Are these rocks worth curing???

[ahmedess]

I just bought 100lbs of live rocks from a very cheap source where i live. The rocks came straight from the red sea, but took around 16 hrs to arrive to my place.

when i opened the package the live rocks were dry, they were covered by all sorts of algae and they smelt so bad. I was really disapointed but still thats what i paid for buying live rock at a quarter of LFS's price.

i dumped the rocks into a trash can with a skimmer in the dark to let them cure that was this morning, but i dont feel good about the rocks. they are completely covered with algae.

i would like to know, whether to get rid of these rocks and buy expensive better quality rocks, or should i cure the rocks in the dark and the algae will be easily taken care of?

[mthomp]

put a power head in that can. IMO you have nothing to lose by cooking these rocks and seeing what you got.

[Sisterlimonpot]

That's usually how they come, it cost too much to ship the water with the rock so it usually comes like that. as far as the algae can you take some pics to clarify what we're talking about?

[thegrun]

I would cure them for 5-6 weeks.

[psykobowler]

You should scrub the rocks clean of algea, soak in freshwater overnight then "cook" the rock by putting it in saltwater and no light for a month. You can skim and change water when necessary. I wouldn't waste any rock.

[ahmedess]

Sisterlimonpot, I ll post some pics tomorrow. I ve never seen live rock so densly covered by algae you ll see what i m talking about when i post the pictures.

Psykobowler, if i soak in freshwater wouldnt that kill everything on the rocks?

[onepoorreefer]

You want a powerhead skimmer and heater with it and it will be perfect I have gotten tons of rock in like that just let it cure it will be fine

[fowlr2reef?]

put a power head in that can. Imo you have nothing to lose by cooking these rocks and seeing what you got.
+1

[ahmedess]

here are the pictures:

113856

113857

113858

113859

[mthomp]

there is nothing wrong with any of that rock. just cure it and it will be just fine.

[sslak]

I'm not sure what you're talking about. These rocks aren't "covered' in algae by any means....

Those rocks look great, the red and pink is coralline algae which is good stuff. I don't think that bright green spot on the 3rd rock is algae... This rock looks to be quality rock and covered with life. I wouldn't try to kill anything off.

I personally wouldn't cook them at all, I would cycle them the way they are.

[mthomp]

the bright green on 3rd rock is a form of coraline. i have some on one of my rocks.

[ahmedess]

thats great news. i was really worried because this is my first time to buy uncured live rock. Before i used to buy cured live rock from an LFS 1 minute away from my place so there was never any die offs but it used to be very expensive.

i appreciate all your feedback.

[giants4pc]

Agreed - looks like great rock. People strive to get rock colored up that way. Just go through the normal cycling process and you'll be good to go.

[ahmedess]

i guess you guys will be amazed if you knew how much i paid for these rocks

[ahmedess]

i paid 80 cents/lbs

[travis32]

Excellent rock! 6 or 7 years ago when I miserably failed at doing a 29g SW tank. (and didn't have the collective knowledge of RC at my fingertips) I bought some "LR" online 2 day fed ex delivery.

It came covered in newspaper, and I pulled that off and it had black dead stuff all over it. The whole appartment reeked of dead crap. It didn't look nearly as good as the stuff you got!

[Chris27]

Don't soak or scrub them in Freshwater - only cure it in Saltwater with a good skimmer and some water movement.

The rock you have looks great and you may end up with some really interesting stuff while curing it - keeping a skimmer running will help remove some of the die off from the water before it breaks down into ammonia - possibly killing the cool little critters on the rock.

[Chris27]

BTW - where did you get that stuff - I'm sure others would like to know!! After seeing it, makes me want to start another tank.

[gweston]

Don't soak or scrub them in Freshwater - only cure it in Saltwater with a good skimmer and some water movement.

The rock you have looks great and you may end up with some really interesting stuff while curing it - keeping a skimmer running will help remove some of the die off from the water before it breaks down into ammonia - possibly killing the cool little critters on the rock.

+1 on this suggestion. The rock looks very good and at an excellent price.

[psykobowler]

I agree. Since you have coralline algae you should just cure it in saltwater. The freshwater treatment was meant to eliminate unwanted pest but with that much coralline algae just cure it.

[ahmedess]

BTW - where did you get that stuff - I'm sure others would like to know!! After seeing it, makes me want to start another tank.

I got the rocks from Marsa Alam on the red sea in Egypt. Marsa Alam is one of the best scuba diving spots in Egypt. I know a diver who works there and he collected the rocks and shipped them to Alexandria where i live 16hrs driving away

[Chris27]

I got the rocks from Marsa Alam on the red sea in Egypt. Marsa Alam is one of the best scuba diving spots in Egypt. I know a diver who works there and he collected the rocks and shipped them to Alexandria where i live 16hrs driving away

Now that's a good friend!

[mihamlet]

I vote you give it a shot. Looks like you got a good deal.