Curing Dead Rock!?!

[MammothReefer]

Any specfic reason why I should cure dead rock in Salt Water, and not freshwater?

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

If it's dead rock (IE Base Rock), it shouldn't need cured.

 

[Bebo77]

yup .. nothing left on it to die.. you may want to rince it off but it should not cycle your tank.. unless you are adding hundreds of pounds of it...

 

[glaudds]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8380874#post8380874 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bebo77
yup .. nothing left on it to die.. you may want to rince it off but it should not cycle your tank.. unless you are adding hundreds of pounds of it...

I'm going to disagree..I would cure it in saltwater to be safe, especially if it was live rock at one time. The dead organisms in the rock will cause a cycle.

 

[glaudds]

Re: Curing Dead Rock!?!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8380115#post8380115 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MammothReefer
Any specfic reason why I should cure dead rock in Salt Water, and not freshwater?

I'm not positive but I believe the bacteria (nitrosomo..something)responsible for the cycle in saltwater is different from the freshwater ones

 

[WarDaddy]

Good idea to keep the rock in saltwater for several weeks or more. This will hwlp bacteia to seed it. Base rock is a magnet for unwanted algae.

 

[MammothReefer]

hmm...well it's about 120lbs. It's not "base rock" It's pretty much was live rock, then sat outside for a unknown amount of time so it has all the dead stuff still attached to the rock, but is very dead.. I wouldn't put it straight into my tank because the left over dried up dead oraganizisms will decompose and pollute my stocked and active tank. I'm not really worried about "seeding" the rock with life again as It will get all the junk from the live rock that is currently in my system, basically just want to get all the dead crap off, and add it to the system.

 

[WarDaddy]

hit is with pressure washer, knock all that crap off, then cure it for a couple weeks.

 

[Corriander]

Definately hose it off and give it a good soak. If it has sat outside, you never know what kind of critters have crawled in it or what kind of matter has fallen on it.

If it were my rock, I would hose it in tap, rinse it in DI and cycle it in a 75/25 mix of fresh saltwater and old tank water for at least a week.