ammonia and nitrate levels up

miket1031 · #1 04/19/2004, 04:02 PM

I had my ammonia and nitrate levels getting pretty leveled out, when i added my liverock they went up pretty high. My question is :is this normal, and will it be self correcting or will i need some sort of additive?

Erick504 · #2 04/19/2004, 04:14 PM

It depends if you got cured, or uncured rock. If you got uncured live rock, then you'll have a spike in ammonia, if you got cured live rock then you'll have very little die off.

Legal Reefer · #3 04/19/2004, 04:15 PM

that's what a cycle is. Was the rock uncured? Semi Cured? You are having die off which is completely normal. That's why people use live rock to cycle tanks. Please read the live rock faq in the "please look here before posting thread" as well as the waterkeeper's articles. You'll have a much better understanding of the processes your tank is going through.

Legal Reefer · #4 04/19/2004, 04:16 PM

I hate it when people type faster than me

miket1031 · #5 04/19/2004, 04:22 PM

I put 45lbs of premium fiji live rock cured in the tank. Are the high ammonia and nitrite levels harmful to the life on the rock?

Legal Reefer · #6 04/19/2004, 04:27 PM

"Cured" please tell us where you got it? If LFS -- might not really be fully cured. If shipped -- shipping can cause die off. It is harmful to some extent -- if you are worried about it -- you can do water changes to minimize harm. If you've added any critters -- then you should do changes.

miket1031 · #7 04/19/2004, 04:33 PM

I got the rock from roozen nurserys in maryland, i had it shipped to me, its about 90 miles from here. all thats in my tank is the lr and the ls so there is no fish to worry about, i was just curious as to whether or not my live rock would be ok and if it was a mormal part of the cycling process.