Curing LR

[toughguy80]

Should I wait for LR to fully cycle like you would for a tank? I've heard some people go by a smell test also so as when it no longer stinks, it's safe. I'm asking because I just received rock from here 4 days ago. It came really moist and there was really no bad smell to it and never has been. It actually has a really nice color to it and many little feather duster and some sponges attached:joy: I tested ammonia however and it was high. Thought I'd ask the experts Thanks

 

[elfdoctors]

Anything shipped will have a fair amount of dieoff. It will need to be cured to allow the dead material to break down. If you have a well established system you can add a piece of two into your tank. Usually it is best to recycle your tank or cure the live rock in a rubbermaid container. The smell only comes after the dead material has had some time to break down and rot.

 

[donmgicwon]

Originally posted by elfdoctors
Anything shipped will have a fair amount of dieoff. The smell only comes after the dead material has had some time to break down and rot.

He is right. I have ordered 3 boxes off the net (2nd day air) and there is not much smell when you open the box but after a few days in the water you will think someone has died in your house. If you must do it in a trash can, get one as big as you can find. The best method is in the fish tank (by itself) with a skimmer, filter, heater and PH. I've done it both ways and it doesn't smell that bad in the aquarium.

 

[soccer4life94]

Im planning on cycling my tank with the LR in the tank. I have a ES5-3 and a PM HOB Skimmer. I was going to run them both during all the cycle to keep the smell down to a min since the tank is in the living room. Is this going to smell the entire house up?

 

[redwinger]

I'm into my third week of curing my rock, in the tank. When I started, the basement stuck just a little. It went away after two days or so. I did one water change soon after. Yesterday, I did my second water change. I also sccrubbed each piece of rock to get the white, webby type stuff. A few pieces STUNK. It also turned the water, where I was scrubbing the rock, black. By looking at the rock, as it was in the tank the last two weeks, I wouldn't have thought that would happen.