Live " Live Rock" vs Cured "Live Rock"

[dinGdinG]

Hi SRC members!

I am planning ahead to have a 3ft tank with a 2ft sump sometime next month, doing all the homework i can now and I am currently deciding what kinda rocks to place in my tank. I have also decided to have a tank with 80% coral and 20% fish.

Have read up a few articles with the handling of live rock and all the pros and cons, and I am currently more inclined to have live rocks that are totally cured to the core, no pests and bacteria. I don't mind spending more time to build up the bacteria in the rocks again, at least its a peace of mind that the pests and algae will not come from the rocks i have. Am i heading the right direction?

I hope that some seniors here can give some suggestions to a newbie like me?

Thanks a million in advance!!!

[angmoh]

i'd say the best bet is to start the tank with 0 bacteria 0 pest. Bacteria would eventually build up as your tank cycles. just a matter of time.

[dinGdinG]

i'd say the best bet is to start the tank with 0 bacteria 0 pest. Bacteria would eventually build up as your tank cycles. just a matter of time.

Thanks Bro~! Do you cure your own rocks? Can share how you do it?

[youdontnowm]

Imo , the best way is

1. 1part Bleach : 2part rodi

soak all the rocks for 24hours. This will remove ALL lifes in the rock. No more pest like aip etcetc.

2. Soak those rocks in rodi with seachem prime for few hours.

3. Sun dry those rocks for few days until they are completely dry. Best is to sun them for a week. (Avoid rain water getting into rock).

4. straight Distilled white vinegar soak them For few hours. This will removes phosphate and copper from the rock.

5. Rodi soak all the rocks , then scrub with brush and rodi soak again.

6. play around with Scape on floor , epoxy or glue whatever you want, then put it into the tank.

The whole process took me 2 to 3weeks.

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[tofubox]

Imo , the best way is

1. 1part Bleach : 2part rodi

soak all the rocks for 24hours. This will remove ALL lifes in the rock. No more pest like aip etcetc.

2. Soak those rocks in rodi with seachem prime for few hours.

3. Sun dry those rocks for few days until they are completely dry. Best is to sun them for a week. (Avoid rain water getting into rock).

4. straight Distilled white vinegar soak them For few hours. This will removes phosphate and copper from the rock.

5. Rodi soak all the rocks , then scrub with brush and rodi soak again.

6. play around with Scape on floor , epoxy or glue whatever you want, then put it into the tank.

The whole process took me 2 to 3weeks.

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Agree with youdontknowme. I did the same process of bleaching initially, but instead of vinegar soak, I rodi soaked it for a week, changing out water every 2 days. Than another full week running in tank with heavy useage of rowaphos to remove leftover phosphates. Check out my tank thread for more info. The rocks are now 100% pest free, and no algae at all since i pass the diatom stage (unavoidable) which lasted 2 to 3 days only.

[youdontnowm]

Sorry i mean 1:10 , 1 part bleach , 10 part rodi. Use clorox ( can be found in giant , ntuc )

Agree , 100% pest freee now.

No more headache/stress later on. Trust me , if u kena aip, it will be pita to completely removes it.

I will always choose to do it once do it right.

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[dinGdinG]

Sorry i mean 1:10 , 1 part bleach , 10 part rodi. Use clorox ( can be found in giant , ntuc )

Agree , 100% pest freee now.

No more headache/stress later on. Trust me , if u kena aip, it will be pita to completely removes it.

I will always choose to do it once do it right.

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Wow! Thanks for the info given! But just curious, can i use tap water instead of rodi? Actually is rodi absolutely needed for this hobby?

[dinGdinG]

Agree with youdontknowme. I did the same process of bleaching initially, but instead of vinegar soak, I rodi soaked it for a week, changing out water every 2 days. Than another full week running in tank with heavy useage of rowaphos to remove leftover phosphates. Check out my tank thread for more info. The rocks are now 100% pest free, and no algae at all since i pass the diatom stage (unavoidable) which lasted 2 to 3 days only.

Thank tofubox! Will definitely check out rowaphos! BTW, i was just checking out your tank specs post this afternoon! LOL

[youdontnowm]

Wow! Thanks for the info given! But just curious, can i use tap water instead of rodi? Actually is rodi absolutely needed for this hobby?

If u use twpwater , those minerals / heavy metals etc will be absorb by your rocks as well aa phosphates/nitrates.

To me , i will always always only use 0 tds water to soak rock , waterchange with salt mix as well as for ato.

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[dinGdinG]

If u use twpwater , those minerals / heavy metals etc will be absorb by your rocks as well aa phosphates/nitrates.

To me , i will always always only use 0 tds water to soak rock , waterchange with salt mix as well as for ato.

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Okie! Thank you so much for the advice!

Keep reefing~!

[asg]

I used live rock when i started cycling my tank instead of dead rock. Reason being I want to keep the bateria and living organism in them. And if there is any pest, there wont be a better timing to learn to handle them than during the cycling phase.

[Harlequinmania]

Wow! Thanks for the info given! But just curious, can i use tap water instead of rodi? Actually is rodi absolutely needed for this hobby?

