Rock curing procedures: Live vs dry vs old

CloruroDiSodio · 03/10/2009, 09:35 AM

Hi gang,

I have a few questions about rock curing. What is the optimum curing procedure for dry rock? How does the curing procedure for live rock differ? If my tank is going to have dry rock, Tufa rock (from old tank), and live rock, should I cure the dry and Tufa rocks ahead of time outside the tank to prevent any damage to the live rock once I add the live rock to the tank?

Thanks again

IslandCrow · 03/10/2009, 12:15 PM

Unless it's homemade dry rock made using concrete or mortar, there's no need to cure it. Just make sure it's clean, and it can go right in your tank. As for live rock, if there's nothing living in your tank, you can cure it right in the tank if you want and use it to start your cycle. Otherwise, you'll want to cure it in a separate vessel. Keep the water heated and circulating. Do regular water changes, and a protein skimmer helps as well. A good initial guage is simply smelling the rock. If it smells bad, it needs to cure longer. If it pretty much just smells like the ocean, test for ammonia, and as long as that's showing 0, you can add the rock to your tank. To be safe, you may want to then wait a week (don't do any water changes) and take another reading. The ammonia should still be 0.

WaterKeeper · 03/10/2009, 12:34 PM

I tend to stay away from curing LR in the tank. I wrote an elaborate explanation for you but RC logged me off and the reply went to post heaven.

Anyway I do have a column where I explain the process Natural Filtration-LR 1 and Natural Filtration-LR 2.

CloruroDiSodio · 03/10/2009, 12:55 PM

Excellent, thanks again guys!

03/10/2009, 09:35 AM	#1
CloruroDiSodio Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: New York Posts: 597	Rock curing procedures: Live vs dry vs old Hi gang, I have a few questions about rock curing. What is the optimum curing procedure for dry rock? How does the curing procedure for live rock differ? If my tank is going to have dry rock, Tufa rock (from old tank), and live rock, should I cure the dry and Tufa rocks ahead of time outside the tank to prevent any damage to the live rock once I add the live rock to the tank? Thanks again

03/10/2009, 12:15 PM	#2
IslandCrow Reef Monkey Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Rockledge, Fl Posts: 5,759	Unless it's homemade dry rock made using concrete or mortar, there's no need to cure it. Just make sure it's clean, and it can go right in your tank. As for live rock, if there's nothing living in your tank, you can cure it right in the tank if you want and use it to start your cycle. Otherwise, you'll want to cure it in a separate vessel. Keep the water heated and circulating. Do regular water changes, and a protein skimmer helps as well. A good initial guage is simply smelling the rock. If it smells bad, it needs to cure longer. If it pretty much just smells like the ocean, test for ammonia, and as long as that's showing 0, you can add the rock to your tank. To be safe, you may want to then wait a week (don't do any water changes) and take another reading. The ammonia should still be 0. __________________ All opinions in the above message should be taken with 35 ppt salt. -Mike C. Current Tank Info: I have a reef screen saver on my phone, does that count?

03/10/2009, 12:34 PM	#3
WaterKeeper Bogus Information Expert Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 16,147	I tend to stay away from curing LR in the tank. I wrote an elaborate explanation for you but RC logged me off and the reply went to post heaven. Anyway I do have a column where I explain the process Natural Filtration-LR 1 and Natural Filtration-LR 2. __________________ "Leading the information hungry reefer down the road to starvation" Tom Current Tank Info: 130 Now out of service and a 29

03/10/2009, 12:55 PM	#4
CloruroDiSodio Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: New York Posts: 597	Excellent, thanks again guys!