Lr

[dirt sailor]

ok so I have about 100lbs of LR that I just got from the ocean. I have just started the cureing process and wanted to make sure that I was doing it right. I started out by puting the LR into a big cooler with two maxi jet 1200 power heads. I'm not sure if this is enough flow for the amount that is in the cooler. The lid is open and has been left outside because it stinks so bad. I did about a 50% water change yesterday, and today the water looks gross and stinks bad. there is a lot of skuz building up. Should I put a protien skimmer in as well? Should I keep doing what am doing? Is this right? When should I start scrubbing the rock down? Would love for some input thanks.

 

[dragonzim]

How long did you have the rock out of the water for? If you pulled it out of the ocean and put it directly back into either your tank or a cooler full of water there should have been very little or no die off at all and it should not smell at all. Also, if you've left it outside in a cooler, what is the temp of the water its in? Since you're in a tropical climate the water temp in the cooler could easily get hot enough to kill off everything on and in the rock.

 

[dirt sailor]

the rock was out of the water for several hours. I'm not sure the temp right now since am at work. I wont be able to check for another five hours. How much die off is exceptable. I cureing it for a 100gal tank that hasn't been set up yet.

 

[dragonzim]

If it was out for a few hours you are going to lost a LOT of the life that was in the rock, especially if it dried out.

 

[markw]

Id also watch letting it sit around outside with no lid. There are many toxins that could get in the water and potentially into your tank afterward.
Mark

 

[dirt sailor]

So I just got home and the water smelled like sewage. The water was a dark brownish gray. I decided to just scrap it and try again later. When I dumped the water I could feel the heat rising from the cooler... a bad sign right? Since the LR didn't cost me anything all Im out of is just the time and labor that I put into it. It sucks cuase I had some nice pieces. Thanks for all the help.

 

[markw]

Im not sure, but Id imagine you could let the pieces dry out completely and scrub them down a bunch of times to get all the gunk off, then use them as base rock?
Mark

 

[dirt sailor]

Thats a great idea, I think I'll just do that. It would be a shame to get rid of all that rock. Thanks mark!

 

[markw]

They would still have to go through the curing process and Id do it in freshwater so you can be sure that everything is dead on it, be it hitchhikers and bacterias. Good luck!

Mark