# Whats the Difference?



## Psychmajor (Apr 12, 2009)

Hello I am new here and am doing research before setting up my first saltwater tank. I would like to know what the difference is between cured and uncured live rock. Also, which is better, and easier to manage? and finally, last question how much rock should i have in a ten, 20, or 30 gallon tank? I am not sure which size tnak i will be getting yet.I am starting small...:lol:


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

Uncured LR is going to be from an ocean or from a facility and it's going to have stuff covering it like zoas, aptasia, other corals, bacteria, amphipods and copepods and sometimes dangerous stuff like a mantis shrimp. When it's in shipping these things will die off because of lack of circulation, water and light. Then when you place into your tank it'll have die off because of the shock to the creatures system from the water difference from your tank to their facility or ocean. During the die off you'll get ammonia spikes and could cause issues to an established tank which is another reason t quarantine your LR and cure it yourself. That'll keep the spikes from occuring. The other reason your quarantine is because you run thr risk of something like a Mantis shrimp being introduced into your tank and killing things and hurting you.

Cured LR will be from a LFS or another persons tank and they have already killed off the things that'll die. You'll still get an ammonia spike, but it won't do much to your tank. Also, it won't have stuff like mantis shrimp in it.

The rule of thumb for LR is 1-2lbs per gallon. So if you want a 10g you need 10-20lbs, a 20g 20-40lbs and so forth.


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