Curing live rock - how bad is the smell?

[Jakesaw]

For somebody who's never cured live rock ( 30 - 45 lbs ) - and will be purchasing form an online dealer to save money on a quantity of Rock - I'm trying to decide where I would locate my tank for curing the rock?

I've heard live rock can smell not so good if it's not fully cured and after curing will smell like the ocean. Is that smell something that is strong rancid while it's in the saltwater curing - or is the smell just something you notice when you take the rock out of the water but wouldn't notice unless I was up close to the curing tank?

I will have a saltwater bath already setup - before I order the live rock - but I want to know the location I should have ready. Is it something I can cure indoors in living space - and be fine with frequent water changes to get the chemical levels settled down -

OR

Will the smell while curing be offensive in living areas - that I would need to cure the rock in a basement - OR - in a garage.

Thanks in advance.

[mbbuna]

i would do it in the basement. some rock depending on the freshness or lack there of can be pretty bad

[jtma508]

I recently cured 130lbs in a 90gal tank in my living room. 35lbs was Gulf rock from Sea Life and was covered... I mean covered with all sorts of critters and algae and sponges and such. There was some odor for the first couple days --- not bad. Like being at the beach. But after that there was no smell at all. I was running my skimmer the entire time and it was pulling gobs of stuff out. I think that helped immensely. Also, I used a cycle 'booster' supplement (Hagen's Cycle) and that sped the process up noticibly.

[gulfstream]

I once helped my friend cure about 400lbs of Haitian Live rock.
and I can tell you even my next door neighbor got a bit suspicious about the smell!!......I brought him in the house and show him the curing live rock.
I guess haitian live rock is not the cleanest to cure to begin with.
however the smell was more of rotten fish and a foul smell of
rotten eggs.......
Not to discourage you,but if you cure live rock make sure you got few power heads and a skiimer pulling all the gunk and water changes also help with the process.

[seanb1]

smells wonderful, i rate it up there with vomit and cat poop.

[matthewscars]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12585180#post12585180 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by seanndenise1
smells wonderful, i rate it up there with vomit and cat poop.

LR has nothing on my cats... NOTHING.

[Jakesaw]

Not to discourage you,but if you cure live rock make sure you got few power heads and a skiimer pulling all the gunk and water changes also help with the process. [/B]

Thanks

I'll have a powerhead or 2 moving the water - I plan on initiallly having frequent and heavy water changes in liu of not owning a skimmer.