Clarification on Curing & Cycling

With our saltwater staging setup in place, we now have ~80g heated (~75F), mixed (to 1.024sg) and ready to go. We are picking up our Bali LR from the LFS tomorrow!

So, if the LFS tells us the LR is not cured, we will just go through the curing process ourselves. However, if they do say it has been cured, after we place it in our tank can we bypass the curing process and simply proceed with cycling? We're confused because, as was mentioned in another thread of ours, there is going to be some more die-off anyway from transport. Should we go through the curing process again?

We're thinking that as soon as LR enters the tank cycling commences...regardless of whether LR is cured or uncured. So cycling and curing occur simultaneously...and the water changes during curing just prolong the time needed to cycle. Generally during curing you keep lights off and do extensive water changes. Whereas normally during cycling you could run the lights and would not do any water changes until after both ammonia and nitrite have spiked and zeroed and nitrate begins to rise.

Does this sound right? Do we know what we are talking about?? What steps should we take tomorrow if we bring home "cured" LR to address any additional die-off?

Please help, thanks!
Amanda & Matthew

 

If it's already cured, there will be a much smaller cycle than if it wasn't. Hopefully the die-off will be minute. You'd still want to give the LR a quick scrub to knock off any algae and then place it in your tank ASAP


I would raise your tank temp to at least 77F, IMO

 

First off, a good indicator of the live rock being cured or not is the smell. do not pay a premium price for LR that smells like death. If it is cured then I believe your cycle will be shorter. If it is uncured then IMO you can just use it to cycle the tank with, after the cycle is over, do about a 20% water change and get a clean up crew. A cheaper way to go is use some base rock also.

 

Sounds good, no problem, we can raise the temperature a little bit.

Liveaquaria (Drs. Foster & Smith), Petco, etc. all speak of ~50% water changes weekly for ~4 weeks. But that's to cure uncured LR.

What we are trying to figure out is what we should do (if anything) as far as water changes, keeping lights off (or turning them on), etc. once "cured" LR is first placed in a brand new tank to address die-off (if necessary)...

 

No need for lights or water changes till after your nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia register zero altogether. Remember to be on the lookout for the initial ammonia spike.

 

Just put it in, and wait for cycle. you can run your lights, but if a lot of green algae starts blooming, cut back on the lights.

 

This is helpful. Thank you for clearing this up for us guys! +karma to you both ;D

 

That's what we're here for


Keep us updated on the progress of your new tank. Exciting times!

 

Your getting good advise and from your top post I'd say you know what you're talking about.


I agree with slocal, but don't think one needs to wait for NitrAtes to 0 out completely... Just wait for nitrates to lower to 20 and not be rising.

My tank cycled in a couple weeks but the nitrates sat at 20 for like 3 months before finally dropping to 0... So... just saying waiting for Nitrates to 0 is overkill... but ammonia and nitries, definitely let them 0 out and remain stable before proceeding.


I concur that water changes while cycling are a waste of energy and time. Lights are pointless until you have coral (more or less). You can run them occassionally for your own amusement, but I wouldn't leave them on as they'll cause algae growth.

 

You caught me Peredhil. I didn't wait either. Nitrates got to 10 before we added our CUC. I just felt I had to say what no one really follows ;D