Curing LR

[forsaken541]

I need some clarification. I have purchased 60 lbs of LR from Etropicals and it has been in my tank a week now. The smell has almost gone away now and some colr is starting to re-apear on the rock but my amonia levels are still off the charts. I was told by a LFS that I should be using some sort of enzyme additive and be addind calcium and iodine to the tank or I will loose most all the life on my new rock ,even though i have never read anything that has said to add these things to cure LR. Please help me to clarify this and if need be to save my rock. Thanks alot.
Erik

 

[Ray Pollett]

I need some clarification. I have purchased 60 lbs of LR from Etropicals and it has been in my tank a week now. The smell has almost gone away now and some colr is starting to re-apear on the rock but my amonia levels are still off the charts. I was told by a LFS that I should be using some sort of enzyme additive and be addind calcium and iodine to the tank or I will loose most all the life on my new rock ,even though i have never read anything that has said to add these things to cure LR. Please help me to clarify this and if need be to save my rock. Thanks alot.
Erik

I would never trust that LFS again. That is some of the worst advice IMO , I've ever heard. I would do a water change, but forget the additives.

Ray

 

[bri7969]

was that the store on east sprague i would do a water chage too

 

[forsaken541]

Yes the store is the somewhat dirty store on E Sprague near downtown.

 

[NaH2O]

forsaken - welcome to Reef Frontiers! Getting some good responses. Keep measuring your levels, you should start to see a drop in ammonia, while your nitrite levels increase, then your nitrite levels will rise, while your nitrates increase. Do you have a skimmer on the tank?

 

[jasontatro]

Should I run carbon while my LR cures?

 

[forsaken541]

Yeah I have a skimmer pulling some really nasty foam off the tank but I dont have to empty that more than once a day now. What about the calcium, iodine and "reef enzyms" this guy told me to use? do I really need to start dosing my tank with this stuff or should I continue to try and maintain a mostly additive free tank for now? Thank all for the great advice so far.
Erik

 

[BlennyBabe]

as long as your make up water is at the right levels, I wouldnt add anything else. The best way to keep things alive si to do lots of water changes. This will dillute the amonia and nitrite which are toxic. It makes the cycle take longs, but in the end, your live rock is still full of life. Its the way I cycle rock, and you really can see a difference.

 

[NaH2O]

I agree - no need to add all of these things right now. Really, you won't need to dose anything for some time. A new tank will go through algae cycles until it is matured. Keeping your water chemistry balanced is important, but you don't need to worry about all of that just yet. Give your tank some time, and when you run the tests for calcium, alkalinity, etc. post those and see if you will need any supplementation.

Jason, you don't need to run carbon. How long have you been curing the rock?

 

[jasontatro]

Nikki,

Just started curing it yesterday. Didnt think carbon was necessary but thought I would ask.

 

[clownnrnd]

As everyonelse has said i would not add any supplements. probably would'nt worry to much about the carbon either. Personally I always cure my rock in a seperate container maybe a spare smaller sized tank. I do this becouse during the curing process you will get alot of detritus off the rock. After the rock has cured this will slow down. I would also recommend a ton of circulation and skimming. When you do your water changes you could partially fill a 5 gal. bucket w/ the water to be discarded and take the rocks an swish them around in it to dislodge any dead stuff. hope this makes sense.
See Ya,
Chad
Just thought this through a bit more and if you are doing the water changes your salt mix should be keeping your calcium & iodine at optimal levels. At least for the purpose of curing rock.

 

[Elmo18]

Re: Re: Curing LR

I would never trust that LFS again. That is some of the worst advice IMO , I've ever heard. I would do a water change, but forget the additives.

Ray

I second that. Errr...nuff said

For a new tank i usually cure the rock in the tank itself without sand. Let it cure by doing water changes and little to no light. I say some because if there are photosynthetic things (which probably wont survive the curing process anyway), they may have a chance. Siphon off the detritus, etc and change water again, and just replace the rock.

The whole add additives this and that is just not needed.

- Ilham

 

[mojoreef]

Eric Welcome to Reef Frontiers, you have some great advice here, I am sure you will breeze by this no problem.''



Mike