For everyon buying rock: This rock need to be cured and that means you need to have some things ready before it arrives.
You will need a container large enough to hold all the rock and you will need sufficient water to cover it. You will need a heater and a powerhead to keep the water warm and moving.
When your rock arrives, check it over thoroughly for anything that looks dead or dying. The more you remove now, the quicker it will cure. Big heavy growths of sponges should be removed as well as any plant life you dont want to keep.
Make sure you have water in a container at tank temp, or approx tank temp and that it is circulating. Personally, I make fresh water, do a tank water change and use the old water to cure the rock. For 50lbs, need approx 30g. 100lbs, 50g.
Drop the rock in the container and make sure the powerhead circulates water from top to bottom of the system. You do not want any dead spots in the circulation. For that reason I prefer to use large fla rubbermaid tubs.
Once its all added..........leave it for at least a week. Do a water change using old tank water once again and leave for another week-2 weeks.
Every so often, rotate the rock and smell it. If its stinks, its got a ways to go.
! more water change is good at the 3-4 weeks mark. By then the rock is usually cured. Kep the rock in the dark during this time, unles you like any plant life that may be on it.
To speed things along, if you can circulate water to a separate sump with macro algae in it, that will help the pollution level.
The essentials are................water flow, lots of water, warmth and darkness. Water changes help a great deal.
be warned....placing this rock in to a system without curing will likely kill everything in the tank. It must be cured.
Paul.
