Live rock question..

ejv1013 · 01/04/2012, 10:36 PM

What is better to use for my cycle cured live rock or non cured live rock?

tebstan · 01/04/2012, 11:07 PM

It'll go faster with cured. Have you considered dry rock?

thegrun · 01/04/2012, 11:14 PM

If you use all cure rock, you may not have a cycle at all.

ejv1013 · 01/04/2012, 11:19 PM

Tebstan: I have dry rock now but i wanted to use some live rock as well to get some life in the tank for the cycle.

Thegrun: Why is it I wouldn't have a cycle?

Thanks for both replies

tebstan · 01/04/2012, 11:49 PM

You might get lucky and not have much of a cycle if you get truly live rock from a hobbyist and transport it carefully. (keep it under water and at a good temperature)

The stuff LFS sells as cured, you're likely to still have a regular cycle. I bought uncured just so I would have my pick out of a 400lb shipment, I got all the best (IMO) pieces.

ejv1013 · 01/04/2012, 11:57 PM

oh ok i see what your saying. Thanks for the heads up keep this advise in mind will be looking forward to find a fellow hobbyist in Miami,FL with live rock to buy off of.

Curtis.H · 01/05/2012, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ejv1013

oh ok i see what your saying. Thanks for the heads up keep this advise in mind will be looking forward to find a fellow hobbyist in Miami,FL with live rock to buy off of.

Most of the live rock you get (either from your LFS or online) will still cause a cycle even if they claim it's "cured". Live rock that is shipped is usually shipped with only wet newspaper wrapped around it (to save the weight of water) so there is going to be die off during shipment and that doesn't take into consideration how it was shipped from the collection site to the retailer (much of the rock from Fiji, etc is shipped dry in large containers). If you buy locally it's hard to tell how long the LFS has had the rock and most of the systems they store their LR in are in a constant cycle because they are adding new rock all of the time.

If you want a relatively short cycle you need to get LR that is shipped in water and is from the US. Tampa Bay Saltwater is a sponser of RC and their product is top notch. Not to mention that they have great customer service.

I started my tank with 125# of dry rock and 75# of LR from TBS and 2 raw shrimp to kick off the cycle. I didn't get much of a spike in ammonia and my nitrites peaked within a week. Overall, I'm very happy with the choice.

ejv1013 · 01/05/2012, 03:18 PM

Great Ill make sure to check out TBS and there rock selection Thanks Curtis.H for the info. Much appreciated!

sporto0 · 01/05/2012, 03:22 PM

It all depends on how much colonizing nitrifying bacteria is on the "cured" live rock, uncured rock just means there will be die off & ammonia produced. If there was not a heavy load on the system the cured rock came out of, you could still experience a cycle & then even another one if you add livestock too fast, that's why they advise you to add 1 or 2 fish at a time, to allow your bacteria to catch up without having a spike in ammonia/nitrites.

01/04/2012, 10:36 PM	#1
ejv1013 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 101	Live rock question.. What is better to use for my cycle cured live rock or non cured live rock?

01/04/2012, 11:07 PM	#2
tebstan Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 961	It'll go faster with cured. Have you considered dry rock? __________________ Washington's Rule #110: Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience.

01/04/2012, 11:49 PM	#5
tebstan Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 961	You might get lucky and not have much of a cycle if you get truly live rock from a hobbyist and transport it carefully. (keep it under water and at a good temperature) The stuff LFS sells as cured, you're likely to still have a regular cycle. I bought uncured just so I would have my pick out of a 400lb shipment, I got all the best (IMO) pieces. __________________ Washington's Rule #110: Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience.

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01/04/2012, 11:14 PM	#3
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	If you use all cure rock, you may not have a cycle at all.

01/04/2012, 11:19 PM	#4
ejv1013 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 101	Tebstan: I have dry rock now but i wanted to use some live rock as well to get some life in the tank for the cycle. Thegrun: Why is it I wouldn't have a cycle? Thanks for both replies

01/04/2012, 11:57 PM	#6
ejv1013 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 101	oh ok i see what your saying. Thanks for the heads up keep this advise in mind will be looking forward to find a fellow hobbyist in Miami,FL with live rock to buy off of.

01/05/2012, 03:18 PM	#8
ejv1013 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 101	Great Ill make sure to check out TBS and there rock selection Thanks Curtis.H for the info. Much appreciated!

01/05/2012, 03:22 PM	#9
sporto0 Moved On Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa. Posts: 2,924	It all depends on how much colonizing nitrifying bacteria is on the "cured" live rock, uncured rock just means there will be die off & ammonia produced. If there was not a heavy load on the system the cured rock came out of, you could still experience a cycle & then even another one if you add livestock too fast, that's why they advise you to add 1 or 2 fish at a time, to allow your bacteria to catch up without having a spike in ammonia/nitrites.