Cycling With Live Rock

[bloob]

Hi. I'm new to the board. I'm getting ready to set up a reef aquarium and was looking for help on this subject. If I am cycling a new tank with live rock, is it nessesary to use cured live rock or can uncured live rock be used? I have noticed that there is a big diffrence in price between the two and don't want to spend more if I don't have to. Any thoughts on this subject would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[cboyfan2020]

I think most people prefer to use cured live rock. Cured just means the rock was cleaned of a lot of algae and junk, then put into a container away from bright lights. This in turn kills all but the hardiest inverts, algae, and animals. Anyways I would suggest cured and later you can get a couple of peices of uncured and see what kinda life you get.
PS. WELCOME TO THE BOARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

[shelley&john]

Hi,
My tank just finished the cycle. We used 200lbs of uncured live rock. Definitely less expensive, and it is my understanding (lots of reading of the boards.) that cured live rock will have to cure all over again, as there will be additional die off after it is shipped. The die off on the rocks, will actually start your cycle. I thru in some cocktail shrimp too just for good measure . I placed the shrimp into a knee-hi stocking, so it made removal very easy. (another trick I picked up on this great board.)
Good luck!

 

[clownfish1452]

The shrimp is the best and cheapest way to go I have found I have cylced four tanks that way.
Sarah

 

[captgut]

cycled my tanks 100 gal with uncured liverock 2months with nothing else in tanks worked fine

 

[hookedonreefs]

Sorry if this is slightly off subject....
I started my cycle 9 days ago. Three big shrimp - ammonia is approx. 3.0
I'm OK with waiting for the cycle, but the tank still REEKS! I took two of the shrimp out last weekend, and took the last shrim out on Sat. Every time I open the glass tops my wife comes running with the scented spray. Then the argument of getting $h!t in my tank from the spray ensues, I get yelled at and end up on the couch.
Anywho, will the tank always stink, or is it only during ammonia spikes? Also, should I have the lights on or off during the cycle process? I had them off the first week and decided to turn them on this week for a change.
Thanks.
Oh - P.S., once my cycle's finished I'm going with cured rock.

 

[clownfish1452]

The shrimp did make my house smell a little (my mom complained the most), but any way it is a very safe way to cycle the tank. You do not have to use fish or buy alot of rock right off the bat.
Sarah

 

[elan]

i used both cured and uncured live rock when cycling my tank. IME and IMO, uncured will yeald better results. More die off to kick off the cycle, and IMO, more of the critters on the rock will survive than with alrady cured rock.
Here is my thinking for the above opinion.
assuming 10 is the amount of living critters on uncured live rock, and half dies during curing, then 5 will be the amount of living critters on cured rock.
When you introduce a cured rock in a cycling tank, some of it will die probably during transport. lets say you are left with 4.
When you put in uncured live rock in your cycling tank, you will have killed 1 in transport as above, so you will be starting with 9 on your rock when you put it in your tank. and will be left with half after the rock cures leaving you with 4.5
probably not that much difference, but the above is just an opinion with meaningless values.
In my expereince with uncured live rock, I was able to get haitian rock both cured and uncured. the cured, by visual inspection, had much less life on it, and the uncurred, by nasal inspection, had much more dead organisms on it. after my tank has cycled, the uncured (now cured) live rock looks to have more life than the cured rock obtained (by life i mean different colors on the rock)
If you are cycling, and are not worried about an ammonia spike or are trying to introduce one, get the uncured. Easier on your wallet, and it wont hurt anything else in your tank (if you dont have fish in there already)