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[albert_dao]

Just to add my two cents:

PERSONALLY, I don't cycle when I'm dealing with cured rock.

[G1GY]

Originally Posted by albert_dao

Just to add my two cents:

PERSONALLY, I don't cycle when I'm dealing with cured rock.

Sort of the same deal here.(On the last one I set up.) I went from salty water - rock - fish - inverts - coral! In about a week.

[Johnny Reefer]

Me makes three.

[TheReefGeek]

Originally Posted by albert_dao

Just to add my two cents:

PERSONALLY, I don't cycle when I'm dealing with cured rock.

True, if the rock is ACTUALLY cured. Many retailers sell their rock as "cured" live rock, but it isn't. I would always throw in some waste to make sure the rock is cycled, why take the risk

Unless you know it is from an existing tank and definately cured, but most people don't have that advantage when starting, they are buying from a retailer who needs to move their product, not sit on tanks full of rock curing prior to selling, they usually sell it even if it came in the same day!

[TheReefGeek]

Heck lots of retailers pre-sell their live rock, so it has been flown in from far away, then the same box is sent to your door, very smelly and uncured.

But if you can get your hands on cured live rock, then all the power to ya!

[marie]

Originally Posted by Slick Fork

I posted this in my Nano tank thread, but wanted to repost it here as well in case someone can help save my Coral's

What a sh@tty week.

Got my light fixture hung and that was all good and well. Decided to take my water down to calgary on monday to confirm that I was cycled, readings of zero across the board, so I grabbed a toadstool coral and a star polyp.

Took those home and all was well, the coral's seemed to adjust beautifully to life in the new tank.

Yesterday I had to go back to Calgary and stopped in at the store again, picked up a pair of tank bred clownfish (I figured with 15 gallons of capacity I would be ok) and a new powerhead. Acclimitize the fish just like I did the coral's (put them in a bucket and drip my tank water in gradually, it took about half an hour before I put them in the tank) Installed the powerhead, added the fish, all was well and happy. I checked on them before I went to bed and everyone seemed fine.

Came home from work today, clownfish are both dead, coral's look like they're on the way out. Other residents of the tank seem fine (2 hermit crabs 2 snails and a conch). I have no idea what could've caused this, as I didn't change anything at all between monday and today other then adding the new fish and powerhead. My parameter's are all fine, Salinity is good, Temperature is good Like I said as well, my inverts are all fine, but the fish are dead (I stuck them in the freezer in case I can return them), and my Coral's are on their way out.

I am really one unhappy camper right now, my coral's might still have a shot, does anyone have any idea what I should be looking for in order to give them a chance at recovery? Any help is appreciated
Edit/Delete Message

Ahha, finally found the link I was looking for . Maybe this will help answer your question
http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic23945-9-1.aspx

[Johnny Reefer]

Cured LR should have a nice, pleasant, clean ocean smell to it. Anyone who has doubts on whether or not a retailer is selling uncured LR as cured should ask to have a sniff....and I mean the rock itself, not the tank it is in. If they refuse, take your business elsewhere.

IME, not all shipments arrive at a retailer in a foul state. One LR purchase I made had arrived at the store the day before.....but it smelled good so I bought some. I forget the amount I bought, but I didn't have a problem with it.

Have a sniff.

Cheers,

[midgetwaiter]

Originally Posted by TheReefGeek

True, if the rock is ACTUALLY cured. Many retailers sell their rock as "cured" live rock, but it isn't. I would always throw in some waste to make sure the rock is cycled, why take the risk

Unless you know it is from an existing tank and definately cured, but most people don't have that advantage when starting, they are buying from a retailer who needs to move their product, not sit on tanks full of rock curing prior to selling, they usually sell it even if it came in the same day!

Aren't you exaggerating a little here? Has anyone really tried to sell you rock that fresh as cured? Have you ever bought a bunch of rock and not been warned about the potential for some die off? It is something that people need to be aware of but adding a comment in the "retailers are evil" meme is not very useful. It's obvious when a store just got a rock shipment, we when get really encrusted stuff you can smell it in the parking lot for a few days.

[TheReefGeek]

Aren't you exaggerating a little here?

No, I don't think I am.

Has anyone really tried to sell you rock that fresh as cured?

No, they say it is cured rock that will experience die off during shipping. Shipping to them, and shipping to you.

It is a fact of life, I have no problem with it, that is why I think curing is so important though, you just never know. Smell is a good indicator though.

Did I ever say retailers SHOULDN'T move their product the day after a shipment? Absolutely not.

They have to, they can't hold rock until it is fully cured all the time.

All the rock I have purchased has been very smelly from all the die off during shipment, but that is fine, the cycle was very thorough, took 6 weeks, and I never lost any animals and never experienced any spikes again after the initial cycle.

But buyers need to be aware of this, that's all. Especiall when buying rock from the US, the die off during travel is going to "uncure" your rock.

But if you can get actual cured rock that doesn't smell, it speeds things up, but it can also cost more too.

[Johnny Reefer]

Originally Posted by TheReefGeek

But if you can get actual cured rock that doesn't smell, it speeds things up, but it can also cost more too.

For the sake of "Newbies" that might be reading this....I reiterate.....cured rock does smell. It has a nice, pleasant, clean ocean smell to it. Just doesn't smell foul.

Cheers