Cured or uncured?

[Nafe]

Im currently debating wether to buy rock cured already at the LFS or just obtain fresh uncured rock.

If i get uncured is it possible for me to just put it straight into a new tank without cleaning it?. Will this cause problems with dying organisms, and if so is it any worse then what normaly occurs in a cycle?.

Being new to the hobby, i worry about removing organisms that could be good, so im not so sure about cleaning them and removing stuff of them.

But i would prefer uncured rock because of the goodies that can come along with it.

What methods do most of you use when you buy uncured rock?

[~Rookie Wookie~]

If you have live stock already inside the tank, then putting in uncured live rock will kill whatever is in the tank. The decaying organisms on the rock will rot off and pollute the water, therefore giving off ammonia. If you still want to get the uncured rocks, then it's best to cure them in a seperate tank or bucket of salt water. Depending on the rock itself, it could take as fast as a week to three or four weeks. Just let it sit there in the bucket, fully submerged.

I think it would be better to just spend a little more and get the cured rocks, but make sure they are really cured by picking them up and taking a whiff. If they smell a bit like rotten eggs, then they are not fully cured. Buying cured rocks will also get you started on this hobby a bit quicker... we all know patience is a virtue but when it comes to fish tanks we would all like the perfect tank in the shortest time possible . So take your time with the hobby as you will be rewarded in the end.

[Pirate]

I would buy only fully cured lr and make sure it's from a reputable dealer. And if you decide to purchase uncured, it's a little more difficult than previously described. It will require a fairly large tank/tub/whatever, with good water flow, and a really good skimmer. You will also need to take frequent readings and do some water changes. And unfortunately nothing in this hobby happens quickly, grab ahold of all the reading info that you can, and try not to be and impulse buyer, that only leads to disaster and an empty wallet. Good luck,

[Geoff]

what is the water temps there in Sydney? if you can get fresh LR and your water is 70F or above i would say go for it, if the price is that much better. i have no idea about the collection laws down there. you will not get any better LR than that. make sure you cure it for at least 2 months if you do it this way. there are a lot of critters that could take that long to die off. you will get a lot more life, both good and bad.

i would love to be able to do that.

G~

[Nafe]

Im not sure i could wait 2 months, im itching to get the tank setup as it is

Perhaps ill stick to pre cured, ill just have to find a good dealer who gets good quality rock without removing too many goodies