Water Change Of Curing Live Rock

[dsage]

Hi Everyone

i just got some uncured live rock and have set up a curing system, with a powerhead, skimmer and heater and have cleaned the rocks very softly with a toothbrush but i have read that you should do water changes when you are curing the live rock but i cant find anywhere any info on how often i should do a water change well the live rock is curing. please can anyone advice me on this.

thanks in advance.

 

[OldMan47]

I am going to move this to the salt water section, we just don't use live rock in freshwater.

 

[lljdma06]

Do you have an ammonia test kit? you'll also need nitrite & nitrate test kits.

You typically do the water change when you have nitrates, unless the curing is particularly nasty, then I'd do water changes to keep ammonia in check. You don't need much ammonia to get a good cycle going.

What is the planned setup?

L

 

[dsage]

Do you have an ammonia test kit? you'll also need nitrite & nitrate test kits.

You typically do the water change when you have nitrates, unless the curing is particularly nasty, then I'd do water changes to keep ammonia in check. You don't need much ammonia to get a good cycle going.

What is the planned setup?

L

Hi, Thanks for the reply.

atm i have it in a 22L bucket with a protien skimmer, filter(without carbon), a powerhead and a LED light that comes on only 6 hours a day(but was planning on increasing that a hour every two days until its 12 hours). the weight of the rock is about 3lb. i already have the tests and the Ammonia was 1.0ppm and the same with the nitrite. i havent tested the nitrate atm but i will do that when i get back home tonight. i also added conditionors to the water because i read it was like cycling a tank. the gravity is 1.021. and the tempature is between 24 and 25 degrees.
i read in a book that i should do water changes everyday about 20% or 50% if the ammonia is really high. do you think i should only do it if the ammonia gets high and when there is nitrate?

thanks in advance for your help.

 

[lljdma06]

Do you have an ammonia test kit? you'll also need nitrite & nitrate test kits.

You typically do the water change when you have nitrates, unless the curing is particularly nasty, then I'd do water changes to keep ammonia in check. You don't need much ammonia to get a good cycle going.

What is the planned setup?

L

Hi, Thanks for the reply.

atm i have it in a 22L bucket with a protien skimmer, filter(without carbon), a powerhead and a LED light that comes on only 6 hours a day(but was planning on increasing that a hour every two days until its 12 hours). the weight of the rock is about 3lb. i already have the tests and the Ammonia was 1.0ppm and the same with the nitrite. i havent tested the nitrate atm but i will do that when i get back home tonight. i also added conditionors to the water because i read it was like cycling a tank. the gravity is 1.021. and the tempature is between 24 and 25 degrees.
i read in a book that i should do water changes everyday about 20% or 50% if the ammonia is really high. do you think i should only do it if the ammonia gets high and when there is nitrate?

thanks in advance for your help.

The advice you read is consistent with what I told you. If the ammonia is too high, then yes, you do the water changes to bring the level down, but I don't consider your level all that high yet and you already have nitrite, so the cycling process has begun. Continue to monitor your levels. When you don't see ammonia and nitrite and then just see nitrate, the rock is cured, do a large water change and the rock should be good to add to the tank.

I've always only purchased cured rock, so I don't get much of a cycle.

L

 

[dsage]

Do you have an ammonia test kit? you'll also need nitrite & nitrate test kits.

You typically do the water change when you have nitrates, unless the curing is particularly nasty, then I'd do water changes to keep ammonia in check. You don't need much ammonia to get a good cycle going.

What is the planned setup?

L

Hi, Thanks for the reply.

atm i have it in a 22L bucket with a protien skimmer, filter(without carbon), a powerhead and a LED light that comes on only 6 hours a day(but was planning on increasing that a hour every two days until its 12 hours). the weight of the rock is about 3lb. i already have the tests and the Ammonia was 1.0ppm and the same with the nitrite. i havent tested the nitrate atm but i will do that when i get back home tonight. i also added conditionors to the water because i read it was like cycling a tank. the gravity is 1.021. and the tempature is between 24 and 25 degrees.
i read in a book that i should do water changes everyday about 20% or 50% if the ammonia is really high. do you think i should only do it if the ammonia gets high and when there is nitrate?

thanks in advance for your help.

The advice you read is consistent with what I told you. If the ammonia is too high, then yes, you do the water changes to bring the level down, but I don't consider your level all that high yet and you already have nitrite, so the cycling process has begun. Continue to monitor your levels. When you don't see ammonia and nitrite and then just see nitrate, the rock is cured, do a large water change and the rock should be good to add to the tank.

I've always only purchased cured rock, so I don't get much of a cycle.

L

Ok, thank you for your help and advice. really appreciate it. i will keep on doing my tests every day and do water changes once the ammonia gets high.
thanks again