Curing rocks

[five9pie]

I want to add a few rocks to my display tank. Do I need to cure them or just wash them real good? They've never been used and are the reef saver rocks from BRS.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I would just rinse them very well and then add them to the tank.

If its an existing tank with animals, depending how many new rocks you are adding, add them slowly to your system or else your parameters will go haywire as the system adjusts.

 

[five9pie]

I would just rinse them very well and then add them to the tank.

If its an existing tank with animals, depending how many new rocks you are adding, add them slowly to your system or else your parameters will go haywire as the system adjusts.

Thanks for the info. How does adding rocks affect the parameters?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

it can cause a sort of mini-cycle as the bacteria colonizes the new rock. The rocks will go through diatom and algae stages as they mature. Dry rocks can also leach phosphates, which will feed the algae. it depends how much rock you are adding to the system and how mature the system is already.

 

[jabberwock]

I am not sure about this, but this is what I would do. Take some existing rock out of my DT, and set up the new rock with the established rock in a tub or QT with flow and heat to get the new rock started. Dry uncured rock sounds like an algae farm waiting to happen to me.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I am not sure about this, but this is what I would do. Take some existing rock out of my DT, and set up the new rock with the established rock in a tub or QT with flow and heat to get the new rock started. Dry uncured rock sounds like an algae farm waiting to happen to me.

This is how I do it too.

 

[Spare time]

You just need to rinse it. Unused rock will not leach and decay crud in the way dead dry rock does