Curing Marco Rock

[LagoonLounge]

Guys I'm going to be setting up a RSR 250 in the next few weeks and I've got 40lb of marco rock being delivered in the next couple of days, I've only ever used live rock from lfs in the past so this is all new to me using handmade rock, I've currently got about 20lb of rock in my current tank that's been running about 8 months also....

Should I place the marco rock straight in the new tank or should I cure it first?

What the best and easiest way to cure marco rock as I don't really want it to leach phosphates in the DT?

I have a 100L trash bin ( food safe ) and spare heater and wave maker on the ready..

Any help would be much appreciated guys

Thanks and happy reefing

 

[Flippers4pups]

Guys I'm going to be setting up a RSR 250 in the next few weeks and I've got 40lb of marco rock being delivered in the next couple of days, I've only ever used live rock from lfs in the past so this is all new to me using handmade rock, I've currently got about 20lb of rock in my current tank that's been running about 8 months also....

Should I place the marco rock straight in the new tank or should I cure it first?

What the best and easiest way to cure marco rock as I don't really want it to leach phosphates in the DT?

I have a 100L trash bin ( food safe ) and spare heater and wave maker on the ready..

Any help would be much appreciated guys

Thanks and happy reefing

You can cure it in a tub. It's better to do it this way and test for phosphate during this time. Curing it this way you can, after insuring it's free of phosphate, add some bottled bacteria to the tub to get it started or add it to the tank and get the cycle started. Your call, I've done it both ways before.

 

[LagoonLounge]

You can cure it in a tub. It's better to do it this way and test for phosphate during this time. Curing it this way you can, after insuring it's free of phosphate, add some bottled bacteria to the tub to get it started or add it to the tank and get the cycle started. Your call, I've done it both ways before.

Thanks for the reply mate

If I was to put the marco rock in a tub should I stick a piece of live rock in the also from my current tank to help speed up the process?

Also what about water changes in the tub how big and how often?

Thanks again

 

[Flippers4pups]

You most definitely seed it with live rock.

5-10% water change total volume.

 

[PatW]

Marco rock is supposed to be pretty clean.

For curing, dump it into something like a Brute trash can in seawater with a power head. Wait 2 weeks and measure the water for phosphate using the Hanna ULR. If you have phosphate do a complete water change and run for another 2 weeks and test again until you get a zero reading.

 

[LagoonLounge]

Marco rock is supposed to be pretty clean.

For curing, dump it into something like a Brute trash can in seawater with a power head. Wait 2 weeks and measure the water for phosphate using the Hanna ULR. If you have phosphate do a complete water change and run for another 2 weeks and test again until you get a zero reading.

As easy as that lol, I do have a po4 Hanna checker test kit..

Is it worth chucking a piece of live rock in there with it?

 

[Flippers4pups]

You can.