Curing Marco rock?

Chong · 03-04-2008, 03:45 PM

After waiting almost two months my 25lbs of marco rocks finally came in. Now I have to cure all this dead rock and make it live rock. My plan is to put the rock in a 37gallon tank in my garage. Use carbon and phosguard and run a skimmer during the curing process and do weekly waterchanges. After a month i plan to put a few pieces of live rock from my tank to seed the marco rock. Now since this is my first time curing rock was wondering if anybody has any suggestions? I am not in a rush so i have all the time to make sure the rock gets fully cured.

**JF2381** · 03-04-2008, 03:47 PM

Chong good plan.
I cured my with equal amount of live rock that I was cooking. The smell was gone within 2 days and the amonnia was within a week.
The smell is bad so I hope your garage is not connected to your house.

**Deepwater** · 03-04-2008, 03:53 PM

dont forget to use a skimmer to help take out the crap being let outof the rocks

tsouth · 03-04-2008, 03:59 PM

I thought that since it is base rock, there is no need for curing and that you are able to add base rock as you please? Wouldn't the established rock in the main tank seed it anyways?

Chong · 03-04-2008, 04:54 PM

jose- garage is connected to the house

ronen- going to borrow a skimmer from richie

tsouth- 25lbs of dry rock is alot to put into a established system. I have alot of expensive corals so i rather be safe than sorry.

mheaven · 03-04-2008, 04:59 PM

you can just put it in the tank. It still needs to cycle... If you dont cure it, your asking for trouble.

Chong · 03-04-2008, 05:18 PM

I have no intentions of putting the rock into my tank till its fully cured.

**JF2381** · 03-04-2008, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsouth

I thought that since it is base rock, there is no need for curing and that you are able to add base rock as you please? Wouldn't the established rock in the main tank seed it anyways?

Marco has a lot of dead stuff trapped in the crevice that will start decomposing once it's placed in water. If he adds 25 lbs of Marco rocks to his tank it will spoil his water and all his corals/fish are goners..

When I was done curing my rock, 20 lbs, there was an inch of black detritus in the bottom of the container.

**JF2381** · 03-04-2008, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chong

jose- garage is connected to the house

Try to seal the cracks on the door with some tape. The smell will travel to the rest of your house.

Do 100% water change the first couple of weeks.

Chong · 03-04-2008, 05:44 PM

Door is already sealed to keep the cold air from coming in. I was planning to do large water changes for the first month. Is the smell really that bad?

Quote:

Originally Posted by JF2381

Try to seal the cracks on the door with some tape. The smell will travel to the rest of your house.

Do 100% water change the first couple of weeks.

nyfireman3097 · 03-04-2008, 07:43 PM

Chong bro im curing 100 something pounds now and it smells like $HIT lol i have no skimmer on it though I wish I had one though to use but lots of WC's for me

Chong · 03-04-2008, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nyfireman3097

Chong bro im curing 100 something pounds now and it smells like $HIT lol i have no skimmer on it though I wish I had one though to use but lots of WC's for me

Thanks nick, i might have to go invest in some nose plugs.

nyfireman3097 · 03-04-2008, 07:53 PM

lol get enough for the family lol

Chong · 03-04-2008, 08:04 PM

LOL nick.