Live rock and how to cure

[gm333]

What is live rock?

Live rock is actually small pieces of old coral reefs that were naturally broken off during storms or by wave action. These pieces then washed into shallower water where they were colonized with naturally occurring marine life - invertebrates, corals, sponges, and millions of beneficial nitrifying bacteria. All varieties of live rock available on LiveAquaria.com are harvested with the highest ethical standards and removed passively from the ocean floor - not manually broken off of any live or existing reefs.
Where does live rock come from?
Live rock can come from anywhere in the ocean. The varieties of live rock found on LiveAquaria.com come primarily from the pristine waters of the Indo-Pacific area, with the majority coming from Fiji and Tonga.
Must you cure your live rock?
You must cure your live rock, even if it arrives precured. Precured live rock is harvested, then continually sprayed with a mist of sea water and scrubbed to remove unwanted debris. The spray tends to drive out unwanted species such as bristle worms and mantis shrimp. Uncured live rock contains a wider variety of organisms. Either type of rock can work great in your home reef aquarium. Regardless of whether your rock arrives uncured or precured, you must cure your rock in its new aquarium.
Why must you cure your live rock?
Live rock must be cured to allow the plant and marine life - especially sponges which were living on the rock - to undergo a natural die back without polluting the aquarium water. This die back occurs in all transported live rock and is necessary to provide a solid foundation for the remaining species to grow and flourish. As the organisms on the rock go through a die back, they will produce a large amount of waste material and cause toxic levels of ammonia to be released into the aquarium. Most of the very beneficial nitrifying bacteria survive the curing process by hiding deep in the pores and crevices of the live rock. In addition, some of the corals and invertebrates will also not die off completely and will begin to re-emerge in the new aquarium over time.
How do you cure your live rock?
While you may cure your live rock in many different ways, the following method has been shown to be very effective. Curing typically takes from one to three weeks.
1. Place the live rock in a new 30-gallon plastic garbage can.
2. Cover the rock completely with freshly mixed saltwater.
3. Use a heater to keep the water temperature near 80 degrees to speed die off.
4. Create constant water movement with a powerhead or air stone.
5. Keep the area dimly lit to prevent algae blooms.
6. Perform 100% water changes twice a week.
7. Scrub the rock between water changes to remove dead material.
8. Consider adding bottom drains to the container to speed draining and water changes.
Check water quality and test for ammonia. When ammonia tests are negative, the rock is safe for your aquarium.
What happens if you don't cure it properly?
If you add improperly cured rock to your aquarium too quickly, it will still be in the process of a die back, which can harm (if not kill) existing tank inhabitants with toxic levels of ammonia. In addition, if you do not maintain proper aeration and temperature during the curing process, then high levels of beneficial nitrifying bacteria will die, reducing the initial effectiveness of the rock as a biological filter. Live rock is not difficult to cure properly and the benefits of high quality live rock are well worth the effort. Be sure to follow the simple steps above, and you can be confident that you are adding clean, healthy live rock to your aquarium.

[vicky88_nofear]

Thanks.. this is really helpful for newbies lik me !

[ocreef]

Here's the Curing Live Rock article from us. We had the link from our site on here, but from some reason the moderator determined it was not appropriate.

Live rock must be properly cured to create a healthy marine environment. The biodiversity found on all transported live rock undergo some degree of natural die-off, especially delicate or damaged fauna and flora. As these encrusting organisms go through this process, they produce a large amount of waste materials. Without proper curing, pollutants and toxic compounds such as ammonia are released into the water and compromise the health of your entire aquarium system. Whether pre-cured or uncured, it is crucial to never introduce any live rock to an established aquarium containing fish, corals, or other marine animals unless it has been properly cured. Curing living rock varies with your aquarium application; it can take between (2-4 weeks).

Why should I use Live Rock?

Live rock comes from tropical ocean regions around the world; its porous and open structure allows the rock to host a wide array of beneficial bacteria, and microorganisms, as well as provide a stable base for coral growth. Simply put, "Live Rock creates a natural home for you, your fish and invertebrates.

Curing your Live Rock:

Curing un-cured rock may be done inside a large plastic container/bin or inside the newly set up aquarium. We recommend using as large of a water container as you possibly can, however curing the rock inside the new aquarium is best overall; in this manner the dead or dying organic matter that creates ammonia can more easily be removed as it accumulates, which in turn helps to shorten the rock curing or cycling time. This also prevents excess organic matter from building up, which can lead to high nitrate and problems with brown diatom and other type algae blooms during and after the aquarium cycling process. It's not recommended to have any substrate inside the tank, during the curing process, as nutrients absorbed into the substrates will continue to elevate, and possibly extend the curing time.

Equipment necessary to cure the rock properly are as follows:

1. Protein Skimmer:

A protein skimmer will remove organic waste from the aquarium before it can break down into ammonia.

2. Powerhead Pumps:

Run a couple of power heads, for water circulation. You want strong circulation, so the more the better.

3. Heater:

The bacteria and micro-organisms found on the rock should be kept in the same temperature range as your fish and corals. Recommended is 78-80 degrees F.

4. Lights:

If the rock is being cured inside of an aquarium, we recommend no more than (4-5 hours) a day, this is to help reduce the occurrence of nuisance algae.

Don't forget! Do your water changes as needed. More than likely large water changes of 20-30% will be needed every few days, however water changes will be needed at least once a week during the curing process. Siphon off all dead debris that you find and pull off any dead sponges, plants, etc. We do not recommend scrubbing the rock, unless you see obvious dead spots on the rock itself. During this time, we advise carefully observing the rock for any signs of nuisance hitchhikers such as large bristle worms, crabs and mantis shrimp. It's much easier to catch and remove them at this stage, then later on in your carefully arranged show tank!