9506]

Originally Posted by AQTCJAK

Fill with RO water (To kill any un-wanted Hitch hikers) 24Hours

The only problem I see with this is you will kill many/most welcome hitchikers as well.
Which isn't a problem for some folks, but if you go this route you may as well purchase cheaper dead rock from hi rocks or caribsea reef bones because at that point you are just using it for a bacterial substrate.

What I have been doing with any new live rock I get is "cooking" the live rock (this does not involve boiling water).
SeanT and Bomber over at RC got me into this. It is more useful on older live rock that has become saturated with phosphates and gets into a cycle of growing algae, but it's a great way to clena up rock, although it does take a long time to do it properly.
Reef Central Online Community - A rock 'cooking' question.

[ScubaDrew]

It was pulled out of the ocean yesterday, is being held in tanks and shipping submerged in water. I think everything thats is on the rock will arrive very alive.

I think I'm going to avoid doing too much cleaning since the reason I ordered from tampabaysaltwater.com was to get all the goodies on the rocks. I'd hate to loose anything good!

Guess I'll make a decision on how much I clean when it arrives and can take a look at its condition.

Thanks for the info guys!

Drew

Originally Posted by mps9506

Is it cured live rock or fresh live rock?
If it is fresh live rock I would cure it in a seperate tank where you can clean all the dead and dying stuff off and let it clean up for a few weeks before adding it to your main tank.
If it is already cured and you are just worried about hitch hikers, then yes keeping it in a separate tank for a few weeks is not a bad idea.

[AQTCJAK]

[quote=mps9506;288374]The only problem I see with this is you will kill many/most welcome hitchikers as well.
Which isn't a problem for some folks, but if you go this route you may as well purchase cheaper dead rock from hi rocks or caribsea reef bones because at that point you are just using it for a bacterial substrate.

Actually all the pods & the mysid shimp & eggs survive & start populating right away. Or at least that is my observation

[mps9506]

Actually with TBS live rock I would put in a holding tank for a few eeks to keep an eye on hitchhikers. It is notorious for coming with mantis shrimp and "gorilla crabs" which aren't fun getting out of your tank later. Although they make very cool additions to specimen tanks.
The other option is to buy a couple liters of seltzer water and pour it into the crevices in your rock when you get it to try and force those suckers out before adding to your tank.
But they ship the rock very well with little to no die off.

[goldenmean]

Hey I am getting TBS Rock this afternoon.
It is going right into my tank.
I know some talk about squirting seltzer water in the holes and crevises of the rock which will make the gorilla crabs and Mantis shrimp come out but I figure I will just hunt them with my trust spear.

I know TBS rock is pulled fresh from the ocean but I believe their website say they hold the rock in tanks for a month before they ship them. This allows for the minimal die off from sea to boat to holding tank

[ScubaDrew]

He def went diving wed and thursday for the rock he is shipping me - or so he indicated in email. I'm with you on spear hunting, but I might do it in the 1/2 full 30 gal tank to increase my odds! that tank is so deep I have a hard time catching non moving objects.

make sure you update me w/ your progress!

thanks,

Drew

Originally Posted by goldenmean

Hey I am getting TBS Rock this afternoon.
It is going right into my tank.
I know some talk about squirting seltzer water in the holes and crevises of the rock which will make the gorilla crabs and Mantis shrimp come out but I figure I will just hunt them with my trust spear.

I know TBS rock is pulled fresh from the ocean but I believe their website say they hold the rock in tanks for a month before they ship them. This allows for the minimal die off from sea to boat to holding tank

[goldenmean]

I just went back to his web site which says

The rock is ready to ship in 3 to 14 days.

but if he told you Wednesday/ Thursday he went diving I go with that for sure!

Good luck and have fun.
Keep us posted too.

[Melanie]

TBS (tampabaysaltwater) has excellent suggestions on their site for how to set up the LR. Dentoid ordered his there and I would ask him if he followed their directions. He is very very happy with his rock.

[Dentoid]

Sorry I missed this earlier Drew, you have probably finished doing your aquascaping, but I would strongly suggest just putting it right in the tank. The die off will be minimal. I'm looking forward to seeing it, wish I could have been there. You are going to be amazed over the next few weeks as your tank blossoms with this LR. I guarantee!

BTW, I got the package and followed Richard's instructions to the tee.

[DrHank]

If you put it directly into your display count on gorilla crabs and Mantis shrimp. If you have a deep tank, good luck trying to spear them later. I think that I'd do as Mike advised. It gives you time to decide what goes in your tank as opposed to just dumping it all in.

[ScubaDrew]

Well everyone - the rock is in the tank. I did the best I could with RO water into cracks w/ some light washing in a 30 gal tank to try and weed out critters. I only came up with two gorilla crabs... Already have a single popping noise in the tank, so its either a mantis or pistol.

The life on these rocks is pretty insane I think. Compared to the stuff my LFS sells anyway. See my conical for some really bad pics - bottom line, 3 starfish, lots of snails, some crabs, there are hundreds of crustations, I'd call them barnacles on the rocks. These guys are all sweeping dusters around which I take as a good sign...

goldenmean - how did you do?

[goldenmean]

Hey ScubDrew.
I did well.
I did order the package with some extra sand.
85# LS and 40-45# LR is part 1.
I just quickly looked at the rock and tossed it in the tank.
I only saw 1 crab.

I think my part 2 will be more Like what you received
with even more life - or so I have been told.
I am very happy with it.

I was reading your chronicle and I too had the sand cloud. I put in 35# CaribSea sand before the I ordered the TBS and my tank looked like yours but It only lasted for about 2 days. Adding the TBS stired it up again but now 24 hours late its all clear.

Pics on my chroniicle or in my gallery
55g-link-golden-chain

btw. Some of the TBS pics in your chrinicle I could not see.