Uncured live rock - procedure?

Carissa

New member
I will be starting a new 33g FO tank in about a month. I was able to get my hands on about 12 lbs of uncured live rock (Tonga branch) and about 20 lbs of base rock. I know it has to finish curing ideally before I do much with it and I can't set up the new tank yet, so I have it in a big tub along with the base rock, a powerhead, and a heater. Do I need to do anything else with it or just let it sit there for a month or so and percolate? I have it covered, should I have light on it or not? Also...I would like to have my new tank 100% cycled and ready before adding any stock since I have to travel a long distance to buy stock. Should I be seeding the water with ammonia either now or once it gets into the new tank? Won't bacteria die off without ammonia additions?
 
the uncured LR will have the die off to create the ammonia, in return it will start the cycle. just leave all the rock in the tub with the powerhead and heater in about a month you shouldn't have any ammonia and you may have some nitrates. after that month then you can transefer all the LR to the main tank and start your stocking of your clean up crew.
 
From what I have read so far (keep in mind I'm just starting) if you are going to cure it in a tub like that, you should do frequent massive water changes. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable can chime in, but I thought you weren't supposed to just let it sit.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12859275#post12859275 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aprosody
From what I have read so far (keep in mind I'm just starting) if you are going to cure it in a tub like that, you should do frequent massive water changes. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable can chime in, but I thought you weren't supposed to just let it sit.

yes you can do it that way also. waterchanges will save more life on the rock in the end but either way life will start comming back.
 
If you have a protein skimmer, you should run that in the tub. You're actually doing the timing right. Just do water changes periodically to save some life on the rock. You actually don't need the heater, but it won't hurt anything. I'd leave the tub uncovered (helps O2 exchange). No lights needed. Your tonga will seed the base rock, and all will cycle and be ready to add to your tank. When you have your tank setup, add the LR to it using new water. Your tank will basically be ready for fish at that point. It will have processed so much ammonia and nitrites from the die off that it should be able to handle fish immediately. For a good discussion on curing rock, check out Anthony Calfo's Reef Invertebrates.
 
I would advise doing regular water changes. When the tub stops smelling bad (and ideally 2 weeks to a month+ have passed) you'll know it's cured. Covering the tank will help with algae but kill anything photosynthetic on your rock.
 
It doesn't smell yet - it's been in water for a few days. How long does it take before it smells? I'm thinking it might be mostly cured already, it was in the shop for at least 10 days by the time I got it. What should be the upper level of ammonia that I should allow it to get to?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12861061#post12861061 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Carissa
It doesn't smell yet - it's been in water for a few days. How long does it take before it smells? I'm thinking it might be mostly cured already, it was in the shop for at least 10 days by the time I got it. What should be the upper level of ammonia that I should allow it to get to?

if you want to preserve the life in and on the live rock then over 25 ammonia reading do a water change.
 
It's at .5 right now, I'm rigging up my skimmer. Would it be ok to add Prime to detoxify the ammonia?
 
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