Curing "old/dead" Live Rock

anthonydel · 04/08/2010, 11:08 AM

Hey everyone,

I had 115 gallon reef tank 3 years ago, and ended up going through a divorce which led to the neglect of my reef tank. So I took it down and kept everything knowing someday that I'd put it backup.

That being said, I've gotten the itch again and am ready to re-setup my tank. I kept all the live rock that I had (now dead rock) in a container. I know heard people cure their own rock and I'm assuming this is what I'll have to do in order to get it reef ready. I have time and I'm not in a rush but I want to get a head start and get this rock ready to go.

Can anyone let me know the best process to do this? Can this be done outside of the tank in say a rubber made container/can? What am I in for?

liz62 · 04/08/2010, 11:19 AM

In short yes it can.
In the tank would be better though. You will need a skimmer, powerheads, and a heater. I would buy a couple of new pieces of fresh LR to seed the rock that you have.
You will be looking at a couple of months before it is cycled, hence the reason why I would just do it in the tank that you intend to set-up

anthonydel · 04/08/2010, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by liz62

In short yes it can.
In the tank would be better though. You will need a skimmer, powerheads, and a heater. I would buy a couple of new pieces of fresh LR to seed the rock that you have.
You will be looking at a couple of months before it is cycled, hence the reason why I would just do it in the tank that you intend to set-up

Ideally I would like to cure the rock in my tank as well, but my goal was, while waiting for the rock to cure, to setup my tank, get the pluming and noise issues taken care of and tested.

liz62 · 04/08/2010, 11:27 AM

Ok - well then a container it is - throw in a couple of pieces of fresh rock to seed it though.

looneyreefer · 10/15/2012, 12:31 PM

I have a simulare question. I have a 45 gal with about 50lbs of LR. I am upgrading to 75 gal soon. My friend gave me a buch of his old LR thats been sitting in a box for a few years. I plan to scrub it all... but is that efficiente? Can I then add that with my other rock in the new tank set up? Will I get a cycle still?

danil · 10/15/2012, 02:09 PM

I would advise you to check the forum on the topic. There are many sources of how to cure dry (base) rock. There are more then one way to do it obviously... pick the one you like. One thing though... don't 'seed' anything until your rocks are alive (cycle is over). Curing in the tank is not a good idea for your type of rock. I'm sure your rock has tons of dry biomass and curing is a very smelly thing plus you would be better wash the rock one or few times to speed up the process.
GL!

Paul B · 10/15/2012, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Can this be done outside of the tank in say a rubber made container/can? What am I in for?

There is no process, just put it back in the tank, or a plastic container and fill it with saltwater. Thats it. Any dead algae or organic material in the rock will start the bacterial process. You will still have to cycle the tank with either a dead shrimp or amonia depending on what you want to do. But I would use the rock as it is.
Of course if it is all dusty or has cat litter all over it, I would hose it off first.

EDJFA · 10/15/2012, 03:30 PM

You just heard from a guy who's been doing this longer than many of us have been alive.

I can tell you when I set up mine, I got the rocks from the previous tank owner in a laundry basket. Dead of course. I put in the sand and water. Added the rocks plus one 5-6lb rock from my LFS's LR tub and let it go. The only reason I rinsed off the rocks was to get some of the accumulated crap out of all the holes. Probably didn't really need to do that except I didn't want it floating around in my nice clean tank.

If you do rinse them off with a garden hose, maybe rinse them off again with some RO/DI water just to make sure you don't carry any nasty stuff from your municipal water into your tank accidentally.

Paul B · 10/15/2012, 04:34 PM

Quote:

You just heard from a guy who's been doing this longer than many of us have been alive.

You calling me old?

looneyreefer · 10/24/2012, 08:35 AM

Ammonia levels in my curing tub spiked to 8 this morning, nitrite 0, nitrate 5

Should I do a water change in the tub? 100% /50%

Gary Majchrzak · 10/24/2012, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anthonydel

Hey everyone,

I had 115 gallon reef tank 3 years ago, and ended up going through a divorce which led to the neglect of my reef tank. So I took it down and kept everything knowing someday that I'd put it backup.

That being said, I've gotten the itch again and am ready to re-setup my tank. I kept all the live rock that I had (now dead rock) in a container. I know heard people cure their own rock and I'm assuming this is what I'll have to do in order to get it reef ready. I have time and I'm not in a rush but I want to get a head start and get this rock ready to go.

Can anyone let me know the best process to do this? Can this be done outside of the tank in say a rubber made container/can? What am I in for?

WELCOME BACK!

Divorce sucks. Good news: your life and your reef aquarium are gonna be better than ever!

here's what I would recommend you do to that liverock

jeruvalcaba · 01/26/2017, 05:39 PM

Hello guys,

I have a 20 saltwater tank, I added about 20lbs of live rock, I also have one Clown Fish only, and a cleaners crew, Now, my question is or my concern, All my Live rock doesn't really look alive, been in my tank for about 6 months, How long does it take for me to be able to see new ecosystems in my live rock?

Thank you.

CrayolaViolence · 01/26/2017, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeruvalcaba

Hello guys,

I have a 20 saltwater tank, I added about 20lbs of live rock, I also have one Clown Fish only, and a cleaners crew, Now, my question is or my concern, All my Live rock doesn't really look alive, been in my tank for about 6 months, How long does it take for me to be able to see new ecosystems in my live rock?

