curing dry rock/cycling

[Kahlypso]

i am setting up a 58 gallon saltwater tank, almost everything is purchased (yay!).
So now i am entering the curing rock/how to cycle phase. I have purchased dry marco rock and live sand. Whats the best way to cure the rock? should i cure it separately then put everything in the tank? or just set up my tank and cure in the tank before cycling?

ive cyled many freshwater tanks, so i understand the basics (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph, etc), but this will be my first saltwater cycle. All advice is welcome and helpful!

 

[gone fishin]

I personally would put them in the tank and start cycling. Most folks will either toss in a deli shrimp to rot, use some fish food or use pure ammonia to get the cycle going.

 

[some1fishy]

+ 1 on the shrimp

 

[Hwobarg]

There is no "Curing" of dry rock unless you dont know where it came from. Marco and BRS rock can be placed in the tank and add water and enjoy. You will get some leaching phosphates but that will pass...

Curing of live rock is to get the die off fully through the nitrogen cycle so that it does not cause a ammonia spike. But if it is a new tank it will just make your tank cycle.

Now if you want to avoid the phosphate leaching them you can soak it for about 6 months. I would rather just have a good diverse CUC and a few grazers and deal with whatever happens. It will run its course and go away.

 

[Kahlypso]

yea, after further research i realized that you cant really cure dry rock lol. I might pick up a few pieces of live rock from my lfs to help seed my tank along with two bags of live sand i have. Ive cycled quite a few freshwater tanks so i know the fish food method very well! lol.

 

[marco.sv]

you can also buy some biodigest prodibio to start up the bacterie colony

 

[jminick2]

just put it in the tank..

 

[Isaacs55]

just put it in the tank..

+1

Just throw it in the tank and cycle it. It would be the same thing as cycling it in a brute container...only difference is you can do an easier water change in a brute container...I made a thread on this about po4s and marco rock...everyone has there own opinion on it...your going to get algae stages regardless of any way you go about it. Its all good for the tank anyways. Just let it run its course.