inverts response to ammonia--pest or not

[wooden_reefer]

I am referring to the lives on recently collected live rock.

Is there a belief or understanding that low or moderate levels of ammonia tend to kill pests and to preserve desirable lives on the rock, which (the desirable lives) can be harmed by still higher levels of ammonia?

 

[billsreef]

That is a myth. What we call pests and desirable species are equally effected without regard to our considerations in the matter

 

[wooden_reefer]

Thanks

I welcome more opinions.

I want to get to real appreciation for this.

 

[Khemul]

If anything, the opposite is more likely. The pests tend to be strong survivors.

But as Bill said, everything is roughly equal. The reason we commonly see these creatures (good and bad) is because they all survive roughly the same conditions along-side each other in order to get to the tank.

There is no clear line. Amphipods will survive A LOT of punishment, probably more then some of the crabs, but the other good stuff would be suffering heavily by then. Aiptasia is damned near indestructible without sterilizing the whole tank, hence why people often do pin-point attacks on them. So, by bringing a tank to the edge of sterile, you'd end up with amphipods and aiptasia left. Which is a good sign that there is no clear line to divide what hurts the good or the bad more.

 

[wooden_reefer]

bump

The significance of this will come later.

I want to get a general state of attitude or belief on this topic.

Thanks

 

[wooden_reefer]

The purpose of the title of this thread is to debunk the practice of using recently collected LR to cycle. That is , using the decay from dead lives on the rock as a source of ammonia to cycle.

I think this is completely senseless and wasteful.

It is always possible to cycle with non-living filter medium, which can be dry dead rock or crushed coral (the latter gradually withdrawn) first. After the cycle, recently collected LR can then be placed into an environment without ammonia.

More lives will be preserved. Would there be more pest this way?

 

[billsreef]

There would be more everything, both good and pests

 

[wooden_reefer]

There would be more everything, both good and pests

Better than indiscriminate destruction with ammonia.

Would you agree?

 

[billsreef]

In the case of good rock with lots of life and no decay (not quite the average for typical "damp" shipped rock) I would agree.

 

[wooden_reefer]

In the case of good rock with lots of life and no decay (not quite the average for typical "damp" shipped rock) I would agree.

If you have good relation with a LFS owner, you can ask him to call you as soon as he gets a very good shipment of LR in.

Do you have other source of the best recently collected LR?

Do you know where you can buy very fresh LR just collected?

 

[billsreef]

Much of what any LFS gets in has been dry, err "damp", shipped. Wrapped up in newspaper and placed in a waxed cardboard box to then spend time in shipping, sitting around the warehouse until shipped to the LFS...even the so called "cured" Fiji or Tonga rock that most people really like. So even the cured stuff will have some die off that needs curing once it gets to the LFS. Best bet to get the most life out of such rock is to place it in a large volume system that can handle the resulting die off without having an ammonia spike that kills off yet more life. Probably the freshest rock you can get is Florida Aquacultured LR, such as from Tampa Bay Saltwater...they actually ship their rock in water to minimize any die off.

 

[wooden_reefer]

"Probably the freshest rock you can get is Florida Aquacultured LR, such as from Tampa Bay Saltwater...they actually ship their rock in water to minimize any die off. "

Do you have a link?

Thanks

 

[billsreef]

Tampa Bay Saltwater

They also have a RC sponsor forum.