Thank you.

Live rock won't spring corals or macro algae, or anything like that unless it has that on it (even only a couple of cells) when you put it in the tank. What makes the rock "live" is the biofilm (bacteria) that sets up household on the rock and stabilizes your aquarium.

Fresh out of the ocean live rock is where you get the myriad of life and ready made echo system. Both good and bad hitchhikers.

If you want stuff to grow on your rocks, much like an empty field, you have to "plant" it by the way of introducing corals or other types of life.

Haus40 · 06/07/2020, 05:50 AM

Great info here guys thanks

clevername · 06/08/2020, 09:01 AM

Agree with others, Read up on how to properly do it.

Long story short, bleaching actually removes a ton of phosphate. Then rinse out and soak in "Phos Free Pool Cleaner". Doing it in freshwater makes it more potent. Then rinse and repeat with the Phosphate remover until you get Zero phosphate.

BRS has some great videos on curing rock and how maybe using acid isnt all that amazing like people claim.

04/08/2010, 11:08 AM	#1
anthonydel Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Chicago IL Posts: 5	Curing "old/dead" Live Rock Hey everyone, I had 115 gallon reef tank 3 years ago, and ended up going through a divorce which led to the neglect of my reef tank. So I took it down and kept everything knowing someday that I'd put it backup. That being said, I've gotten the itch again and am ready to re-setup my tank. I kept all the live rock that I had (now dead rock) in a container. I know heard people cure their own rock and I'm assuming this is what I'll have to do in order to get it reef ready. I have time and I'm not in a rush but I want to get a head start and get this rock ready to go. Can anyone let me know the best process to do this? Can this be done outside of the tank in say a rubber made container/can? What am I in for?

01/26/2017, 05:39 PM	#12
jeruvalcaba Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 1	Live Rock Dead or Alive? Hello guys, I have a 20 saltwater tank, I added about 20lbs of live rock, I also have one Clown Fish only, and a cleaners crew, Now, my question is or my concern, All my Live rock doesn't really look alive, been in my tank for about 6 months, How long does it take for me to be able to see new ecosystems in my live rock? Thank you.

06/08/2020, 09:01 AM	#15
clevername Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Manchester, MO Posts: 1,125	Agree with others, Read up on how to properly do it. Long story short, bleaching actually removes a ton of phosphate. Then rinse out and soak in "Phos Free Pool Cleaner". Doing it in freshwater makes it more potent. Then rinse and repeat with the Phosphate remover until you get Zero phosphate. BRS has some great videos on curing rock and how maybe using acid isnt all that amazing like people claim. __________________ In process: 210gal, VARIOS-8 return, Kessil Lights, 80 gal sump, mp60's, and REGAL 200EXT 8" RECIRCULATING skimmer

04/08/2010, 11:19 AM	#2
liz62 Zeohead Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 394	In short yes it can. In the tank would be better though. You will need a skimmer, powerheads, and a heater. I would buy a couple of new pieces of fresh LR to seed the rock that you have. You will be looking at a couple of months before it is cycled, hence the reason why I would just do it in the tank that you intend to set-up

04/08/2010, 11:27 AM	#4
liz62 Zeohead Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 394	Ok - well then a container it is - throw in a couple of pieces of fresh rock to seed it though.

10/15/2012, 12:31 PM	#5
looneyreefer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Quincy, IL Posts: 62	I have a simulare question. I have a 45 gal with about 50lbs of LR. I am upgrading to 75 gal soon. My friend gave me a buch of his old LR thats been sitting in a box for a few years. I plan to scrub it all... but is that efficiente? Can I then add that with my other rock in the new tank set up? Will I get a cycle still?

10/15/2012, 02:09 PM	#6
danil Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Concord, CA Posts: 935	I would advise you to check the forum on the topic. There are many sources of how to cure dry (base) rock. There are more then one way to do it obviously... pick the one you like. One thing though... don't 'seed' anything until your rocks are alive (cycle is over). Curing in the tank is not a good idea for your type of rock. I'm sure your rock has tons of dry biomass and curing is a very smelly thing plus you would be better wash the rock one or few times to speed up the process. GL!

10/15/2012, 03:30 PM	#8
EDJFA Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: St. Charles, MO Posts: 1,025	You just heard from a guy who's been doing this longer than many of us have been alive. I can tell you when I set up mine, I got the rocks from the previous tank owner in a laundry basket. Dead of course. I put in the sand and water. Added the rocks plus one 5-6lb rock from my LFS's LR tub and let it go. The only reason I rinsed off the rocks was to get some of the accumulated crap out of all the holes. Probably didn't really need to do that except I didn't want it floating around in my nice clean tank. If you do rinse them off with a garden hose, maybe rinse them off again with some RO/DI water just to make sure you don't carry any nasty stuff from your municipal water into your tank accidentally.

10/24/2012, 08:35 AM	#10
looneyreefer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Quincy, IL Posts: 62	Ammonia levels in my curing tub spiked to 8 this morning, nitrite 0, nitrate 5 Should I do a water change in the tub? 100% /50%

06/07/2020, 05:50 AM	#14
Haus40 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 11	Great info here guys thanks