Prepping Dried Live Rock for Aquarium

[kaijor]

Hello,

I have some dried live rock and was wondering if someone had suggestions on how to prep it for the aquarium (it hasn’t cycled yet). I was reading that you don’t need to cure it because it is dried and didn’t come from another aquarium or in the ocean. Is this true?

 

[T-J]

Correct. It doesn’t have anything living or dying on it. That’s what curing is for. Allowing your live rock that had some die off in shipping cycle in a separate container.
if you’re starting a new aquarium, just put the rock in with the water and cycle it all together in the tank.

 

[kaijor]

Correct. It doesn’t have anything living or dying on it. That’s what curing is for. Allowing your live rock that had some die off in shipping cycle in a separate container.
if you’re starting a new aquarium, just put the rock in with the water and cycle it all together in the tank.

Ok, so all it needs is a rinse?

 

[PghReef]

Rinse off with some fresh water to remove dust. Remove any large dried visible things such as dead sponges, crabs, etc. I've found all kinds of stuff on dry rock.

Then into an aquarium it goes to start the cycle, be preparing to Ransome carbon to help with the stink of anything that may be rotting. Do a waterchange at the end of the cycle and add life.

As a side note a small piece of liverock from a trusted source will greatly speed up the cycle. Otherwise be prepared to take a little while. Lights off is best. Also I've used mainly dried pukani which is known yo be exceptionally dirty so the dead crabs, sponges and stink might be exaggerated in my case.

 

[G Santana]

I had old dead live rock sitting in my basement for 32 years. I rinsed off all the dead material and placed it in my tank. Done!
14 months later, good stuff is growing on it.

 

[Cell]

What do you mean by dried live rock? Are you reusing rock that was previously live in a tank? If so, there may still be organics present. If you are talking just man made new dry rock, then no cure necessary, but it shouldn't be called live rock or dry live rock.

 

[kaijor]

What do you mean by dried live rock? Are you reusing rock that was previously live in a tank? If so, there may still be organics present. If you are talking just man made new dry rock, then no cure necessary, but it shouldn't be called live rock or dry live rock.

It should be called dry rock then? My bad.

Rinse off with some fresh water to remove dust. Remove any large dried visible things such as dead sponges, crabs, etc. I've found all kinds of stuff on dry rock.

Then into an aquarium it goes to start the cycle, be preparing to Ransome carbon to help with the stink of anything that may be rotting. Do a waterchange at the end of the cycle and add life.

As a side note a small piece of liverock from a trusted source will greatly speed up the cycle. Otherwise be prepared to take a little while. Lights off is best. Also I've used mainly dried pukani which is known yo be exceptionally dirty so the dead crabs, sponges and stink might be exaggerated in my case.

Ok, will do. I’m planning on putting it all in the tank on Tuesday so I have time. I just wanted to make sure that I do it right.

 

[Cell]

It should be called dry rock then? My bad.

Ok, will do. I’m planning on putting it all in the tank on Tuesday so I have time. I just wanted to make sure that I do it right.

No worries. The terminology surrounding reef rock has become very confusing given some of the naming conventions vendors and LFS's sometimes use/misuse.

 

[kaijor]

No worries. The terminology surrounding reef rock has become very confusing given some of the naming conventions vendors and LFS's sometimes use/misuse.

Yeah, I’m trying to get the terminology as I go so thank you for the clarification.