kelly shaw
Member
how high should you let the nh3 get before you do a water change? i just started curing mine yesterday evening and the nh3 is already off the scale.
curing live rock?
- Thread starter kelly shaw
- Start date
mopar9012
Active Member
when curing live rock dont do water changes. add water though so the salinity doesnt get high but no water changes. its best to let it run its course it will go down when its fully cured. be patient curing live rock can take a long time, it took me about 5 weeks, but i had a lot of die off.
kelly shaw
Member
ok, i have read on here that you shouldn't let it get too high. i even read that not to let it get above 1.0. but after starting to cure my first batch yesterday and the level is already off the scale today, i find that to be pretty hard.
kelly shaw
Member
do you change all of it, or just a 10-15%? here is another question? what would happen if i added purple up during the curing process to get a head start on the choroline growth? i haven't done it i was just wondering.
saltwater8
Member
From the Drs.:
Curing process of live rock for the established display aquarium that already contains fish, corals, or any other marine animals.
Place the live rock in a new 30-gallon plastic garbage can. Consider adding bottom drains to the container to speed draining and water changes.
Completely cover the rock with freshly mixed saltwater, with a specific gravity of 1.021 - 1.025
Provide a heater and keep the water temperature near 80 degrees to speed die off.
Create constant water movement with a power head or air stone.
Keep the area dimly lit to prevent algae blooms.
Perform 100% water changes twice weekly.
Scrub the rock with a new nylon bristle brush or toothbrush between water changes to remove any white film or dead material.
Most rock will be fully cured in 1- 3 weeks, at which time it is safe to add to the display aquarium.
When the water conditions stabilize and ammonia and nitrite tests are zero, the rock is ready to be placed into the display aquarium.
100% water changes?
Curing process of live rock for the established display aquarium that already contains fish, corals, or any other marine animals.
Place the live rock in a new 30-gallon plastic garbage can. Consider adding bottom drains to the container to speed draining and water changes.
Completely cover the rock with freshly mixed saltwater, with a specific gravity of 1.021 - 1.025
Provide a heater and keep the water temperature near 80 degrees to speed die off.
Create constant water movement with a power head or air stone.
Keep the area dimly lit to prevent algae blooms.
Perform 100% water changes twice weekly.
Scrub the rock with a new nylon bristle brush or toothbrush between water changes to remove any white film or dead material.
Most rock will be fully cured in 1- 3 weeks, at which time it is safe to add to the display aquarium.
When the water conditions stabilize and ammonia and nitrite tests are zero, the rock is ready to be placed into the display aquarium.
100% water changes?
badoleross
Member
I change my water when it gets over 1. I will generally do a 50% water change. You lose nothing by changing the water. There is very little benificial bacteria in the water and the ammonia that you are removing is killing good stuff that may be in or on your LR. Letting the rock sit in water that has a high ammonia reading just doesn't make any sense, IMO. I am currently curing 90lbs and just got finshed curing 135lbs a few weeks ago and it all looks great. I cure mine in a kiddie pool!
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saltwater8
Member
LMAO, that is awesome!
:happyfish
:happyfish
alyssia
Active Member
Originally Posted by cori
I have never cured rock before, and I was wondering...does it smell? LOL I know that sounds like a idiotic question, but I was thinking about getting a garbage can (with lid) and putting it in one of my spare rooms, until it's cured. I may have to change my plans.
It smells HORRIBLE!!!
I have never cured rock before, and I was wondering...does it smell? LOL I know that sounds like a idiotic question, but I was thinking about getting a garbage can (with lid) and putting it in one of my spare rooms, until it's cured. I may have to change my plans.
It smells HORRIBLE!!!
badoleross
Member
Piling the rock in a trashcan does not allow the water to flow over the live rock the way you want it to. Good water and water movement over and around the rocks along with protien skimming make curing LR a pleasure. Along with scrubbing off the dead stuff! My pool cost me about $11. Make sure you elevate whatever you use so you can siphon off the bottom. If you buy uncured rock and have significant die off it does smell. If you get cured rock and the die off is minimal the smell isnt bad at all. I add purple up to my water when curing. Not sure if it does anything. .
bovetek
Member
I used the trash can method. Actually used 2 cans. In Can #1 I put a heater, a mag 9 with a modified closed loop/spray bar with 3 3/4" outlets, and filled it with 1.025 salt water. In Can #2 I mixed up some salt water with a heater and a couple of cheap power heads. After a couple of days I moved the mag9/close loop from Can#1 into Can #2. I scrubbed the rock from Can #1 and sloshed it around, to remove the dead crud, in Can #1 then placed the newly cleaned piece of LR into Can #2. After all the rock was in Can #2. I checked Can #1 for desirable critters, cleaned it out and set it back up with fresh saltwater,heater and PH. I did this back and forth type thing for 3 weeks (tests were fine after 2 weeks but tank was not ready)
I worked out great. Now I use one of the cans to mix water for water changes and the other I'm using for a QT. Seems the dark color calms the new guys down abit after they a acclimated.
HTH
I worked out great. Now I use one of the cans to mix water for water changes and the other I'm using for a QT. Seems the dark color calms the new guys down abit after they a acclimated.
HTH
saltwater8
Member
Can someone explain what you mean by "scrubbing" the live rock?
Do you scrub the entire live rock?
Doesn’t that take away some of the coralline?
Do you scrub the entire live rock?
Doesn’t that take away some of the coralline?
badoleross
Member
Just get a new/unused soft brissle nylon brush and scrub off the dead stuff. If you scrub everything that is either black/brown and white you are ok. No, you wont scub off the coraline. I like to get a bucket of SW and remove the rock from my curing vat, scub it in the bucket and rinse it good and return it to the vat. You will probobly uncover more coraline in the scrubbing process. And of corse smell the rock. If it smell like the ocean, its good. If it smells bad, its not done yet. Have a pair of pliers handy to pull off loose things such as old dead plant material.