Live Rock tank?

volitan_fa

volitan_fa

Member
I am thinking about setting up a tank (well probably more of a big rubbermaid) for the sole purpose of maturing live rock. What are the best ways to set this up in your opinions?
Here's what I'm thinking would be required:
  • Rubbermaid tub
  • Good HOB filter (Penguin or AquaClear?)
  • protein skimmer
    heater
    many powerful powerheads
    Good T5 lighting (Current?)
Is there anything else you guys would add to the list, or change? Thanks all!
 
f14peter

f14peter

Member
Not exactly sure if light is needed if all your doing is maturing LR. Lights such as T-5s aren't even necessary in a tank if it only contains fish and LR, although to promote coraline growth I don't know (But don't think high powered light is required). That would require calcium, so that would have to be checked and added if necessary.
By saying "Maturing", do you mean curing? If so, many only use the Rubbermade/Tuperware bin, with a heater and sufficient powerhead(s) to create a good flow. Periodic water changes should keep ammonia et al in check.
I've had some leftover LR in a covered tub with a heater and Rio pump for a couple of months now and it seems to be okay, just change out about half the water ever week.
 
volitan_fa

volitan_fa

Member
Sorry, I shoulda been more specific. By "maturing" I meant growing coralline algae and such, not just curing it. I do agree that I could probably get away with some good standard fluorescent lighting though...I'm aiming too high with the T5's on second thought.
Any other thoughts? I appreciate any and all input.
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by volitan_fa
Sorry, I shoulda been more specific. By "maturing" I meant growing coralline algae and such, not just curing it. I do agree that I could probably get away with some good standard fluorescent lighting though...I'm aiming too high with the T5's on second thought.
Any other thoughts? I appreciate any and all input.
Is there a reason you can't do this in your tank? If you are willing to put higher powered lights on the rock. I am confused as to why you cannot do this in your tank which would benefit more from it.
 
volitan_fa

volitan_fa

Member
Well I would rather keep my existing tank going while my live rock cures and matures. I'm also looking into maturing some for friends and family. Bottom line is...I want a separate unit for just doing live rock.
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by volitan_fa
Well I would rather keep my existing tank going while my live rock cures and matures. I'm also looking into maturing some for friends and family. Bottom line is...I want a separate unit for just doing live rock.
Sorry, I didn't know that you wanted to keep it in seperate tank. Sorry. For extra growth being this isn't in your display, use the lights make sure the calcium is up and make sure there is plenty of flow. You don't want dead spots.
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Coraline isn't something that you can just "grow" That was why I was wondering why you didn't want to do it in the DT. It grows slowly and likes to spread out. Which would cover your other rocks. You can have it completely consumed with coraline in a year(in the tub) and then it will take another 6 months for it to grow to your other rocks in the DT.
 
symon

symon

Member
I have actually considered this process too, I will be upgrading tanks (SOMEDAY) and thought it would be a good thing to cure my own LR using some cured LR from my DT to seed it, or some LS!
The Wife must OK the upgrade !!!!!!!!

Never annoy the one that sleeps next to you! She will always make you pay! :hilarious
 
volitan_fa

volitan_fa

Member
Haha....very true!
Yeah, I still have much to learn in the area of live rock, and if anyone has ANY suggestions on this, I'd appreciate them!
 
kayak385

kayak385

Member
what should the optimum temp be set to?
What should the ammonium/nitrite/ate levels be at?
What flow should it be at? (10x, 20x, 30x)
All Questions to think about.
 
montdj

montdj

Member
Here is some pics the lr curing tank i built today. I am going to order anther 45lbs in ht enext couple of days and need to cure it. I will use the tank for a saltwater mixing tank after the rock cures. It is a 40 gal stock tank i glued some stand offs down to help hold up the eggcreate. I will put a 150 watt heater in there along with two ph one below the eggcreate and one above. each one at other end to help the water move all around the rock. I also have a old twintube strip light that i might use for 6-8 hrs of light aday. I will keep the temp around 75

 
montdj

montdj

Member
I been told just let it go check it once a week and do weekly water changes. also clean any dead off the rock first dont get carried away with cleaning it just a quick light clean then check it and repeat if nessacery once a week.
 
volitan_fa

volitan_fa

Member
Love the pics! For some reason I had not even thought of all-around circulation with the eggcrate. Does anyone else have pics of curing setups?
 
maxalmon

maxalmon

Active Member
I think I have used just about every koi pond liner that Homedepot makes

At one point I was obsessed with LR and had ponds EVERYWHERE I was going to "corner the market" on LR, I had 2 of those 5' kiddie pools going that were the final pools, or rather rock that was fully cured, then I had 3x75 gallon tubs that were holding ponds for LR that I had no idea what I was going to do with, then I also had the huge 275g pond that was the middle step or for rock that was almost cured, then there was the hold and scrubbing tank so that I could clean the rock and then there were several tank around the house to simply hold LR that I had no other place to store. At one point I had about 2000lb of LR stored in every room of the house, there were ponds in the hallways, spare bedrooms, garage, bathrooms and I have a really nice home in a guard gated neighborhood, on the golf course! This was the point where I think I actully crossed over to the "Dark Rock Side"
...then it got very old, took a lot of work, just topping off all the tank was a daily chore and "Oh my god, the smell" I ended up taking all the ponds down and how have a single 55g for holding curing, sorry for my long rambling rant.
.
As for curing LR, the water quality should be the same for a reef tank, mybe elevate the calcium a little with "Purple Up" you can also take some LR that has good color coraline algae on it and then rub or scratch the algae off into the holding pond, this will seed the LR with coraline, run a good skimmer and do lots of water changes, thats why it's good to have so many pools as you can move LR around as it becomes more cured.......I have a friend who uses a 400w MH light on a LR curing system, he cures LR for people and encrusts it with corlaine algae, charges $1 per pound to almost totally encrust your LR.......




 
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