Is cooking rock appropriate for me?

ralphie16 · 10/27/2006, 07:30 AM

From my take on this, cooking rocks leaches the phosphates from rock so that the rock will become a bacterial driven biological filter only instead of an algae driven one too. You store the rocks without light in saltwater until the phosphates are depleted and debris has ceased shedding. Therefore leached phosphates from rock should not be an issue anymore.

But I plan on having a blenny in my tank that grazes on microalgae. Now comes the part I am confused about. Is this microalgae the algae that I will be ridding of by cooking rocks? Or is this process basically for ridding the tank of nuisance alage that the blenny doesnt even eat?

akrimmel · 10/27/2006, 09:14 AM

the fish will take care of the rocks and will eat other foods that you offer to him.

TekCat · 10/27/2006, 01:16 PM

Cook away. Besides, extra phosphates in your tank is not a good thing when you keep corrals.

akrimmel · 10/27/2006, 01:39 PM

for sure.

jcardona · 10/27/2006, 01:44 PM

`what is cooking arock? Is it the same as Curing but with increased temp?

Travis L. Stevens · 10/27/2006, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ralphie16
From my take on this, cooking rocks leaches the phosphates from rock so that the rock will become a bacterial driven biological filter only instead of an algae driven one too. You store the rocks without light in saltwater until the phosphates are depleted and debris has ceased shedding. Therefore leached phosphates from rock should not be an issue anymore.

Actually, it's nitrates that is what you are reducing. Not much uses free phosphates in the cooking bin. If you want to reduce phosphates, growing prunable algae (Macro like Chaeto), nutrient control, and water changes are far more effecrive.

Quote:

But I plan on having a blenny in my tank that grazes on microalgae. Now comes the part I am confused about. Is this microalgae the algae that I will be ridding of by cooking rocks? Or is this process basically for ridding the tank of nuisance alage that the blenny doesnt even eat?

The cooking process gets rid of ALL algae. (with the exception of a few extremely hardy ones). Don't worry about your blenny though. Just make sure that it eats other stuff and that you feed it.

Now, the question at hand is rock cooking for you? I don't think it's going to hurt if you cooked them, but it might not solve the problem at hand. I think that there could be other things that you can do to make your tank better and more effective.

akrimmel · 10/27/2006, 01:46 PM

it is slang, same thing pretty much!!

Travis L. Stevens · 10/27/2006, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jcardona
`what is cooking arock? Is it the same as Curing but with increased temp?

No. Rock Cooking is actually a really bad name. Very misleading. The process involves taking your rock and placing it in a light devoid bin with a heater and a powerhead and letting it sit for a long time so the algae can die off and decompose and all the extra detritus will break down from the bacteria population in the rock. Essentially, when the rock is finished, it will come out with very little detritus, a high pod and bacteria population, and no algae.

akrimmel · 10/27/2006, 02:10 PM

to put it softly that is correct.LOL

bertoni · 10/27/2006, 03:17 PM

Personally, I wouldn't bother with "cooking". I tried it once, no big deal, as far as I can tell. If the rock has nutrients, they can leach out in the tank or in tubs with about equal efficiency, in my opinion.

jcardona · 10/27/2006, 05:39 PM

Bertoni:

Again what is the difference between cooking and curing?

purza_00 · 10/27/2006, 06:48 PM

Curing is waiting for all of the dead matter to decompose and cycle. Just waiting until it no longer produces ammonia - nitrite. Does not have to be in total darkness.
Cooking is trying to get rid of all algae. Cannot have any light.
At least this is my understanding.

Nykademus · 10/27/2006, 07:04 PM

Curing rock is bringing it back to life after die off cause by shipping or cycling a new tank.

Cooking rock ( which I agree is very misleading ) is taking cured (normally) rock that has issues with algae types that are unwanted and killing it by removing all light for long periods of time (6 weeks) to kill the current algae and prevent it from spawning in the tank again.

Thats what I have been lead to belive from the research/reading I have done on it. I am no guru on the subject since I have not, myself, done it.

jcardona · 10/28/2006, 09:32 PM

I am currently curing 125 pounds of LR in a 30 gal tote. I was told to use a skimmer a powerhead and deprive it from light.

Am I doing the right thing specially depriving it from light? How log will it take for it to be cured?

TekCat · 10/29/2006, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jcardona
I am currently curing 125 pounds of LR in a 30 gal tote. I was told to use a skimmer a powerhead and deprive it from light.

Am I doing the right thing specially depriving it from light? How log will it take for it to be cured?

Using skimmer IMHO is a good thing, it removes extra junk from water. There is no need to keep all that goo in. Light or no light - doesn't really matter. Without light you have no algae during curing process. But with the light you might help some photosynthetic organizms on LR to stay alive. I think there is a consensus that 4hours per day of lighting is plenty for curing rock, but not absolutely necessary.
Power head - a must to have thing! In fact if you have 10 powerheads, put them all in

More flow - more oxygen gets LR.

good luck and reef ON!

BBoley24 · 10/29/2006, 07:05 PM

cooking rock is illegal.

TekCat · 10/29/2006, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BBoley24
cooking rock is illegal.

Cooking is Ok, baking - that's another story

ralphie16 · 10/30/2006, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bertoni
Personally, I wouldn't bother with "cooking". I tried it once, no big deal, as far as I can tell. If the rock has nutrients, they can leach out in the tank or in tubs with about equal efficiency, in my opinion.

