another BB thread(not meant to be a war)

[Sindjin]

I like the term "Dark Curing" myself.


Seriously though...
I wish I would have cooked my rock. I have worked SO SO hard curing it in tank. TONS of water changes. TONS of removing the rock and dunking/swishing it. In addition, I accepted some corals from a friend to add to my system early on and I was downright impatient.

HOWEVER.....

Since I have a BB, its easy to siphon out all of the detritus. My UNCURED live rock cycled in 3 weeks and I had ZERO Nitrates right after that. They have remained at zero ever since. AND..

My Rock is georgous. I preserved all of the coralines...purples, reds, greens and oranges. This is the PRIZE for all my hard work, IMO. I am really impressed with the rock now. I wish I could find my camera and take a nice close up shot. I could care less about the dusters and the 2 polyps that lived to be honest....you'll get that stuff ANYWAY even if you "dark Cured" it.

PLEASE> Take our advice. Cook your rock. It will make your life so much easier in the long run. I beg you. DOnt make the mistakes I made. Dont rush it. Cook that rock for 4 months. You will be so glad you did in the long run.

 

[Weatherman]

Just to illustrate the point...

This is what "fully-cured" live rock looks like after being exposed to a couple of days of metal-halide light:

This is what "dark-cured" live rock looks like after two weeks of being exposed to metal-halide light:

It looks very clean, but it's not because it's sterile; it's because there's nothing on the rock decaying away to support an algae bloom.

 

[Sindjin]

Hey Weatherman,

Ever get Bubble Algae?
This is the next BattleFront Im entering. I've deployed my troops of emerald crabs but thats hit or miss.

Just another reason why I should have cooked my rock.

 

[JER-Z]

so is it pointless to buy "live rock" when you can get better shapes, etc., from reeferrocks for less money? i imaging the curing/cooking process takes less time as well?

 

[Weatherman]

The biggest mistake I made in setting up my 120 was not being more careful to prevent the introduction of pest animals and pest algae. The rock cooking went perfectly. No nuisance algae survived. However, it opened up an environment where pest algae would have no competition for nutrients or space if they were later introduced.

This is my only criticism of rock cooking. You have to be extremely careful afterwards not to introduce pests.

I wasnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t.

I introduced dictyota, valonia and rhodopytes on pieces of rock coral were attached to. And, I introduced pyramidellid snails on an ailing crocea clam.

For the last three months, the tank has been overrun with rhodopytes and pyramidellids. Only in the past month has the tide started to turn. Almost all my snails are now Margarites, which seem to be immune to the pyramidellids, unlike astreas. And, I have a Virgatus Rabbitfish and a Foxface both eating the rhodophytes, valonia and dictyota. I still expect it to be another couple of months before the tank completely recovers.

 

[Sindjin]

I bought some base rock from Reeferrock. REALLY nice stuff.
I would do a whole setup with it. However, I would still cook it because it still has some build up inside it. Just throw in some raw shrimp or 2 to get the cycle going.

 

[JER-Z]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6523919#post6523919 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sindjin
I bought some base rock from Reeferrock. REALLY nice stuff.
I would do a whole setup with it. However, I would still cook it because it still has some build up inside it. Just throw in some raw shrimp or 2 to get the cycle going.

and the shrimp induced cycle would be enough to seed the rock to adequately denitrify? sorry for all the questions that have probably been answered...it's getting close to decision time, lol.

i'm sure my fiance would prefer the smell of reeferrocks, or lack thereof compared to the uncured LR

 

[Sindjin]

Actually when setting a tank up this way, you will slowly populate. It will allow you to slowly increase the bacterial colony as you slowly increase the bioload. Dentrification will happen eventually, yes. The key is to watch the cycle when cooking it. Make sure it does cycle. You WANT to see Ammonia...you WANT to see Nitrite and you WANT to see Nitrate. Once the Nitrites are at zero and your nitrates begin to come down...your cycle is pretty much complete. During this time you want to also Dunk and Swish this rock in a seperate container of salt water to remove any internal debris....you will see some even from the Reeferrocks.

 

[PUGroyale]

A poorly executed BB setup can become a great big hassle... [I know firsthand ] Do yourself a favor Reefer91 and listen to the good advice these guys are offering you If you read thru their threads you'll notice most have done all the trial and error for you... :thumbsup:

 

[Sindjin]

If you read thru their threads you'll notice most have done all the trial and error for you...

Especially me, LOL! Im STILL doing it!

