if you already have a tank set up with fish, i'd cure it first. simply put it in your q-tank (or if you don't have one, get a ten gl tank or other container). if you put uncured (or even so called "cured") in your tank you may have a mini-cycle. You can buy it cured, but there most likly will be some die-off. (note:if you get lr from a lfs, the cured is in there main tanks...the ones with fish in them-normaly)
I'm not sure of the best place, I do know there have been post about good lr. (i'd look for you but i'm in the middle of writing a paper and if i start looking for taht i'll never get my paper done).
how much to buy depends, imo, on how much you want and what you want to do with your tank. if you go reef you'll need more. we don't have much (poor college kids) but I like the way the tank is set up...i'd rather the clowns have more room to swim in. there is a rule of thumb on how many lbs per gl, but i can't think of it right now.
