Cycling question on a 10g

curry

curry

Member
I've gone through the FAQ's and archives quite a few times and I'm a little confused about cycling the tank with live rock...
One source said that you can cycle the tank with live rock but it must be uncured or it will cause issues....
Another source said that you can cycle a tank with cured live rock... and the live rock will actually help to cycle it better or something along that lines.
So which is it, or do both work?
I forgot to bookmark both threads otherwise I would have linked them here =(
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Either way would work...I think that using uncured you may have some bigger spikes in your testing....and your initial cycle may (MAY) take a little longer
 
curry

curry

Member
Ohhh ok. Well I'll probably just buy the cured rock then. A local guy from CL has it for 3 bucks per lb (fiji). The pieces look good so I was going to pick some up either today or tomorrow. I wanted to go haggle with my LFS first... LOL. He has mixed cured rock for 6.50 per lb.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
So which is it, or do both work?
One will defiantly work and one will not. Uncured live rock simply means rock that is in the process of some die off. Hence introducing organic brake down, which starts the nitrification process. Cured live rock is rock that no longer has any die off. There is however no guerantte that there is any nitrification or di nitrification bacteria present
 
jaodissa

jaodissa

Member
Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3141163
One will defiantly work and one will not. Uncured live rock simply means rock that is in the process of some die off. Hence introducing organic brake down, which starts the nitrification process. Cured live rock is rock that no longer has any die off. There is however no guerantte that there is any nitrification or di nitrification bacteria present
I have a question. If you have cured rock and stick it in a tank before its cycled wouldn't that cause it to die off and then be uncured rock? If so why buy cured rock in the first place?
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Jaodissa
http:///forum/post/3141190
I have a question. If you have cured rock and stick it in a tank before its cycled wouldn't that cause it to die off and then be uncured rock? If so why buy cured rock in the first place?
Rather then just give you an answer I will pose three questions to you and allow you to deduce your own answer. 1 what is the definition of a cycled tank. 2 do you mean a tank that has begun a cycle or one that has just been set up with no organic brake down taking place 3 why would it make a difference
 
jaodissa

jaodissa

Member
Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3141219
. 1 what is the definition of a cycled tank. 2 do you mean a tank that has begun a cycle or one that has just been set up with no organic brake down taking place 3 why would it make a difference
1. A tank that has gone through the initial ammonia and nitrite spike and then has leveled off to zero.
2. Begun the cycle
3. I really don't know.. I don't think it would make a difference... My thoughts for that is during the cycle its going to cure anyways (I think)
cured rock has nothing that is going to die off
uncured has die off still on it
when exposed to the initial cycle cured stuff is going to die off and cause it to be uncured??
Im seriously guessing here LOL. Am I anywhere near right?
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Jaodissa
http:///forum/post/3141242
1. A tank that has gone through the initial ammonia and nitrite spike and then has leveled off to zero.
2. Begun the cycle
3. I really don't know.. I don't think it would make a difference... My thoughts for that is during the cycle its going to cure anyways (I think)
cured rock has nothing that is going to die off
uncured has die off still on it
when exposed to the initial cycle cured stuff is going to die off and cause it to be uncured??
Im seriously guessing here LOL. Am I anywhere near right?
Your test results
1 Correct
As for the rest
If you introduce cured live rock to a tank that does not have any organic brake down taking place you could in theory have nitrifying bacteria on it and depending on how much organic breakdown you have on things you introduce into your tank AFTER your rock you may not experience a spike in ammonia or nitrites.
If your tank Is undergoing a cycle and you have an ammonia spike and you now introduce your live rock any critters living in or on your live rock can die adding to the ammonia introduced into your tank
 
mikecurrin

mikecurrin

Member
As much as I hate Hijacking threads,
I am having the same question, I recieved my tank (had crushed coral and sand in it when I got it, was filled then) brought it home and added live CURED rock to the tank with new water. Is it neccesary to have the spikes to the system, or can I just keep going as if est.
Pic of set up for 12 Gal
 
katsafados

katsafados

Active Member
If you cycle it with uncured rock its better because the rock is fresh out of the ocean, instead of out of a enclosed enviroment. This means with uncured LR you have a potential to get more hitchers that are microorganisms in your tank.
They cycle is also better, due to the amout of die off, so the ammonia spikes will be higher, which means more good bacteria will be growing to combat the ammonia spikes ect.
I used uncured LR and it took me a month to cycle my tank, but the tank seems a lot more mature then other people I know who used cured LR. I also got a lot of micro hitchers that are benifitial to the enclosed aquarium.
Cured LR just makes the cycle go alot quicker due to minimal die off. The rock will be cured once purchased, but by the time you get it into the tank some of the organisms will have died. Due to this you'll have a small cycle, because there isnt that much die off compared to uncured LR.
Thats what I got out of cured LR V.S uncured when I researched. Hope that helps a little, and I'm somewhat right.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
I mean this post with all due respect. I am sorry if it seems like I am picking apart your post but there are thinks that IMO are just not true. I am sure you will respond validating your post.
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Okay, putting on my Joe cap...............................
When we are talking about a cycle in this context, what are we really talking about?
 
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