Curing live rock and ammonia is off the chart!

I am curing 30 lbs of live rock for a new tank. After 1 day, the ammonia level in the water is literally off the chart, which maxes out at 8ppm. Is it normal for live rock to spike ammonia so high, and so quickly?

 

Yes ! Especially if the live rock was shipped to you, not purchased at a LFS. LFS usually cure the live rock after they get it. There is always die-off.

 

That's a relief. I was expecting ammonia from die-off...just was not expecting such a high level.

 

Is the live rock in the tank, or in a separate bucket ?

 

The rock is in the tank, cycling it. There are no fish yet. Here is a related question: I keep reading a suggestion to take the rock and stick it in a bucket with sg of 1.030+ to cause pests to evacuate the rock. The only part that scares me about that is trying to sort out the good from the bad out of everything that comes off the rock so that I do not end up throwing away "good" creatures. Any words of wisdom on that?

 

Just keep doing what your doing , your fine. Good or bad, that's why they call it live rock !

 

I agree and would not do the 1.030 dip at the risk of losing some of the living organisms in/on the rock. Any pests that you may encounter in the future (crabs or worms) should be able to removed using traps or other means if necessary.

 

I was kind of hoping you'd say that. Thanks, guys!

The water is clearing nicely...had a pretty interesting brown cast to it for awhile there after the rock went in, but the skimmer has been pulling a charming brown sludge out and the water is nearly clear now.

 

That's good. If your worried about pests just don't add anything to the tank until your sure you have the pests out, then you won't have to worry about getting your good creatures in traps for the pests.

 

Today is day 12, and the tank appears to be cycled. Ammonia and nitrites are both back to 0, nitrates are at 40. I will do a large water change in the next couple of days, and start stocking soon after.