Cooking dry rock... oh the smell

audiophile42 · 10/03/2009, 06:55 PM

So I got 60ish pounds of dry rock, and decided to cure it outside of my main tank just to be on the safe side. I soaked in a 50/50 vinegar bath for 2 days, rinsed it off, and put it in a container with a heater and Koralia 3 in my bathroom. I also put a piece of live rock from my tank to seed the dry rock.

OH MY GOD. I've read that this can smell, but this is utterly ridiculous. The smell escaped the bathroom and wafted throughout the apartment. So I decided to do an 80% water change. The second the rock was exposed to the air, I ran away for breathable air. I had no idea it would smell this bad. At the same time, I'm SO glad I'm curing it outside my main tank. Ammonia is about 2ppm already.

So I did a large water change and sprayed the apartment with glade. Any suggestions? I'm probably going to be doing a big water change every day/every other day to help.

Pufferpunk · 10/03/2009, 07:17 PM

Why didn't you just cure it instead? Could have saved a lot of life on there. Do water changes with the water from your main tank. That way you're not wasting good $alt on bad rock.

audiophile42 · 10/03/2009, 07:29 PM

I've read that letting it dry rock soak in a vinegar/acidic mix helps prevent phosphate issues.

Dana19620 · 10/04/2009, 04:09 AM

Wow, I didn't realize that dry rock would smell so badly, though I've heard liverock can because of the die off.

JNye · 10/04/2009, 08:38 AM

i cure all rock outside, no smell

Pufferpunk · 10/04/2009, 08:40 AM

I cured mine in the basement.

audiophile42 · 10/04/2009, 02:11 PM

Well, I put it outside to cure. The heater will be running non-stop and I might have to get another one to keep the temp up. Oh well.

10/03/2009, 06:55 PM	#1
audiophile42 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Gurnee, IL Posts: 410	Cooking dry rock... oh the smell So I got 60ish pounds of dry rock, and decided to cure it outside of my main tank just to be on the safe side. I soaked in a 50/50 vinegar bath for 2 days, rinsed it off, and put it in a container with a heater and Koralia 3 in my bathroom. I also put a piece of live rock from my tank to seed the dry rock. OH MY GOD. I've read that this can smell, but this is utterly ridiculous. The smell escaped the bathroom and wafted throughout the apartment. So I decided to do an 80% water change. The second the rock was exposed to the air, I ran away for breathable air. I had no idea it would smell this bad. At the same time, I'm SO glad I'm curing it outside my main tank. Ammonia is about 2ppm already. So I did a large water change and sprayed the apartment with glade. Any suggestions? I'm probably going to be doing a big water change every day/every other day to help.

10/04/2009, 08:38 AM	#5
JNye Moved On Up Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Lansing, IL Posts: 2,230	i cure all rock outside, no smell __________________ Joe Current Tank Info: it don't matter just don't bite it

10/03/2009, 07:17 PM	#2
Pufferpunk Moved On Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Franklin Park, IL Posts: 21,027	Why didn't you just cure it instead? Could have saved a lot of life on there. Do water changes with the water from your main tank. That way you're not wasting good $alt on bad rock.

10/03/2009, 07:29 PM	#3
audiophile42 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Gurnee, IL Posts: 410	I've read that letting it dry rock soak in a vinegar/acidic mix helps prevent phosphate issues.

10/04/2009, 04:09 AM	#4
Dana19620 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Aurora, IL Posts: 1,383	Wow, I didn't realize that dry rock would smell so badly, though I've heard liverock can because of the die off.

10/04/2009, 08:40 AM	#6
Pufferpunk Moved On Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Franklin Park, IL Posts: 21,027	I cured mine in the basement.

10/04/2009, 02:11 PM	#7
audiophile42 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Gurnee, IL Posts: 410	Well, I put it outside to cure. The heater will be running non-stop and I might have to get another one to keep the temp up. Oh well.