Curing LR does it stink?

[untamed]

If you are interested in using bioballs to reduce the strain on your LR, you need to cycle your tank using bioballs BEFORE introducing the LR. That means getting water flowing over the bioballs and introducing some kind of ammonia source (like a raw dead fish from the grocery store - stink is probably unavoidable). Watch the cycle progress (ammonia,nitrite, nitrate)...then remove the fish and add the LR.

Then you monitor the ammonia,nitrite and nitrate and do water changes as necessary to keep those levels as low as possible.

Over time, you can remove the bioballs from the system. Remove maybe 1/6 every week.

Unfortunately, the LR from LFS has usually made very long trips from the other side of the world. The best you can do is time your pickup to match the day they get it.

[Starry]

I bought some "fresh" LR a few weeks ago, and for the first few days it stunk to high heaven. However, I then put a skimmer(it's working overtime) in and the smell decreased substancially. I have to pretty much put my nose in the tank to smell anything. Still having alot of stuff rotting off. Doing weekly wc's as well. I'd use the largest volume of water you can to cure the rock in.

[Brent F]

Originally Posted by banditpowdercoat

Problem is, I am 4.5 hrs north of Vanc. How much die off will happen on a bus ride up?

I bought cured Jakarta live rock from Ocean Aquatics in Vancouver and had it flown to Calgary via Westjet cargo. There was no spell and minimal die off.

[banditpowdercoat]

Welp, 40 Lbs should be here friday

[Oscar]

Originally Posted by untamed

If you are interested in using bioballs to reduce the strain on your LR, you need to cycle your tank using bioballs BEFORE introducing the LR. That means getting water flowing over the bioballs and introducing some kind of ammonia source (like a raw dead fish from the grocery store - stink is probably unavoidable). Watch the cycle progress (ammonia,nitrite, nitrate)...then remove the fish and add the LR.

That's generally what I had in mind. Get the bioballs inocculated with bacteria then pull the dead fish out and install the LR. The extra life on the bioballs would help in the cycling. Then when cycled pull the bioballs out, some posters have mentioned that they become nitrate sources if detritus builds up.

So does firing up the skimmer right away reduce the stink factor?