Cycle for base rock?

[irish02bk]

So i know i've posted this before, but i bought base rock online and then added some live rock to it in a tub and it ended up cycling, i'm at the point where ammonia is all gone, nitrite has just a trace but nitrates are still high at 30 ppm. Do you think i could now add this rock to my tank? Should i do a partial WC and wait another week? Please let me know.

[mattb]

Also remember that NO3 can build up in your rock... I'd do a water change, and make sure the NO3 goes down and doesn't rise....

[irish02bk]

how much of a water change? what is the safe level for NO3 again?

[mattb]

20% weekly I'd say...... as low as possible, less than 5ppm.

[irish02bk]

I think you are mis understood, this rock isn't in my established tank, its in a container, i'm just adding another 30 lbs of rock to my current tank thats up and running...

[mattb]

Sure that's fine.... All I'm saying is that I'd do a water change and make sure that the NO3 disappear and aren't being leached from the live rock. You can prevent live rock from absorbing nutrients by maintaining low nutrient environments. Since you have like 30 ppm NO3, I'd try to bring it to 0ppm. If there is no NO3 after a couple of days, you'll know that you will be adding rock that isn't going to leach NO3 into your main tank....