# Questions about Live Rock



## Marinero (Oct 24, 2008)

Hi everyone, I just joined your site, although I have been reading for the past couple of weeks. I have gotten some great info, but I am confused about live rock. I am in the process of setting up a 75 gallon tank with an overflow going down to a wet/dry, refugium filtration set up. The tank will also have a protein skimmer. I plan on adding about 100-125 lbs of Live Rock in the tank, and some live rock rubble in the refugium. However, should the live rock be cured, or uncured? I have heard pros and cons for both, but what is the general consensus? What types and what suppliers of LR have most people had success with? Also, when should the LR be added? Although I had a marine aquarium about 15 years ago, I never used LR, only a wet/dry sump. Basically the tank will be for Fish only, and maybe a few compatible inverts. Thanks in advance for all your help, and thanks for welcoming me on your great site!


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## Quaddity (Feb 28, 2007)

Marinero said:


> Hi everyone, I just joined your site, although I have been reading for the past couple of weeks. I have gotten some great info, but I am confused about live rock. I am in the process of setting up a 75 gallon tank with an overflow going down to a wet/dry, refugium filtration set up. The tank will also have a protein skimmer. I plan on adding about 100-125 lbs of Live Rock in the tank, and some live rock rubble in the refugium. However, should the live rock be cured, or uncured? I have heard pros and cons for both, but what is the general consensus? What types and what suppliers of LR have most people had success with? Also, when should the LR be added? Although I had a marine aquarium about 15 years ago, I never used LR, only a wet/dry sump. Basically the tank will be for Fish only, and maybe a few compatible inverts. Thanks in advance for all your help, and thanks for welcoming me on your great site!


If you can pick up the rock locally cured do that. You'll get less die off that way as the rock has been kept live for a while. Your tank will cycle much faster as well. Uncured is fresh live rock that will have quite a bit of die off. Basically you want to put a the sand bed in if you are going to use one, fill the tank with with premixed salt water or just RO/DI water and add salt, get your pumps and powerheads running. Let it heat and circulate for a couple days. When the water temp and salinity is good you can add the live rock. Then your cycle can begin. Some people like to cycle fishless and add shrimp or other food to decay and start the cycle I still prefer to use a damsels.


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

Well, I say uncured. If it is a new tank, then you will surely have a die-off, which means you will not have to add anything to your tank to help the cycle because of the ammonia. You will likely see a lot of hitchhikers too, compared to cured. I got uncured for my reef.
You want to add the LR first, right after you add water, so the cycle can start. You want to add sand after the rock, so the sand can form around them and then the critters can dig around without "harming" your rockwork.

I say get uncured for any new tank, and cured for any tank that has been up or is upgrading.


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

I agree with Cody. Un-cured would be best for your application. Also only put one piece of live rock. if you put more in then you'll get a nice and horrible smell that'll come out of your tank that sticks for a while. this is only if you're using a big rock like 10 or more lbs. if it's a bunch of smaller ones it'll be fine


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## ohturtle (Jul 28, 2007)

If this is your first saltwater tank I would say get uncured rock. It was very interesting seeing all the different hitchhikers and other weird growth that one often sees from uncured rock. Of course, there are dangers of getting unwanted hitchhikers and a longer wait time before you begin to add stuff.


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## Kellsindell (Sep 15, 2008)

ohturtle said:


> If this is your first saltwater tank I would say get uncured rock. It was very interesting seeing all the different hitchhikers and other weird growth that one often sees from uncured rock. Of course, there are dangers of getting unwanted hitchhikers and a longer wait time before you begin to add stuff.


the hitch hikers wont matter because they will more then likely die in the cycle period.


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