There is no light in the tubs to give the algae energy. Also, no input from frozen foods, fish poo, etc. BIIIIIG difference.

ralphie16 · 10/30/2006, 10:08 AM

I found found a site last night called The Reef Tank. They have a whole forum dedicated to Bare Bottom Husbandry and there is a big portion devoted to explaining and discussing "cooking live rock". Very informative site and it looks like a large number of their members have done it with success.

10/27/2006, 07:30 AM	#1
ralphie16 Moved On Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 1,550	Is cooking rock appropriate for me? From my take on this, cooking rocks leaches the phosphates from rock so that the rock will become a bacterial driven biological filter only instead of an algae driven one too. You store the rocks without light in saltwater until the phosphates are depleted and debris has ceased shedding. Therefore leached phosphates from rock should not be an issue anymore. But I plan on having a blenny in my tank that grazes on microalgae. Now comes the part I am confused about. Is this microalgae the algae that I will be ridding of by cooking rocks? Or is this process basically for ridding the tank of nuisance alage that the blenny doesnt even eat?

10/27/2006, 01:44 PM	#5
jcardona Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Miramar, Florida Posts: 243	`what is cooking arock? Is it the same as Curing but with increased temp? __________________ IM Nuvo 8, 2 SKKYE Light (8w 14K) LED lamps, EIHEM 600 pump, Fiji Pink LS, LR Stock:Pink POM POM Xenia, Toch, Hammer, Green Zoa, Ricordeas, Clownfish, Fiji Blue Devil Damsel and Red Blood shrimp. Current Tank Info: Nuvo 8 Nano tank w/2 - 8W SKKYE Light LED lamps, stock 3 stage filter and EIHEM 600 pump + stock pump as powerhead.

10/27/2006, 03:17 PM	#10
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Personally, I wouldn't bother with "cooking". I tried it once, no big deal, as far as I can tell. If the rock has nutrients, they can leach out in the tank or in tubs with about equal efficiency, in my opinion. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

10/27/2006, 05:39 PM	#11
jcardona Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Miramar, Florida Posts: 243	Bertoni: Again what is the difference between cooking and curing? __________________ IM Nuvo 8, 2 SKKYE Light (8w 14K) LED lamps, EIHEM 600 pump, Fiji Pink LS, LR Stock:Pink POM POM Xenia, Toch, Hammer, Green Zoa, Ricordeas, Clownfish, Fiji Blue Devil Damsel and Red Blood shrimp. Current Tank Info: Nuvo 8 Nano tank w/2 - 8W SKKYE Light LED lamps, stock 3 stage filter and EIHEM 600 pump + stock pump as powerhead.

10/28/2006, 09:32 PM	#14
jcardona Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Miramar, Florida Posts: 243	I am currently curing 125 pounds of LR in a 30 gal tote. I was told to use a skimmer a powerhead and deprive it from light. Am I doing the right thing specially depriving it from light? How log will it take for it to be cured? __________________ IM Nuvo 8, 2 SKKYE Light (8w 14K) LED lamps, EIHEM 600 pump, Fiji Pink LS, LR Stock:Pink POM POM Xenia, Toch, Hammer, Green Zoa, Ricordeas, Clownfish, Fiji Blue Devil Damsel and Red Blood shrimp. Current Tank Info: Nuvo 8 Nano tank w/2 - 8W SKKYE Light LED lamps, stock 3 stage filter and EIHEM 600 pump + stock pump as powerhead.

10/27/2006, 09:14 AM	#2
akrimmel Moved On Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: HAZELWOOD, MO Posts: 2,260	the fish will take care of the rocks and will eat other foods that you offer to him.

10/27/2006, 01:16 PM	#3
TekCat Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: MN Posts: 3,130	Cook away. Besides, extra phosphates in your tank is not a good thing when you keep corrals.

10/27/2006, 01:39 PM	#4
akrimmel Moved On Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: HAZELWOOD, MO Posts: 2,260	for sure.

10/27/2006, 01:46 PM	#7
akrimmel Moved On Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: HAZELWOOD, MO Posts: 2,260	it is slang, same thing pretty much!!

10/27/2006, 02:10 PM	#9
akrimmel Moved On Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: HAZELWOOD, MO Posts: 2,260	to put it softly that is correct.LOL

10/27/2006, 06:48 PM	#12
purza_00 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New Jersey Posts: 320	Curing is waiting for all of the dead matter to decompose and cycle. Just waiting until it no longer produces ammonia - nitrite. Does not have to be in total darkness. Cooking is trying to get rid of all algae. Cannot have any light. At least this is my understanding.

10/27/2006, 07:04 PM	#13
Nykademus Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: South Dakota Posts: 530	Curing rock is bringing it back to life after die off cause by shipping or cycling a new tank. Cooking rock ( which I agree is very misleading ) is taking cured (normally) rock that has issues with algae types that are unwanted and killing it by removing all light for long periods of time (6 weeks) to kill the current algae and prevent it from spawning in the tank again. Thats what I have been lead to belive from the research/reading I have done on it. I am no guru on the subject since I have not, myself, done it.

10/29/2006, 07:05 PM	#16
BBoley24 Moved On Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Greensburg PA Posts: 917	cooking rock is illegal.

10/30/2006, 10:08 AM	#19
ralphie16 Moved On Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 1,550	I found found a site last night called The Reef Tank. They have a whole forum dedicated to Bare Bottom Husbandry and there is a big portion devoted to explaining and discussing "cooking live rock". Very informative site and it looks like a large number of their members have done it with success.