 

[JER-Z]

does anyone sell a product like a bag-o-bacteria? lol you know, to speed up the bacterial population in the dry rock?

do you think tossing the "dirty" water from my pico water changes would help?

 

[Weatherman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6524006#post6524006 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PUGroyale
A poorly executed BB setup can become a great big hassle... [I know firsthand ] Do yourself a favor Reefer91 and listen to the good advice these guys are offering you If you read thru their threads you'll notice most have done all the trial and error for you... :thumbsup:

I agree 100%.

It takes very careful planning and execution, especially during the first several months, in order to be successful.

The rewards can be significant, but itââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s not a fool-proof reefkeeping methodology.

I'm about year into converting all my tanks over to bare-bottom, and I'd say I'm batting about .333 at this point.

 

[Sindjin]

does anyone sell a product like a bag-o-bacteria? lol you know, to speed up the bacterial population in the dry rock?

No offense please, but you're already on the wrong track with wanting to speed things up. Patience is key. Nothing good happens fast in a reef.

Im only speaking from experience, my friend. My uncured live rock was put in my tank on October 27, 2005. It's still so new.

I just wish I could get rid of the bubble algae, now.

 

[JER-Z]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6524114#post6524114 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sindjin
No offense please, but you're already on the wrong track with wanting to speed things up. Patience is key. Nothing good happens fast in a reef.

Im only speaking from experience, my friend. My uncured live rock was put in my tank on October 27, 2005. It's still so new.

I just wish I could get rid of the bubble algae, now.

maybe i worded it wrong, believe me i will be patient...after this hit i am taking on the equipment, tunze, deltec, etc...it will be a long time before i throw any critters in...

i guess i should have said, "Would old tank water from my pico be a good CATALYST for bacterial population?"

but then, catalyst does mean to speed things up in lamens...

anyway, i am just asking because it seems like something would have to be done to kick start the cycle and aid bacterial population when using dry base rock instead of uncured LR with die off...

ps: to put it into perspective, if you look left you will see i signed up in August to research as much as i can on reefkeeping and the 65g isnt even wet yet...if that isn't patience i don't know what is. Although i did start up a 2.5g to practice methodology, etc...

 

[Sindjin]

Well JER-Z,

You have more patience than I, my friend!
What would be GREAT to speed things up....buy one or 2 pieces of live rock from the LFS to throw in the tub!

You're doing things the right way... I apologize if I misunderstood you!

 

[JER-Z]

no problem...i can see how it could be misconstrued that i want to fill that sucker up and throw fish in ASAP, but it's not the case...

i just can't decide on a couple of big choices...I read a really long informative thread and decide on one method...Then see something else and change my mind...

BB or SSB....Live Rock or Reeferrocks....the more i learn the harder it is to make a decision, lol...

but i think i might just go with the Reeferrock, it makes more economical sense to me...Thanks for the help.

-Wes

 

[Sindjin]

No problem!

Go BB. It's so much easier.

 

[javajaws]

Re: another BB thread(not meant to be a war)

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6519959#post6519959 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Reefer91
Hi, i was looking into several BB threads and have come to a slight conclusion on going BB. i know each one has it's benifits, but i don't want to have to change the sand in a 125g! so i was wondering if you could outline some of the benifits you like most about going BB?

thanks

Hmm...not a benefit exactly...but I find it kind of fun to watch helpless snails get blown back and forth across 4 feet of starboard. Its survival of the fittest boys...turn yourselves over or become the latest reef play toy!

:rollface:

 

[reefkeeperrut]

I'm currently 6 weeks into the "cooking" process of 200 lbs for my soon to be bb 180. This is 2.5 yr old MI from PA (highly renouned stuff for those unfamilar). Anyway, the proof is in the pudding in terms of cooking. No light, no feeding and weekly 100% water changes (along with the dunking and swooshing) produces more gunk than you can imagine. The big question is where is it coming from? From what I've learned (and correct me if I'm wrong) is that it is built up nitrate and phosphate buried deep within the rock, which has accumulated from most-likely less than ideal captive scenarios where the lack of flow and skimming has had a cumulative effect. Cooking promotes bacterial pressure which removes these stored up nutirents.

With that said I question the traditional method of encouraging a cycling effect with any sort of organic matter. Time and diligence in the cooking process is the only way.

 

[Sindjin]

With that said I question the traditional method of encouraging a cycling effect with any sort of organic matter. Time and diligence in the cooking process is the only way.

Congratulations on doing it the right way! I wish I did. My lastest battle is bubble algae. God knows how I will rid my tank of this menace without cooking. How long are you going to cook the rock?