How to cure live rocks?

[sweetmisery]

OK I searched but topics that comes out have nothing on curing them. So Im sorry if this is so 1st grade, but how to cure them?

I can get some coming straight from the sea, so do I really need to cure them first before putting in my tank?

thanks!

and oh, do I really need Live Sands or will just LR as my bedding do?

[Gringoloco]

You will always need to cure live rock, especially straight from the ocean. The curing process is getting rid of all die off that the rock will go through. Its a very simply process, here is a list of things needed:

1. Air bar/stone w/ tubing
2. Air pump
3. Salt water from tank/ or mix up a batch (with salinity level of 1.023-1.025 is prefered)
4. Uncured Live Rock
5. A tupperware container (such as a rubermaid container, that is large enough to hold all the rock)
6. A water level test kit (amm., ni, na, alk, ph)

Now once you have all of these you can begin the setup process. Fill the container with the salt water mixture (measure the salinity level) once the mixture is complete. add all the uncured live rock into the container. Next you will connect up the air stone/bar (which ever you prefer) to the pump with the clear air tubing you picked up. This process is to oxidize the water to keep the water from becoming stagnate. And thats the whole setup process. Now its just a matter of time before your levels will start cycling. I leave my rock in the tub for about a week until I test the water. Once your levels are at 0, its good to go. So now you can add the rocks to your tank and watch the coraline grow over time. Hope this helps :)

[sweetmisery]

Thanks! Really a help!

How many kilos of LR needed/recommended for a 55 gallon tank anyway?

And as of the water used for curing, any amount as long as it covers the rocks?

[Gringoloco]

Sorry I forgot about the heater also, you will need to bring the water to to around 78-80 far. Kilos im not sure of. The amount of pounds recommended is 1 lb per gallon. But in my 55 I have 65 lbs of live rock and will probably add another 25 or so. As for the water level of curing, the only requirement is that it covers the rocks completely.

[sweetmisery]

Hmmm... quite easy, problem is, I never had experience with water level test kits, thus I dont know how to... but I will manage(or ask you guys when time comes)... And the air pump, I should have it on the whole week? And can I cure them all in one big container? Or should I do it pound by pound or such?

And if I have cured LRs, will uncured ones be cured when I mix them together(or atleast make the process a bit easier/faster/etc)? or do I really have to cure them each?

Thanks! youre a BIG HELP!

ADDED: I was in my bed about to sleep, thinkin about marine tanks and LR curing when a question popped out in my head - Since Im still to buy a new aquarium and all around next week durin my pay day; when I cure LRs, can I do it just in the aquarium itself when its fully set up? Can I just do it there while running the skimmers, air pump and all, together with cycling the water? Its lot easier that way, so after a week or two, I can add livestock straight and dont have to haul a lot of things back and forth... just a beginner's thoughts...

[Gringoloco]

Water tests are simple to use, even beginners have no problems. Its just simply reading the instructions and waiting. Adding un-cured live rock when setting up a new tank is the best time to do it. Since the tank will be cycling anyway, and the rock also, and no live stock, corals, etc is in the tank that can be killed. But the same rule applies once your levels are 0 then you can add stuff. And once the tank has cycled and you start adding things you should never add un-cured live rock to a established tank. You will have to cure it in a tub as described above.

[MikeS]

Hi

IF there is no other livestock in the tank, (ie corals, fish) you can cure the rock in the tank itself. If you do this, you can use a skimmer and carbon, and do regular water changes. The idea behind this is to save as much of the life on the LR as you can...the bucket method will work too, but you'll lose a lot more life on them you may be able to save by cycling in the tank itself and paying attention to water quality...

Mike

[sweetmisery]

WOW! Thats a great relief! Thank you guys. If I didnt ask, I would have ended up putting it in one big drum/container, then put lots of salt water since its vertically long, not horizontal, and worse - haul back and forth! I was even thinking of buying cured live rocks for 150 pesos a kilo($3), and a 55 gallons, I researched, needs around 25 kilos! Now that I can cure it with a better and easier way, I can save a lots! Like I can only spend $4 for two sacks of LR from the fishermen...

WOOOT! Thank you guys!