Or you can consider buying rock from matured tank as well to avoid the long cycling process. But you have to check for pests that might come along with it

[dinGdinG]

I used live rock when i started cycling my tank instead of dead rock. Reason being I want to keep the bateria and living organism in them. And if there is any pest, there wont be a better timing to learn to handle them than during the cycling phase.

Thanks andtsg, i also agree with you that its the best time to learn how to handle pest during cycling phase, but i think the uncertainty of the pestsss still inside the tank will bother me alot... Heart not strong enough for pest attacks.. lol

[tofubox]

Prevention is better than cure my friend

[dinGdinG]

Or you can consider buying rock from matured tank as well to avoid the long cycling process. But you have to check for pests that might come along with it

Actually i do not mind the long cycling time as long as i am going the right direction to set up the tank because it must a big hassle to change anything as time past.. BTW, any reliable LFS selling both live and dead rocks to recommend?

[tofubox]

So far, my favourite LFS to get live rocks is coral farm. But its rather expensive, and out of stock atm if im not wrong.

[illumnae]

Even starting with complete dead rock, cycling need not take very long with all the bacteria products available in the market. I started with a completely dead system too using aquaroche ceramic rocks as I didn't want any pests. Cycle took less than a week with ammonia and nitrites 0 and nitrates rising. I used market prawn as an ammonia source and dosed AT Colony on day 1, with follow up daily dose of Prodibio Bodigest, Seachem Stability, Brightwell Microbacter7 and Microbelift Nite Out II. Nitrates started appearing on day 4, showing a complete cycle.

[youdontnowm]

Tofu is right. Prevention is better than cure. I have seen many people take forever to battle aiptasia. Few of them get piss till wanted to tear down and restart the whole tank . Bad crabs , bristle worm , aiptasia , majano etcetc .

With probiotic products , u can cycle a tank as fast as 10days with 100% dead rock and start stocking sps. (If u are expereinced).

Visit tofubox tank thread, he too , started with 100% dead rock (:

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[dinGdinG]

So far, my favourite LFS to get live rocks is coral farm. But its rather expensive, and out of stock atm if im not wrong.

Ok thanks tofu, but i saw that you got live rocks and cured them using the long process. Must be one hell of an experience! Hows your tank now bro? Very curious to see!

Even starting with complete dead rock, cycling need not take very long with all the bacteria products available in the market. I started with a completely dead system too using aquaroche ceramic rocks as I didn't want any pests. Cycle took less than a week with ammonia and nitrites 0 and nitrates rising. I used market prawn as an ammonia source and dosed AT Colony on day 1, with follow up daily dose of Prodibio Bodigest, Seachem Stability, Brightwell Microbacter7 and Microbelift Nite Out II. Nitrates started appearing on day 4, showing a complete cycle.

Hi illumnae! where can I check out the aquaroche ceramic rocks you mentioned?

Tofu is right. Prevention is better than cure. I have seen many people take forever to battle aiptasia. Few of them get piss till wanted to tear down and restart the whole tank . Bad crabs , bristle worm , aiptasia , majano etcetc .

With probiotic products , u can cycle a tank as fast as 10days with 100% dead rock and start stocking sps. (If u are expereinced).

Visit tofubox tank thread, he too , started with 100% dead rock (:

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Thats right and thats what i want to avoid because i know it will drive me crazy! haha I finished tofu's thread last night~!

[erikokelf]

I used dead rock that i soak in bleach as well due to bad experience of aiptasia invasion on my previous tank.

So my tank is completely free of bristle worm, aiptasia, crab and such. For myself i think that's the best thing i want in my tank as in full control of what to add in without any surprise.

Now after about 1 year plus, all my white dead rock are fully covered with coralline algae seeded by a single piece of live rock given by one of the bro.

[youdontnowm]

Imo Everyone who start up a new tank , they should always bleach The rocks. kill it dead. if want to go extra step like me to remove phos / copper , vinegar soak in straight without mixing rodi. Or u can do it like tofu , soak in rodi and run phos remover like rowaphos/ultraphos.

Paid high price for live rock ??

So ? U want to have any chance to get pestered by pest throughout your reefing journey ??

it will Always 100% turn live again. And its Always worth it to make it dead.

hahah (:

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[dinGdinG]

Alright~! DEAD rocks it is~! Thanks guys! :eyebrow:

[mafacifa]

Yeah u can get dry rocks from bulkreefsupply. Once u get them, remove any thing that's no supposed to be there. Soak in saltwater for a month with powerhead. And wait and measure. It should be ok once ammonia is zero. Po4 is zero. If u want to cycle, add microbacter7. Cycle complete when nitrate is zero. Once done change water and wait a fee days and measure again. Patience. Good luck!

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[Guest]

Yeah u can get dry rocks from bulkreefsupply. Once u get them, remove any thing that's no supposed to be there. Soak in saltwater for a month with powerhead. And wait and measure. It should be ok once ammonia is zero. Po4 is zero. If u want to cycle, add microbacter7. Cycle complete when nitrate is zero. Once done change water and wait a fee days and measure again. Patience. Good luck!

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Correction, cycling only complete when ammonia is zero not nitrate. In fact, nitrate will still be there after the cycling due to the breakdown so best to do a major water change before adding new live stock.

[mafacifa]

Thanks for pointing that out.

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