Cooking LR... Done? When?

[Jflip2002]

Ok, so Ive read about cooking the LR. People say it takes about 3-4 months to do so properly. I have 2 questions first:

1) Can you partially cook LR? OR is it all or nothing?

2) Can it be done way quicker than 3-4 months?


IVe only been doing mine for about a week now. But When I Went to change the water, there wasnt much detritus (sp?) in there. The water was very clear, though there was mainly rubble on the bottom from the rocks all rubbing and swishing together. I know it'll take longer than a week, but is there a way it'll take less?

Not only am I impatient, but I think this is actually close to done. but I know IVe never done this before, so Im holding off. I Figure I Wont be moving for a month or so anyways, so I may as well leave it in the big tote.

Just curious though...

[reefermike1]

ive heard to check phosphates and when they reach 0 youre done. but then as i understand phosphate tests cant read low enough to really tell u anything unless its really high. id probably cook untill no more detritus falls off, and water stays clear when u swish it in a bucket. i would also assume that getting some stuff out of the rock is better than none, but if youre already cooking it u might as well not half-a** the job!!! this is all from what ive learned ive never cooked rock myself...(future project probably)

[Jflip2002]

Ive noticed a lot of people havent cooked their rock and dont have an algae problem. after reading tonight, I have 2 problems... Flake food, and how long my lights are on. I Turn my lights on at about 9:00 AM (When I Wake up) and I turn them off at about 8PM, then I Turn the actinics off at around 9pm. So my lights are on quite a bit.

[Viv]

You want to go through the nitrogen cycle. At the end you should have no nitrites,ammonia, phosphates. Nitrates build up in the rock from food, fish poo, excess garbage and produce phosphates which produce algae....no rush in curring your rock, let it run its full cycle....keep the lights off, let the corralline algae grow, keep checking your basic chemisty paarameters, ie, nitrites, ammonia, nitrates, phosphates, when they reach 0, your good to go....water changes are a great help in lowering nitrates and thereby keeping phosphates low and thereby keeping algae at bay

[YLChik]

http://thereeftank.com/forums/showth...t=cooking+rock

this is a long one, but has great answers to a lot of cooking questions - and a nice discussion as well

[Jflip2002]

Ive read a lot of posts on them. I just didnt know if it was possible for it to happen quickly. But I suppose the #s wont lie. I wasnt sure if partially cooked rock would do anything either. Or if it was all or nothing. And its looking like totally cooked or not cooked.