Scrubbing & curing live rock...

[suzimcmullen]

I ordered 22 pounds of premium live rock from Petco. I have no idea how it will arrive. But I'm starting it in a 29 gallon tank that is void of any other creatures. I also bought some sand substrate, not live. I've never understood how the critters we know and love live through a cycle if the nitrates and ammonia get really high?

Anyway, do I have to scrub this rock in saltwater? Or can I scrub it with normal water?

Do I want the heat to be set at 78 while it's curing? Or should it be cooler or warmer? The room I'll have it in has a lot of light in it. Should I cover the whole tank with a blanket or something while it's cooking?

Also, while it is working on curing and then cycling, do I have to have a filter? Or can I just put some airstones in it for water movement? Does it cycle better if the water movement is higher? Or should I run out and buy my skimmer and start using it from the start?

I'd like to get this rock from whatever state it arrives in to ready for my 2 blue Chromis fish by sometime in May if at all possible.

How will I know when it's ok to start turning on lights for it?

Thanks
Suzi

[Percula9]

Whatever you do don't wash the rock in fresh water you will kill the bacteria. Do you plan on curing the rock in the tank or in a separate container? You can cure it in a brute can in salt water and aeration to provide circulation. A heater to maintain temp is a good idea. Keep the rock in the dark, nitrifying bacteria like it dark. You will know its cured from the smell. Cured rock should have a very clean smell. I would add a small bag of live sand to the dead sand to seed it. This will allow a faster cycling.

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12048876#post12048876 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by suzimcmullen
I ordered 22 pounds of premium live rock from Petco. I have no idea how it will arrive. But I'm starting it in a 29 gallon tank that is void of any other creatures. I also bought some sand substrate, not live. I've never understood how the critters we know and love live through a cycle if the nitrates and ammonia get really high?

Anyway, do I have to scrub this rock in saltwater? Or can I scrub it with normal water?

Do I want the heat to be set at 78 while it's curing? Or should it be cooler or warmer? The room I'll have it in has a lot of light in it. Should I cover the whole tank with a blanket or something while it's cooking?

Also, while it is working on curing and then cycling, do I have to have a filter? Or can I just put some airstones in it for water movement? Does it cycle better if the water movement is higher? Or should I run out and buy my skimmer and start using it from the start?

I'd like to get this rock from whatever state it arrives in to ready for my 2 blue Chromis fish by sometime in May if at all possible.

How will I know when it's ok to start turning on lights for it?

Thanks
Suzi

I would not scrub it all--that eliminates some of the neat hitch hikers that come with it and as perc said decreases the live bacteria on it so it takes longer to cure and cycle
Inspect it for caulerpa algae and bubble algae--those should be removed before you add it to the tank

[suzimcmullen]

Thanks. I planned on doing it in the tank so the tank could be working on it's cycle at the same time. In a few weeks I'll scrape up the money for a HOB skimmer. Once the trates and trites settle down to zero, I thought I would add one of my mature rocks from my 14 gallon since it's really too full for the fish as far as swim room goes.

Suzi

[Percula9]

Do you know for a fact the rock is uncured?

[suzimcmullen]

The website say's it's partially cured. It's going to be sent by 2 day mail. So I would assume by the time it gets here there would be die off no matter what.

Suzi

[Percula9]

Just keep an eye on the ammonia level. I would add some live sand like I said earlier. Good luck and have fun with your new toy. Smell it before you put in in to see how stinky it is.

[woogy]

I just got 16lbs of live rock from drs foster and smith. I am in the third day of curing and the water was pretty smelly and dirty but just changed 100% of the water. But I already have some rock in my tank...I am just adding on.

Is there anything in the tank as of now?...this makes a difference in how you cure it.

[suzimcmullen]

Yeah, there's nothing in there now. I haven't even set it up and started adding water because the stand is set to come on Tuesday and the rock should come on Wednessday. I'll have to get it put together pretty fast, the stand that is.

Suzi

[Aquarist007]

good luck and hope you get some neat hitch hikers
keep us posted

[woogy]

ok since you be adding directly to the tank first rinse the rock in a small bucket of saltwater. The put the rock in your tank. Don't put the lights on during the cycle to prevent unwanted algae. Scrub the rocks from time to time to remove any white film or dead material. Mine I hardly scrubbed the white filmy stuff fell off the rock on it's own and floated to the top. Change your water 50% weekly and siphon out the debris. Check the ammonia and nitrite levels and once your nitirite level is 0 perform another 50% water change.

[suzimcmullen]

Cool. Thanks for putting that so simply and precisely. I can do that. :)

Suzi