Curing rocks in Display?

filippo · 03/16/2008, 07:33 PM

Hi,

Today I bought about 110 pounds of live rocks and the guy I bought them from told me to cure those inside my DISPLAY tank, and so I did since my 90G tank has been up and running for a week only, and I am planning to let it cycle/site there for 2 months or so without adding inverts/fish yet.

Was that a smart move?

The rocks still smell bad, but not extremely bad, and now I am thinking that, maybe, I should have cured them in a different rubbermaid container, and then add them to my display.

I understand that curing rocks within the display helps cycling the tank by kicking the amonia up, but I just need some advice if that's what you would have done.

If you would have not done that, why?

Thanks,

Fish_wiz2 · 03/16/2008, 07:40 PM

Well as long as your tank has nothing in it and you can wait dump it into the display and wait for it to fully cycle or cycle it in the container until ready.

stingythingy45 · 03/16/2008, 07:45 PM

No worries brither reefer.
This will do exactly what the LFS guy told you.
The nasties will help kick start that cycle for you.

filippo · 03/16/2008, 07:48 PM

it's all for my future fish and corals' health

thank you both

tmz · 03/16/2008, 11:01 PM

Keep the lights off to avoid a lot of algae growth. Skim it and do water changes.Test for ammonia every few days untill you hit zero. Then wait a couple of more weeks,since ther is often a secondary cycle.

filippo · 03/16/2008, 11:07 PM

how often should i do water changes? weekly? biweekly? thanks

tmz · 03/16/2008, 11:55 PM

I would try 30% weekly untill the ammonia drops.

filippo · 03/17/2008, 12:02 AM

gotcha. thank you

uscharalph · 03/17/2008, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by filippo
how often should i do water changes? weekly? biweekly? thanks

No water changes until you tank cycles. You can suck out some stuff with a turkey baster, but water changes could prolong or cause an additional cycle.

reefrf · 03/17/2008, 12:28 AM

I'm glad you commented on this. That was my question. Are you really supposed to do water changes weekly while the tank is cycling? What's the point? I thought you only do a water change at the very end of your cycle, approx. 20-30%. What are everyone's opinions on this?

Tnaks, Ron

Quote:

Originally posted by uscharalph
No water changes until you tank cycles. You can suck out some stuff with a turkey baster, but water changes could prolong or cause an additional cycle.

tmz · 03/17/2008, 12:35 AM

He has a lot of uncured rock in this tank. That changes things. Even when you cure it in a tub you need to change the water weekly or you will kill more desireable organisms than you intend to. Not to mention the fact that it will stink.

kevin2000 · 03/17/2008, 05:41 AM

My 02

Their are two popular reasons many people won't cure live rock in their display tanks. First its a smelly/nasty process and who wants to stink up their house. Second .. most people have a substrate in their show tanks and some of that crud/phosphates end up in your substrate.

tmz · 03/17/2008, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by kevin2000
My 02

Their are two popular reasons many people won't cure live rock in their display tanks. First its a smelly/nasty process and who wants to stink up their house. Second .. most people have a substrate in their show tanks and some of that crud/phosphates end up in your substrate.

Good points but in his case the rock is already there.Skimming and waterchanging during the curing process will mitigate some of this.

filippo · 03/17/2008, 09:29 AM

ahhhhhh it smells pretty baaaaaaaaaaaaaad lol

i didn't notice it at the beginning, but now... gotta do a water change. thanks

03/16/2008, 07:33 PM	#1
filippo Moved On Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Milano, Italy (Tempe, AZ) Posts: 623	Curing rocks in Display? Hi, Today I bought about 110 pounds of live rocks and the guy I bought them from told me to cure those inside my DISPLAY tank, and so I did since my 90G tank has been up and running for a week only, and I am planning to let it cycle/site there for 2 months or so without adding inverts/fish yet. Was that a smart move? The rocks still smell bad, but not extremely bad, and now I am thinking that, maybe, I should have cured them in a different rubbermaid container, and then add them to my display. I understand that curing rocks within the display helps cycling the tank by kicking the amonia up, but I just need some advice if that's what you would have done. If you would have not done that, why? Thanks,

03/16/2008, 07:40 PM	#2
Fish_wiz2 Mangroves are kool. Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Chicago Posts: 5,246	Well as long as your tank has nothing in it and you can wait dump it into the display and wait for it to fully cycle or cycle it in the container until ready. __________________ -The Wiz Current Tank Info: Elos Mini Seahorse Tank, 2500 gallon Koi pond

03/16/2008, 07:45 PM	#3
stingythingy45 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: MA Posts: 3,296	No worries brither reefer. This will do exactly what the LFS guy told you. The nasties will help kick start that cycle for you. __________________ Bob Current Tank Info: 90 gallon,mixed Reef,2-250 watt Optix 3 pendants(Phoenix 14K)2-54 watt T5 Super actnics ,ASM G-2 Gate/recirc mods,70 gal. basement sump,20L ref

03/16/2008, 11:01 PM	#5
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	Keep the lights off to avoid a lot of algae growth. Skim it and do water changes.Test for ammonia every few days untill you hit zero. Then wait a couple of more weeks,since ther is often a secondary cycle. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

03/16/2008, 11:55 PM	#7
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	I would try 30% weekly untill the ammonia drops. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

03/16/2008, 07:48 PM	#4
filippo Moved On Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Milano, Italy (Tempe, AZ) Posts: 623	it's all for my future fish and corals' health thank you both

03/16/2008, 11:07 PM	#6
filippo Moved On Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Milano, Italy (Tempe, AZ) Posts: 623	how often should i do water changes? weekly? biweekly? thanks

03/17/2008, 12:02 AM	#8
filippo Moved On Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Milano, Italy (Tempe, AZ) Posts: 623	gotcha. thank you

03/17/2008, 12:35 AM	#11
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	He has a lot of uncured rock in this tank. That changes things. Even when you cure it in a tub you need to change the water weekly or you will kill more desireable organisms than you intend to. Not to mention the fact that it will stink. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

03/17/2008, 05:41 AM	#12
kevin2000 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,805	My 02 Their are two popular reasons many people won't cure live rock in their display tanks. First its a smelly/nasty process and who wants to stink up their house. Second .. most people have a substrate in their show tanks and some of that crud/phosphates end up in your substrate.

03/17/2008, 09:29 AM	#14
filippo Moved On Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Milano, Italy (Tempe, AZ) Posts: 623	ahhhhhh it smells pretty baaaaaaaaaaaaaad lol i didn't notice it at the beginning, but now... gotta do a water change. thanks