Problems Curing Lr!!!!!

[kenny77]

To make the story sort. I have 60# of LR in a 39g tub. I got the rock in water. so it never were took out of the water. everything was looking good the first day. really good LR.

next day. it start stinking. i didn't mind that much since I had to put my nose almost in the water to smell it. today, 3rd day. It stinks like a rotten cow. everything that came in the rock must, be death. I had crabs, snail, urchin, worms, yellow feather duster, pink sponge( I no I never took it out of the water) and a lot of sea stars and extras.

tomorrow I will do a massive water change (100%). Should I do a water change of at least 50% every day until I get no reading on ammonia?

What can cause this, I mean this is very wear. first time it happen to me.

[gsellers1245]

frequent water changes and heavy skimming will work wonders with curing l/r

[Krewlor]

How much ammonia are we talking about? Have you tested for it? Is it on the increase or decrease? I believe I would do a 50% WC and monitor the ammonia.

Good luck!

[kenny77]

there is no test kit that measure that amount. there is no need when I can smell it from the front door of my house. and everything is on the other section of the house about 40' away.

tomorrow I will do a water change. 100% but I'm trying to find out the reason.

does anybody experience something like this before. I know about normal cycle but this?? never. and it happen in a matter of 24hrs. with out touching the water or adding something.

thanks gsellers1245,Krewlor

[gsellers1245]

its normal..do you have powerheads where the rock is curing? its basically the die-off, i think the smell dies off in about 3 days

[dendro982]

Curing LR is for letting dying organisms leave the rock, with frequent removing the dead matter, by swishing, siphoning out and water changes, with monitoring ammonia - just like in the tank.

Other way ammonia and toxins from decomposing may kill what was left, and you will have almost the dead rock (don't ask me how do I know, I did the same once).

[KDodds]

Actually, it IS pretty normal for completely uncured live rock to experience such massive die off. Was this rock collected locally? I mean, it sounds like it was, if it was harvested and transported in water. But, even still, such a massive move can trigger die offs, and when one thing dies, it often triggers the death of another, and another, like dominoes.

[kenny77]

I did a massive water change today.

yes I have a power head in the tub were I keep the rock. I rinse the rock with fresh water to take anything that might be dead. Now I only have rock with coraline.

I'm thinking on getting 5more punds of LR and ad it to the tub since now all the organisms are dead.

I should wait at least when I get 0 reading on ammonia or should I add it now ?

[Craig Lambert]

When you rinsed the rock with fresh water you killed off the beneficial bacteria. You may lose the coraline as well.

[kenny77]

yes i know but I had to get rid of the smell, I could take it anymore.

i might get a few pound of live rock and also I will add some LS I have in another tub. that should add bacteria to the rock.

[gsellers1245]

all you had to do was bare the smell now you have coraline covered base rock....if you keep adding l/r it will keep getting worse and worse and the smell will never go away

[kenny77]

I'm thinking on getting more LR but to put ir apart and the when everything gets stable I'll mix them

[kenny77]

good news. I did another water change today and something happen before I did the water change. the water was smelling funny again. I then inspect some of the rock and I could see some dead worms that were half way out of the rock. I could pull them out. So I'm just gonna keep doing water changes until everything get stable. It is a good thing to add bacteria at this point?

[KDodds]

Not really, the smell you smell is caused by bacteria, so no, no further addition of bacteria is necessary. ;)