HELP...Live rock outta water...

[Sweetnezz7]

Hey ...
I have a good deal on some uncured liverock...what I am wondering is how do I cure it...or can I put it in my tank when I am starting to cycle it?..Will it grow, or will it just be concidered baserock....whats your thoughts on this...the rock has been outta water for a few months...I just dont wanna purchase it and find out that it will never become actual live rock...
Any help on this would be awesome....thanks..

[nycsicktank]

do you have already have set up?

[Grins]

I'd think it would all be dead if it has been out of water for a few months.

[1boatnut]

You need to put it in some saltwater with a powerhead for circulation.Should be ok

[Sweetnezz7]

Hey all..thanks for the posts comng in...We are totally new to the marine side of things...We got a great deal on the 110 setup...We pick it up on the 15th of this month..so we are trying to take in as much info as we can so we can get it started within a few days of picking it up...

[Sweetnezz7]

HI Boatnut..thanks for the post....when you say put it in saltwater...do you mean we could pick it up now, and get it going in a large plastic tote with powerheads?...and a heater?..DO we mix the salt to the size of the tote as you would in a tank?...if so that would be awesome cuz we could get it going before we get the tank ready to go....how long is a good time to keep in a watermix ..aside of being in a tank?..

[nycsicktank]

if you didnt set it up, do this following

add all your base rocks and couple of live rocks all at once to your tank and cycle it. make sure you have good circulation to do it.

[Sweetnezz7]

hmm...ohh..ok..so I cant cure it in a tote then to get it started....so sorry..like I said I am new to this hobby...just wanna make sure we do things right the first time...or atleast try to...lol

[Grins]

You can cure it outside of your tank yes. But how many months has it been outside the tank? I'm just doubtful how much would survive but perhaps the others have experience with it that I don't.

[1boatnut]

HI Boatnut..thanks for the post....when you say put it in saltwater...do you mean we could pick it up now, and get it going in a large plastic tote with powerheads?...and a heater?..DO we mix the salt to the size of the tote as you would in a tank?...if so that would be awesome cuz we could get it going before we get the tank ready to go....how long is a good time to keep in a watermix ..aside of being in a tank?..


I mixed my salt to the same salinity that the tank was going to be set up as. 1.23 to 1.24

As nycsicktank noted,add all base rock and live rock with plenty of water movement.I did mine in big tupperware tubs,I had about 100lbs.
To be truthful I really don't know how long it will take to cure. Mine was in the garage for about 1 1/2 months,then I got the itch to start a tank so I put it in and left it for about a week. I also used live sand for a substrate. After one week I added 3 Chromis.

Good luck

[nycsicktank]

first week get a brush and glove(new one) and bush off the dead rocks and those unwanted stuffs

they should be in there until that bad smells goes away

[mrsdorothy]

If it has been out of water for a few months, it is dead rock. It can be cured in a tote, but you don't have too. You can wait until you get your tank set up and cure it inside the tank. But I would wash it in saltwater before i put it in the tank.

If you perfer to get it started in the tote, you will need few pieces of live rock to help seed the dead rock with, to get some life form established in the dry rock. Put it in a tote with saltwater, add a couple of powerheads for circulation and let the curing begin in there, then transfer your rock to the tank once you get it set up. Keep an eye on your ammonia, nitrites, nitrAtes, ect, and do water changes.

HTH
Dorothy

[nycsicktank]

also protein skimmer should help it cure faster =D

[Reefscape]

also protein skimmer should help it cure faster =D

Out of interest...care to elaborate on that one?

Niko