Alyssia, if you have a second

[sepulatian]

Alyssia, I am currious to know how the curing of the rock went. I didn't go today, I am going to go buy next tuesday. I am trying to get all the info I can, and being you just went through it, I would realy like to hear how it went. Thanks!!!

 

[alyssia]

It is a pain!! I'm still scrubbing and changing water and my ammonia is still through the roof. I don't know what I'm doing wrong but I didn't think it took this long.

 

[sepulatian]

That bad huh? how about the smell? this has been my main concern on where to cure it. I was going to do it on the porch, but now it is too hot out. Trying to find a good spot to do it. It has been how long since you first got it?

 

[alyssia]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
That bad huh? how about the smell? this has been my main concern on where to cure it. I was going to do it on the porch, but now it is too hot out. Trying to find a good spot to do it. It has been how long since you first got it?

I got it about two weeks ago. The smell is ALOT better.

 

[moby]

How long has it been now?
Did the bad smell go away?
Are you seeing any black mushy stuff on your rocks?
I was going to mention this in your other post,(forgot sorry) but I have found for some reason a childs wading pool ( cheap plastic ones wal-mart sells) work much better than a garbage can. I think because the water circulates easier. I know this is sort of late but it only took me about 12 days to cure 250 lbs of live rock and it was VERY coated in ocean gunk. Also the key I think is in removing as much stuff as you can possibly can.
Moby

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by moby
How long has it been now?
Did the bad smell go away?
Are you seeing any black mushy stuff on your rocks?
I was going to mention this in your other post,(forgot sorry) but I have found for some reason a childs wading pool ( cheap plastic ones wal-mart sells) work much better than a garbage can. I think because the water circulates easier. I know this is sort of late but it only took me about 12 days to cure 250 lbs of live rock and it was VERY coated in ocean gunk. Also the key I think is in removing as much stuff as you can possibly can.
Moby
MOBY!!!! You responded to my Q about LR as well, the pic with the yellow child's swimming pool and all the pvc. I jokingly asked if the kids get cut on the rock!lol More area space, shallow water and more oxygen help?

 

[alyssia]

Originally Posted by moby
How long has it been now?
Did the bad smell go away?
Are you seeing any black mushy stuff on your rocks?
I was going to mention this in your other post,(forgot sorry) but I have found for some reason a childs wading pool ( cheap plastic ones wal-mart sells) work much better than a garbage can. I think because the water circulates easier. I know this is sort of late but it only took me about 12 days to cure 250 lbs of live rock and it was VERY coated in ocean gunk. Also the key I think is in removing as much stuff as you can possibly can.
Moby

It has been two weeks. I still don't have any nitrites or trates.
Yes, I am seeing some black mushy stuff. The smell is gone. I saw a pic of someone curing their rock in a kids pool, I think the looks better than what I'm doing, but I have cats, kids, and a dog and no way to keep them out of it.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by alyssia
It has been two weeks. I still don't have any nitrites or trates.
Yes, I am seeing some black mushy stuff. The smell is gone. I saw a pic of someone curing their rock in a kids pool, I think the looks better than what I'm doing, but I have cats, kids, and a dog and no way to keep them out of it.
Yes alyssia, that was him, on the thread when I asked lion about LR. Still no trites? It has to complete the cycle or just no ammonia, I am confused about this. I thought that once ammonia was gone the die-off was done, or does the water have to complete the cycle?

 

[moby]

scrape all the black mushy stuff off and go through all the pieces paying special attention to any holes where critters can crawl in and die.
If the smell is gone you are getting real close, hopefully you will see some trites very soon!
Moby

 

[alyssia]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
Yes alyssia, that was him, on the thread when I asked lion about LR. Still no trites? It has to complete the cycle or just no ammonia, I am confused about this. I thought that once ammonia was gone the die-off was done, or does the water have to complete the cycle?

I thought it went through a typical cycle, but maybe not. Looks like I need to research a little.

