Adding PRE- Cured Live Rock - Does it need to be cured again?

jacksny22

jacksny22

New Member
SWF's web site says that the rock comes Pre- CURED...
I have fish and live rock in my tank (about 120 lbs). I just received 25lbs new live rock. Does it really have to be cured again if its pre-cured?
For now I did put the rock in a garbage bin with 30 gallons of fresh saltwater with a powerhead. Any help would be appreciated..
 
geoj

geoj

Active Member
You will want to finish curing it in the garbage bin. It should not take much time if any to become ready.
 
keith burn

keith burn

Active Member
Originally Posted by jacksny22
http:///forum/post/2753053
SWF's web site says that the rock comes Pre- CURED...
I have fish and live rock in my tank (about 120 lbs). I just received 25lbs new live rock. Does it really have to be cured again if its pre-cured?
For now I did put the rock in a garbage bin with 30 gallons of fresh saltwater with a powerhead. Any help would be appreciated..
Imo no
With so little l/r just all it and up your w/c for the next 2 months.
Or add 1/2 now and 1/2 in 2 week.
But imo you probably be ok with all at the same time.
 
mr_x

mr_x

Active Member
i think yes, unless it was sent to you, submerged in water. overnight alot of stuff died on that rock. just put it in a bin for a few days and test the water to be sure.
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
If it is the first time setup you are doing just put it in the tank and do the final cure there. If you are adding to an already setup display precure in a different bin. There will surely be some die off on the rock and it will start a cycle of some sort - level - duration.
 
jacksny22

jacksny22

New Member
How long should it remain in the bin submerged for?
Also, do I have to do a complete water change? After how long?
 
jeanheckle

jeanheckle

Member
Originally Posted by jacksny22
http:///forum/post/2753182
How long should it remain in the bin submerged for?
Also, do I have to do a complete water change? After how long?
If you're talking about the garbage bin, no you don't need to do a water change. You just need to test for ammonia, to be safe I typically wait a week, even though my rock comes from my LFS already cured. You don't want to take a chance of an ammonia spike which can be fatal to your fish. I know it's hard to wait, I'm not a very patient person and it kills me, but this hobby makes me be patient. So wait a week and check the ammonia levels in the water.
 
jeanheckle

jeanheckle

Member
I just noticed you join date, Is this a brand new set up with nothing in the tank if so then Spanko is right, you just put it in the tank, you only need to cure it outside the tank if you have livestock in it.
 
kazara

kazara

Member
I always cure my in a big bin with a high salinty level to get the unwanted criters out. I leave it in there for about 1 week.
 
jacksny22

jacksny22

New Member
Actually, my tank is already running for six years. The damsel is already there for 6 years - one of my first fish.
I do already have 120 lbs of live rock in my tank and now am adding 25 lbs...
I'm getting conflicting info on the water changes...people are telling me just test for ammonia and dont do water changes others are telling me to change the water twice a day for a week! Please help!
 
kazara

kazara

Member
Leave it for a week and then put it in. I have done this each time I have ordered LR from SWF and never had a problem. Good luck
 
mr_x

mr_x

Active Member
if you do waterchanges in the bin, you'll never get an accurate test, since you dilute the water each time you change it.
changing the water is not a good idea.
putting it in a very high salinity isn't a good idea either, because basically, what you are trying to do is kill off critters. in doing so, you'll have alot of "die-off" and then the rock will need to be fully re-cured. unless you don't mind curing the rock for a few weeks or so.
 
aztec reef

aztec reef

Active Member
Jack. all you're trying to do is prevent ammonia from going into DT.
You can do waterchanges whenever you like( up to 100%) , especially when your ammonia reads higher than .5ppm.(the only reason is to get rid of die-off and save hitchhiking critters)..
leave lr in bucket (same salinity as DT))untill ammonia is at around 0. then add to DT.
 
kazara

kazara

Member
Make sense about the critters. I have just read some many thing about how some off these hitchhikers are bad for you r system and one way to get rid of them was a high salinty. Just what i have read ...but i am no expert. thanks
 
stanlalee

stanlalee

Active Member
If the tank has been up over 6yrs with over 100lbs of rock critters arent going to be a primary concern. Cure it anyway you want as long as its not in the display tank.
BTW "pre cured" usually means mud and lose debri lighty brushed off (nothing like you'd do when you recieve fresh liverock..otherwise you wouldn't have to) and its sprayed down with saltwater to keep hydrated. most vendors place the liverock in a saltwater bin when recieved but if they move any decent quantity of rock it isn't there long enough to cure even if they did ship it submerged in water. you want rock that can be added directly buy local and from a supplier you can trust when they say its cured (smell test is not a bad indicator. I always use it when a LFS says its cured).
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Originally Posted by kazara
http:///forum/post/2754234
Make sense about the critters. I have just read some many thing about how some off these hitchhikers are bad for you r system and one way to get rid of them was a high salinty. Just what i have read ...but i am no expert. thanks
What you are referencing here is a hypersalinity dip. This dip will cause any mobile critters to leave their holes in the rock and go to the bottom of the container so that you can see them and pick and choose what you want to keep. Different than curing. Curing should be done in Sg 1.024 water IMO. Water changes while curing if ammonia reaches .5 or so will help to keep the good hitchers you want to keep alive, like coral, sponge etc.
 
kazara

kazara

Member
Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/2755252
What you are referencing here is a hypersalinity dip. This dip will cause any mobile critters to leave their holes in the rock and go to the bottom of the container so that you can see them and pick and choose what you want to keep. Different than curing. Curing should be done in Sg 1.024 water IMO. Water changes while curing if ammonia reaches .5 or so will help to keep the good hitchers you want to keep alive, like coral, sponge etc.
thanks for the advice. I will try next time.
 
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