Ok guys I have hopefully a easy question for you. I am starting a brand new 54 gallon setup. Getting al the equipment first. My question is... when it comes time to cure the live rock do I do it in my 54 gallon with the live sand in there already? I am also doing a refugium so do I have the deep sand bed in there as well? Or just the live rock with salt water by itself? Thanks
Question about curing live rock
- Thread starter Arom0024
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Willz
Valuable Member
I cured mine separately in a Rubbermade tote outside with a heater and powerhead. I liked cycling in advance as it took a while to get the tank set up and really seemed to be a big advantage in having the rock nearly ready to go. Think it has cut weeks off of my in tank cycling time.
I'm not adding sand to my new tank, so I can't speak to the sand aspect. From prior tanks set up and curing I would add the rock and sand at the same time so you don't extend your cycle time.
I'm not adding sand to my new tank, so I can't speak to the sand aspect. From prior tanks set up and curing I would add the rock and sand at the same time so you don't extend your cycle time.
If your going to do a Dsb you can do it at the same time you add the rock and sand. I wouldn't put plants in yet. Avoid to much rubble in the fuge IMO. It's good to have some but gunk builds up.
Quite a few folks start w dry rock in thank and cure and cycle it there. If your drillingbor building a scape it's easier to do dry as well.
Really the only down fall is not the cycle time. It's the time it takes to build a stronger bio filter. With a method like dr t plus live sand it'll be cycled in days probably. BUT the ph will be weird initially from the large amount of dry LR and adding food immediealty or too soon will cause waht most call the cycle and is reall the ugly phase caused by not having an established bio filter to process the sudden flood of food we put in.
Four weeks will probably be fine to "cycle" and let the system settle in but I'd add animals a bit slower to avoid exacerbating the ugly phase.
aaron23
Valuable Member
i would not do the curing with the sand. reason is because if the rock has living or dead things on it all of that decayed matter is going to be mixed up into the sand. i would do it separately and then combine them when it is cured
Yea I suppose so. But it does give the bacteria something to eat.
My last three tanks the sand was mixed with a very healthy amount of Fiji mud. I do run Dsb in all of those though.
I've become of the opinion if you do sand go deep or shallow enough to vaccume. And def vacuume it. Create an aqua scape that allows for that.
The Dsb wants food. The shallow doesn't. That's IMO
aaron23
Valuable Member
You have valid points. I think the DSB will have more than enough food when fish are introduced and the aquarium is cycling. Its better to cycle the rock and wash out all of the decaying rock matter. I've had some really nasty dry rock that smelled horrendous. I wouldn't mix that with new sand
melypr1985
totally addicted
If it's good quality then that's about on par with the LFS's around here.
Just chato will be fine.
Some will come in probably. You can also add to make sure it's diverse if you'd like.
