LR comming today, do I need a heater and sand while curing?

[jamal-188]

I read the article on curing LR, it's doesn't say anything about a heat so I take it I dont need to add one to my garbage can.

The article also recommends putting 3-4 inhes of sand in the container, what are the benefits of doing this, just that bacteria can build up in the sand?

One more ? I guess I'll want to dunk the rock in FW to make sure I don't have any mantis shrimp or other bad hitchhikers going into my tank, should I do think before I cure the rock or after it's cured? These hitchhikers can survive the curing process??

 

[BBReef]

If you want the critters to survive the curring process, i would add a heater and sand. if the water gets too cold, the infauna you want in your tank may not survive, the sand allows these critters a place to run and hide while the ammonia and nitrite spike in the water. this will also give a live sand bed to put in your tank. be sure to do water changes as well to keep the levels down some.

the hitchhikers can survive the process and dunking them in either water with a high salinity ar low salinity, i wouldnt dunk them in pure fresh water as this could kill things growing on the rock that you want, either before or after i dont think really matters. just be sure to go through the bucket after dumping them and take out anything you may want.

HTH

 

[wseaton]

I learned a long time ago to buy LR from my local LFS, and from tanks where there are live fish swimming around. This way I'm insured it's nearly fully cured and don't have to put up with these hassles. It may not be nearly as cheap as Crazy-Achmed.com's '$2 a pound' Fiji special, but I also don't have to spend evenings playing with plastic garbage cans and a really big mop.

If you're buying raw (uncured), or partitially uncured LR you do have to condition it before even thinking of putting it in a production tank. The critters don't scare - ammonia spikes scare me.

Easy enough to put the stuff in a garbage can or other big plastic container for a week or two. I *strongly* recommend keeping the temp between 75F-80, and an even stronger recommendation is to keep strong water circulation in the container via powerhead or spare back filter. No water circulation = no oxygen and thus killing off many beneficial bacteria. Low temp = a slower decomposition process and longer break-in time.

I can't help much with getting rid of possible bad hitchhikers, since the worst I've had is aiptasia, and a fresh water dunking only gives those a buzz. Usually keeping the rock out in the air for awhile while cause bristle worms and other critters to bail out.

 

[reefrunner69]

Use a heater to maintain the temp in your curing vessel, I am from FL, and have never cured rock in the winter, so putting a heater in never even occurred to me, when I was writing the article. The purpose of the sand is to create LS, critters from the rock will migrate to the sand, so it will be a true LS, rather than just a bioactive LS.

 

[jamal-188]

I am from FL, and have never cured rock in the winter, so putting a heater in never even occurred to me, when I was writing the article[/acronym].

yeah, I wish we had winters like flordia!!