Live Rock and Sand?

[drillsar]

This is a established tank running for 2 years, I just bought some Tampa Bay rock(20lbs) and about 10lbs of sand. Can I just add the sand on top of my sand? Add the rock? Trying to find best way of doing this with little to nothing cycle.

 

[griss]

How big is the tank and how much existing rock and sand?

I’m very cautious. So, personally, I would put the new sand and rock into a stock tank to cycle it. Just to be sure.

 

[thegrun]

Is the rock live? If so there may be enough dead organics on it to start a new cycle, if it's dead you can add it without any concerns. Try to only add 1/2" of sand at a time, space it out every few days if you are adding more than 1/2" to allow the sand dwelling organisms to migrate to the surface.

 

[drillsar]

Tank is 45 Gallons with a 20 gallon sump. I have about 20 lbs of sand in now and about 40lbs of rock. Adding some of my rock to sump area.

 

[drillsar]

Rock I am going to add is live and sand. The Tank was running for 2 years was dry rock but now live

 

[griss]

What livestock do you have?

 

[drillsar]

I have 3 Cardinals; Radial Filefish; Wrasse; Royal Gamma

 

[griss]

Any coral, CUC, other inverts?

 

[drillsar]

I have 4 corals (Devil Hand, Hammer Coral, Duncan and Orange Leptastrea coral. Fighting Conch, 5 blue leg hermits, assorted snails and pistol shrimp

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[griss]

I’ll go back to my initial thought of cycling it outside the tank.

That said, @liverock what are your thought?

drillsar, in case you don’t know, liverock owns TBS.

 

[VWD]

Live rock will have die off if you are having it shipped . Depending on how much is how it will affect the tank.