<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12440825#post12440825 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Amberli
I was talking to a friend of mine last night about this topic, (funkybozu, you may know him), and he said DO NOT cycle with uncured LR. He said he spent 6 months cleaning out all kinds of hitchhikers that came in. He suggested I cycle with water and substrate, then add cured LR.
So, was it possibly the LR he used? I'm just trying to get different opinions, and when they diagree, I want to know why.
HMMM....
Why he says that is obvious. Because of the hitchhikers. Of course you will get those with 'cured' rock, so it is really a distinction without a difference. If you have a good source for 'cured' rock, by all means use it, it can save months in setting up a tank. It's pretty much just an option for smaller tanks, because 'cured' rock is generally not available in large amounts (unless you belong to a large 'local' forum, like me), and the price is usually more than 'uncured'.
Another reason is that what is 'cured' at the LFS or a friends house will NOT be FULLY cured by the time it gets to your house unless very strict handling procedures are followed. And you can NEVER ship 'cured' rock (and never trust a shipper who says it will get to your door 'cured'). Fully cured live rock cannot be out of water for more than about 30 seconds without stuff starting to die. Wrapped in wet newspaper is NOT 'in water'. Once out of water, you should re-cure the rock. Still, this method is MUCH faster than 'raw' live rock, so it is well worth going this route. But you cannot 'cycle' with just sand and water, put your fish in, then add that rock without risking serious consequences. So that 'cycled' tank (the one with just water and sand) was really just a waste of time. It's not 'cycled' until the full amount of rock that you want is in the tank and parameters are stable.
The way I solve this issue is I buy Walt Smith Premium from the wholesaler, cure it in bins (outside) for months while the tank is being set up, and once the rock is done I simply put it in. But then I live in SoCal, and rock is CHEAP here, whether it be 'raw', 'cured', or anywhere in between. But if you go to the 'large tank' forum and read a little, you will notice that plenty of them have their rock curing in bins while they work on their tank. They get the best of both worlds, cheap 'raw' rock, 'cured' when it goes in the tank. And they avoid secondary metabolites being introduced to their tank.
So your friend is correct, it is best to go with 'cured' rock when setting up a tank. For more reason than hitchhikers. It's that it is not always readily available in enough amounts to fill a tank.
BTW, IN MY OPINION 'raw' live rock hitchhikers are a minor consideration when setting up a tank. Most of the REALLY bad things are usually introduce later, with corals. I have cured hundreds of pounds of 'raw' rock, and I can honestly say I have never gotten a 'bad' hitchhiker. Of course that is pacific rock, not east rock.
And I have gotten some REALLY 'cool' stuff. Amazing animals, that 99% of the public will never get to see. I consider a 30 second view of those creatures well worth any minor 'bad' hitchhiker.
Please read Myth #15 in this article;
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-01/eb/index.php
nalbar
