Adding Live Rock

[Kens Bees]

I have a 65 gallon with a bunch of established live rock, but I'm not in love with any of the individual pieces or the whole scaping of the tank. The tank is fully cycled and has a few mushrooms and one damsel. I'm adding some zoas this weekend and want to add a pair of clowns in a week or two.

I could put the new pieces in a 5 gallon pail with new water, a piece of established rock, and a pump for a few weeks to get them cured.

However, if I were to introduce a few new pieces of dry live rock at a time, say every couple weeks, would you anticipate any problems? TIA

 

[stingythingy45]

How much rock do you have now and how much dry rock you adding?
I've added dry rock over time with no issues. Had maybe 80 lbs established and added another 20 with no issues.

 

[Kens Bees]

I'd guess there's around 50 pounds. I wouldn't add/remove more than 10 pounds at a time. Total tank volume is 65 gallons.

 

[ChrisV]

How much real estate do you have in your sump? I'm thinking that you could put it in your sump and get it all loaded up with bacteria before putting it in the display. This would allow you to avoid putting completely bare (no biofilm) rock in your display under bright lights (which might invite algae headaches). Either way, when you move rock with no life on it (or only biofilm grown I'm the dark) into a display under lights, there will probably be a succession of algae that take turns cultivating the rock until it matures.