Potential dumb question.

[Hulley]

I've been out of the hobby for 10 years but in the planning stages now for a new system so please forgive the dumb questions!

My LFS has a Rubbermaid 300 gallon tub full of live rock and a skimmer, no fish that I could see.

When I go into a fish store and see live rock in large bins that have a skimmer on them, are they just keeping it "live" or is that a way of "curing" the LR? There was no livestock in these tubs.

I ask because when I cured my LR, I did not use a skimmer and kept it in the dark, and did water changes every so often.

Wouldn't you want to keep fish in the tubs to promote the growth of bacteria and then the skimmer was used to clean the water?

Thanks,

 

[curtisbenm]

I'd be willing to bet they have their display tanks plumbed into that Rubbermaid system. Just more filtration. And one monster skimmer for their tanks.

 

[curtisbenm]

And no such thing as a dumb question. Just dumb answers sometimes.

 

[4FordFamily]

I'd be willing to bet they have their display tanks plumbed into that Rubbermaid system. Just more filtration. And one monster skimmer for their tanks.

This and I wouldn’t want fish present, as it means the rock could carry parasites in to the tank. In an LFS setting that’s almost a guarantee, even if the fish show no symptom.

Live rock has its own organisms that produce waste for it to break down, but ideally I would ghost feed.

 

[Hulley]

I'd be willing to bet they have their display tanks plumbed into that Rubbermaid system. Just more filtration. And one monster skimmer for their tanks.

Nope, completely separate, I checked for that.

 

[4FordFamily]

And no such thing as a dumb question. Just dumb answers sometimes.

My dad used to tell me “there are no dumb questions, only dumb people” (when I asked a “dumb” question).

Thanks Dad! We rattle cages in this family!

 

[Hulley]

I was/am considering doing something like this until I get my system up, as a means of curing the rock or preparing it for the DT. I could easily do this in my basement.

 

[Hulley]

My dad used to tell me “there are no dumb questions, only dumb people” (when I asked a “dumb” question).

Thanks Dad! We rattle cages in this family!

In my business, I tell people the same. We aren't born with this information so please ask me all the questions you need to!

 

[Greybeard]

Even if it's not plumbed in... salt water, flow, and an ammonia source is all you really need to culture the bacteria our systems rely on. If that's dry rock, they should be feeding it some ammonia source... even if it's just a bit of flake food. If it's boat rock that they're curing, there's sufficient die off in the rock to feed the bacteria.

 

[4FordFamily]

In my business, I tell people the same. We aren't born with this information so please ask me all the questions you need to!

Yup! No dumb questions here, we're all here to help!

 

[Fourstars]

When it gets shipped there is die off, so the skimmer is removing the organics. I'm sure the bacteria has plenty to feed on.

 

[reefwiser]

Never hurts to have a skimmer on a fresh live rock tank