 

[alyssia]

Originally Posted by moby
scrape all the black mushy stuff off and go through all the pieces paying special attention to any holes where critters can crawl in and die.
If the smell is gone you are getting real close, hopefully you will see some trites very soon!
Moby

Thank you. Does it take as long for the trites and trates to go away, or does it vary?

 

[sepulatian]

I am very interested to know as well. Does shallow water help? or make no difference?

 

[moby]

It has to complete the cycle or just no ammonia, I am confused about this. I thought that once ammonia was gone the die-off was done, or does the water have to complete the cycle?
Heres how I have done it with success, once the smell is gone put it in the tank. you will get ammonia climbing and then it will start to decline as trites rise. Soon all ammonia is gone then nothing but trites then it will start to decline and trates will start to rise. Once the trites are all gone and nothing is left but trates the cyle is pretty much over and its time to do a water change in the tank. If the ammonia spikes too high it will result in everything that follows also spiking very high and the end result will be very high trates meaning a larger water change will have to be done.
MOBY!!!! You responded to my Q about LR as well, the pic with the yellow child's swimming pool and all the pvc. I jokingly asked if the kids get cut on the rock!lol
Lol! I hope I was polite, sometimes I'm a grump, don't mean to be just with house full of teenagers.... well you get the picture!

More area space, shallow water and more oxygen help?
That would be my guess, seems to make a BIG difference!
Moby

 

[moby]

Its really pretty simple, if you think about it. Once the ammonia is broken down by the bacteria colonizing the rock and sand it gets broken down into less harmful compounds. Eventually the nitrates are all that is left at the end of this "cycle" and that is what you remove with the water change.

Hope that helps, sometime it can be confusing.
Moby

 

[alyssia]

I have established tanks so I can't put it in until it is fully cured. I will be dividing it (45 lbs) between three tanks. Can I add it all at once? In the past I have only added about 5 lbs at a time.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by alyssia
I have established tanks so I can't put it in until it is fully cured. I will be dividing it (45 lbs) between three tanks. Can I add it all at once? In the past I have only added about 5 lbs at a time.
Me too, established tank. I havn't bought the rock yet, but will be soon. And I don't want my DT to suffer any spikes, but I don't want everything on the rock to be dead and take a year to colonize.
Lol! I hope I was polite, sometimes I'm a grump, don't mean to be just with house full of teenagers.... well you get the picture!
no, you weren't rude at all!!

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by alyssia
I have established tanks so I can't put it in until it is fully cured. I will be dividing it (45 lbs) between three tanks. Can I add it all at once? In the past I have only added about 5 lbs at a time.
Alyssia, you normaly add 5lbs at a time? and the rest stays in the curing vat? Why do you do that? I am just curious, again trying to be as well educated as I can before I buy

 

[moby]

I have established tanks so I can't put it in until it is fully cured. I will be dividing it (45 lbs) between three tanks. Can I add it all at once? In the past I have only added about 5 lbs at a time.
Okay, well that is good to know because then it is done a little differently.
If you are adding to an established tank then basically the cycle needs to be done in the container before introduced to the aquarium.
Now after the previous discussed cycle has occurred it is best to add small amounts of the rock over time to ensure that ALL the die off has finished otherwise the remaining dying organisms will produce ammonia in your tank and that is bad. This will cause what you may have heard discussed as a "mini cycle".
A mini cycle is when small amounts of ammonia trigger the cycling process but on a very small scale. keep in mind that ammonia is the most harmful part of the cycle to animals and each phase following is less harmful, nitrites then nitrates. Even nitrates can be lethal in very high doses, especially to invertabrates.
Moby

 

[sepulatian]

Thanks moby, you were very helpfull!!!! I thank you for taking the time to address our questions!!!

 

[moby]

LOL! No problem!

I'm glad I could help, keep in mind there are ALWAYS different ways of doing things and mine may be different from some one elses. I just try to do things the safe and slow way, it helps avoid costly problems down the road.
With this hobby it never seems a bad idea to be cautious and not get in a big hurry.
Moby