Curing rock ?

[stevedola]

been a while since Ive cured marco rock.

I have my rock in a brute with 10g fresh made saltwater, pump for circulation, and a tunze doc9010 skimmer. My question is I have 5 gallons left over from a WC on my tank. Would adding the water change water help with the curing process? should I add it? or am I only adding excess nutrients to the curing process? I tend to think the latter but wanted to ask.

[biecacka]

I would not add it. I also didnt run a skimmer while curing my rock but that was by choice

Corey

[stevedola]

that was my feeling. im using the skimmer to help extract some of the nasties quicker than with water changes only.

[biecacka]

Right, nothing wrong with that method.
I just let mine dwindle down and did 3 water changes over 3 months or so. No lights or anything and now everything shows zero on my tests.
Both methods work tho!

Corey

[beachguy]

i hate dry rock. hair algae like crazy every time i use it

[stevedola]

should I seed it while curing with a piece of LR from my tank?

[arnoldrew]

Isn't marco rock dry? Why would you need to cure it?

[stevedola]

to allow for all the organics and waste trapped in the rock to be leached out and be removed and for new bacteria to colonize. this way I dont get an ammonia spike when I put the rock in my tank. Im planning on replacing my existing rock with new clean marco rock that has been cured. My existing rock is covered with palys and they are destroying my SPS.

[arnoldrew]

to allow for all the organics and waste trapped in the rock to be leached out and be removed and for new bacteria to colonize. this way I dont get an ammonia spike when I put the rock in my tank. Im planning on replacing my existing rock with new clean marco rock that has been cured. My existing rock is covered with palys and they are destroying my SPS.

If it's new dry rock there's nothing to cure...

[stevedola]

sure.

[stevedola]

Right, nothing wrong with that method.
I just let mine dwindle down and did 3 water changes over 3 months or so. No lights or anything and now everything shows zero on my tests.
Both methods work tho!

Corey

Did you use Marco or another dry rock?

[sirreal63]

I would seed it Steve, give the bacteria a little boost. I went to greater extremes with my Marco, acid bath's to ensure there was zero po4 or anything else on the rock.

Arnoldrew, it is not freshly made rock, it is terrestrially mined and has had years of runoff flowing over and through it. Runoff can contain a large number of different chemicals, fertilizers and pesticides. Though some is cleaner than others all of it has the potential to harbor things you do not want to put in the tank. Cleaning, curing and LaCl dosing helps to remove the biggest offender with dry rock, phosphates. It is not required but it does make things easier and curing it, seeded with an existing piece of live rock helps to get the bacteria working for you, which is a good thing.

[arnoldrew]

I would seed it Steve, give the bacteria a little boost. I went to greater extremes with my Marco, acid bath's to ensure there was zero po4 or anything else on the rock.

Arnoldrew, it is not freshly made rock, it is terrestrially mined and has had years of runoff flowing over and through it. Runoff can contain a large number of different chemicals, fertilizers and pesticides. Though some is cleaner than others all of it has the potential to harbor things you do not want to put in the tank. Cleaning, curing and LaCl dosing helps to remove the biggest offender with dry rock, phosphates. It is not required but it does make things easier and curing it, seeded with an existing piece of live rock helps to get the bacteria working for you, which is a good thing.

Good to know. I thought the only purpose of curing was to let things die off in the curing vessel instead of in your tank. Thanks.

[sirreal63]

The organics are still there with dry rock so the potential to have it decompose in the tank is there. Dealing with it in a separate vessel ensures that what you put in the tank will not be an issue.

[stevedola]

Im going to drop a piece of LR in the barrel after I water change on Sunday.

[stevedola]

been a couple of weeks since I set up the curing tub for the rock and it really isnt smelling bad yet. I expected it to have a more pungent odor...is this atypical and if so what should I do? test the water to see the ammonia levels?

[stevedola]

Im going to take a sample of water to be tested.