Questions about curing dry rock

[Bthomas]

I ordered some dry rock from billys reef (looks amazing btw) and had some questions on how to cure it.
My plan is this: soak some of the rock in a brute trash can for a few days to see if its going to leach phosphates. If it does i figured it would be easier to dose phosphate remover while in there rather then in my 150gallon tank. If it doesnt then i will put it all in the tank to cure there.
Question 1 - while soaking the rock/dosing phosphate remover if needed do i need to use saltwater or would plain rodi be fine for the phosphate removal process?
Question 2 - if it doesnt need phosphate removal amd it all goes straight in tank, do i start the cycle while the rock cures (dosing ammonia)? If not what am i watching for to know when rock is cured?

 

[jelly]

I would get a Nitrifying bacteria and dump it in. Bio spira works. Then do a search how to us Ammonia to cure live rock. And your looking for the ammonia to drop to 0 after a 24 hour period. If it has po4 just just some brs gfo in a small reactor but it's new and clean shoulsnt habe a po4 issue

 

[jelly]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1602465

Read this a guy tells you how he does it with pure ammonia

 

[Lynchdude]

I’d soak in freshwater with either the bleach method or vinager method. I personally like the vinager method as the lower pH dissolves the Ca3(PO4)2 quickly. Drain and rinse in fresh water and then cycle in saltwater for a few days then test phosphate. In saltwater Ca3(PO4)2 takes forever to leach out and you’d be dosing phosphate rx for months.

I can also answer any questions on the method if you want to know more or how and why it works.

 

[Bthomas]

I’d soak in freshwater with either the bleach method or vinager method. I personally like the vinager method as the lower pH dissolves the Ca3(PO4)2 quickly. Drain and rinse in fresh water and then cycle in saltwater for a few days then test phosphate. In saltwater Ca3(PO4)2 takes forever to leach out and you’d be dosing phosphate rx for months.

I can also answer any questions on the method if you want to know more or how and why it works.

Thanks i was planning on using seaklear phosphate remover. I read that it can take the phosphates down to 0 in a matter of days i just dont know if it needs to be done in saltwater or just rodi

 

[redfishbluefish]

My experience is that curing isn't a quick process. Accordingly I prefer to cure in saltwater to allow the phosphates and nitrates to leach out of the rock. You are typically looking at a month or two....more like two... to get to low levels. Now by using saltwater, the cycle has most likely completed in the process. So you kill two birds with one stone. All you need is a little bit of water flow and that's it. No light or heater is needed....assuming it's being done in a room temperature area....and not in your unheated garage in the middle of winter in Minnesota.

 

[Bthomas]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1602465

Read this a guy tells you how he does it with pure ammonia

I know about cycling im just askin about removing phosphates from the rock and then if the rock needs to be cured before starting the cycle

 

[jelly]

I know about cycling im just askin about removing phosphates from the rock and then if the rock needs to be cured before starting the cycle

If it's new dry rock I wouldn't worry about po4. Just cycle it and put it in. Them Run gfo like most do.

 

[Lynchdude]

Thanks i was planning on using seaklear phosphate remover. I read that it can take the phosphates down to 0 in a matter of days i just dont know if it needs to be done in saltwater or just rodi

This link is what BRS did in testing different methods. I’ve never used seaklear or used it but I always look for the cheapest most effective route while bleach clearly works the chemistry behind vinager and the safety and stability behind it make me lean that way. I personally use the vinager method on new rock from places like Marcorock and used rock from torn down tanks and I can surly say it works great as I have a nano sps dominant tank that’s only 14 gallons and I have .002 po4 at any given time.

 

[Lynchdude]

The hard thing about phosphate is that it binds with calcium and binds to the rock. It is a relatively stable complex molecule that you’d never know you had until you try to maintain low Phosphates at which time it starts leaching into the water. Low pH makes it dissolve into ions more readily to speed the process and help keep Phosphates low.