Curing old live rock

[MDreefer301]

Wassup everyone im currently setting up my biocube 14. I have about 40lbs of live rock that I used for my old reef tank about 2yrs ago. Ever since I took down my old reef tank my live rock has been sitting in a tub covered in my old reef water with a lid on it no heater no powerhead. My question is Are the rocks still anygood? I currently have them curing in a tub with a heater and powerhead. They have been curing for about a week i tested the water today and the readings were:
-Ammonia 0ppm
-Nitrite 0ppm
-Nitrate 0ppm

Does this mean my rocks are cured and ready? If not what should I do?

 

[MDreefer301]

I need help please anyone

 

[Mark Bianco]

Chances are no its basically the same as dead rock. Start to cycle I like to use a piece of raw shrimp in a nylon bag leave that in the water and that should start the cycle. that being said I myself would cook the rock in a solution of muriatic acid and water first then rinse with ro water a couple of times. Then start the cycling process with fresh rodi saltwater. Hard telling what kind of things are attached to the rock after sitting stagnant for so long.

Mark

 

[thegrun]

+1, good advice.

 

[MDreefer301]

Chances are no its basically the same as dead rock. Start to cycle I like to use a piece of raw shrimp in a nylon bag leave that in the water and that should start the cycle. that being said I myself would cook the rock in a solution of muriatic acid and water first then rinse with ro water a couple of times. Then start the cycling process with fresh rodi saltwater. Hard telling what kind of things are attached to the rock after sitting stagnant for so long.

Mark

All that seems like alot to do and it seems like it will take forever. Do u think I should jus buy some base rock from brs and just seed it with a couple pieces of fresh live rock? Do u think that will br faster? Because im really anxious snd pressed to get my tank back up and running lol

 

[DirtinLa]

Have you chemically tested the water?

That may/will point you in a direction?

 

[coralsnaked]

The live in the rock is the bacteria. When the rock sits in cold stagnant water for too long and the critters die off they can feed the bacteria for only so long and then the bacteria dies and the rock is no longer alive. Try this to see where you are at. Put an ammonia source in the water whether it be pure ammonia (best) or a piece of shrimp (much slower) and begin testing water for ammonia nitrites and nitrates. Do this daily. If you see an ammonia spike that does not taper off quickly in a few days with no rise in Nitrites or Nitrates then your rock is dead and you just started the cycling process. But if you see the ammonia drop off quickly and a rise in Nitrites only briefly ending in a substantial rise in Nitrate then your rock most likely survived and is still alive.

 

[Mark Bianco]

All that seems like alot to do and it seems like it will take forever. Do u think I should jus buy some base rock from brs and just seed it with a couple pieces of fresh live rock? Do u think that will br faster? Because im really anxious snd pressed to get my tank back up and running lol

It will take less then a day to cook the rock (few hours) If you get dryrock you still have to cure it just like the rock you already have. So you are only talking an extra day at most. Unless you figure in the time it will take for shipping dry rock so you decide...

 

[MDreefer301]

The live in the rock is the bacteria. When the rock sits in cold stagnant water for too long and the critters die off they can feed the bacteria for only so long and then the bacteria dies and the rock is no longer alive. Try this to see where you are at. Put an ammonia source in the water whether it be pure ammonia (best) or a piece of shrimp (much slower) and begin testing water for ammonia nitrites and nitrates. Do this daily. If you see an ammonia spike that does not taper off quickly in a few days with no rise in Nitrites or Nitrates then your rock is dead and you just started the cycling process. But if you see the ammonia drop off quickly and a rise in Nitrites only briefly ending in a substantial rise in Nitrate then your rock most likely survived and is still alive.

Thanks good advice I will defiantly try this

 

[MDreefer301]

The live in the rock is the bacteria. When the rock sits in cold stagnant water for too long and the critters die off they can feed the bacteria for only so long and then the bacteria dies and the rock is no longer alive. Try this to see where you are at. Put an ammonia source in the water whether it be pure ammonia (best) or a piece of shrimp (much slower) and begin testing water for ammonia nitrites and nitrates. Do this daily. If you see an ammonia spike that does not taper off quickly in a few days with no rise in Nitrites or Nitrates then your rock is dead and you just started the cycling process. But if you see the ammonia drop off quickly and a rise in Nitrites only briefly ending in a substantial rise in Nitrate then your rock most likely survived and is still alive.

How long would I keep the shrimp in there?

 

[Xavibear]

I think you should set up the tank with the rock that you have. Add an ammonia source and go.

 

[MDreefer301]

I think you should set up the tank with the rock that you have. Add an ammonia source and go.

Yea I think I will go with rock I already have. Whats the best ammonia source to go with?

 

[MDreefer301]

It will take less then a day to cook the rock (few hours) If you get dryrock you still have to cure it just like the rock you already have. So you are only talking an extra day at most. Unless you figure in the time it will take for shipping dry rock so you decide...

Can u tell me what I would need and how to cook my rock?

 

[Xavibear]

Put the rock in your tank and add either a raw shrimp or pure ammonia.

 

[MDreefer301]

Put the rock in your tank and add either a raw shrimp or pure ammonia.

And if I use the shrimp how long do I leave the shrimp in there? Until the shrimp decays?
Thanks for your help Xavibear!!

 

[Xavibear]

Some people leave it in the tank until it decomposes. Others after ammonia reaches about 4ppm.

 

[MDreefer301]

And if I use the shrimp how long do I leave the shrimp in there? Until the shrimp decays?
Thanks for your help Xavibear!!

Thanks for your help thats all I need to know for now

 

[Xavibear]

Good luck & have fun.

 

[wooden_reefer]

If you blend the shrimp to milk, ammonification will occur with 48 hours.

Just two days longer than with liquid ammonia. With ammonia, you need to make sure that it is pure. no detergent or other chemical.

You also need bacteria seed. I suppose that chance are that there are still an extremely small number of the correct bacteria, but I would add bacteria seed to be certain.

 

[MDreefer301]

If you blend the shrimp to milk, ammonification will occur with 48 hours.

Just two days longer than with liquid ammonia. With ammonia, you need to make sure that it is pure. no detergent or other chemical.

You also need bacteria seed. I suppose that chance are that there are still an extremely small number of the correct bacteria, but I would add bacteria seed to be certain.

So I should put the shrimp in the blender? I have a 14 gal biocube how many shrimp should I use?