[krsult]

Any one know where you can purchase LR. My LFS charges $10 per pound. I really don't want to pay that much I am getting ready to start a 55 gallon. I have a 14 gallon now that I am keeping. So I'm transfering the LR from there.

[ozzy_200769]

Alot of places online
Try
Pacific east aquaculture
Their on the eastern shore and advertising fusion for I think $4 a pound.
(I wish I needed rock, that stuff is nice).

[Marine1]

Yah, I agree with ozzy try this site the LR is on sale for $3.98/lb and they ship it moist:

.: Pacific East AquaCulture :.

[Gohn]

TIP - I did not look @ Pacific East but I have found that if it is under around $6. or so a lb. you may have to read the instructions very carefully and "CURE" the Rock sent you. Cured is more $ but worth it if you don't have the setup or feel like the effort. Uncured is worth it if you have an extra tank (bucket), heater + water flow to "cure it" I believe that is what I read is how to do it. I may be wrong - just saying to check 1st.
"the cheap comes out expensive"
Judge from People's Court"

[Gohn]

Originally Posted by krsult

Any one know where you can purchase LR. My LFS charges $10 per pound. I really don't want to pay that much I am getting ready to start a 55 gallon. I have a 14 gallon now that I am keeping. So I'm transfering the LR from there.

I JUST posted a reply RE: Live Rock warning about curing. I just checked -
@ Pacific East has it for just under $4. and looks nice.
1 - Their web page explains that it indeed not fully cured
2 - Their page explains nicely how to do this yourself
3 - ALSO - for only $1.00 a lb. more they will fully cure it for you.
Now just as S+H and you will figure out if this is worth it. Good luck - Live Rock if lots of fun and very much worth every penny in my humble opinion,

[Marine1]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think KRSULT is setting up a new 55, so buying uncured rock should be okay. It will help to cycle the tank as well (won't it).

[Gohn]

Keith - listen to Marine1 - I missed completely that you were setting up - my bad. To do it just right I still recommend going to any good site that sells LR and that will walk you through setting up your tank with uncured rock. You should be all right.
Nice catch -Marine1 - I now remember that I may do just that when I start a bigger new tank!

[WILLIAM1]

I would check out Marco Rocks The finest aquarium rock available, base rock, live rock, reef rock, marco rock, reef tank saltwater fish, live corals, Marco rocks, Fiji live rock, Tonga Live rock they have some great prices and a good selection of different rock since you are going to cycle the tank then it would be okay. Just add your LR from the smaller tank to seed it and wolla. Heres a pic of the rock I got from there 10 months ago. from start to finish:

[Gohn]

William - that is a great visual to show your point. Nice shots - Coraline looks great!

[krsult]

William did you have to cure it or did it come precured just had to cycle the tank?

[krsult]

Scratch that last question. I need to go back and read from the top. My mistake. My wife wants to keep the rock in the other tank and set it up as a sea horse tank. So how would I seed my uncured rock if I did that? Also would I have to seed it?

[Gohn]

I may be wrong here so anyone feel free to correct any misinformation I may have picked up. I am just repeating what I remember from reading articles and NOT from personal; experience) Therefore - I again suggest you go to any good web site that sells LR (curred and uncured) and read what they say about curing their rock. Uncured rock should have the start of all the good algae (coralline) + wee beasties on them but may also have some decaying stuff that is dying off as well which you wish to let slough off and go through the nitrogen cycle. Meanwhile on that same uncured LR there should be plenty of living tidbits ready to grow. This is why you get the uncured rock + put it in an empty aquarium as it cures. When done you will have the rock slough off any dead junk and have it cycle. The living bacteria in the Rock should be also be blooming and working on the process. In the end you will have fine healthy growth on your now cured rock. You may wish to put some cured LR (from an established tank or buy at least a few lbs. if none available @ home) on top of the uncured to ensure extra healthy coralline algae and bacteria will be speeding up the process. Just to be extra cautious that is. Please - anyone chime in _ I am an armchair expert on this + may be off on some points so feel free to add to or correct any of what I wrote.

[WILLIAM1]

I had to cure the rock but since I was cycling the tank I put it right in to cure while cycling. If you buy 5 or 10 lbs of LR from your LFS with some corraline algea just scrape of some of that sweet puple algea off into the tank add the rock around.By the time its done cycling rock is done just have a good skimmer working the whole time. Or just cure the rock in a large rubbermade contianer with some saltwater and powerhead to blow off the debri and die off. skimmer here would be nice too. You can see the LR in the pic where its scattered around the tank.

[NATIVEVAMAN]

Buying "cured" rock from an on line seller is a scam to get 2 more dollars of your hard earned cash per pound.Rock comming to your house by ups will actually be out of the water longer than it was when it came from Fiji.3 to 4 days out of the water and all the curing in the world goes out the window.I will bet cash money that the cured and uncured rock from an on line seller comes out of the same tank.

[Gohn]

Originally Posted by NATIVEVAMAN

Buying "cured" rock from an on line seller is a scam to get 2 more dollars of your hard earned cash per pound.Rock comming to your house by ups will actually be out of the water longer than it was when it came from Fiji.3 to 4 days out of the water and all the curing in the world goes out the window.I will bet cash money that the cured and uncured rock from an on line seller comes out of the same tank.

Interesting point - I have only bought hand selected LR pieces over the past yr. with coralline algae signs on it (the more the better) It has worked very well BUT when I start up a new tank I look forward to buying uncured rock and test your theory out. The uncured I buy never will be dried out and shipped wrapped in moist paper towels etc. - I am learning all the time and you have plenty of good feedback on the boards so I expect to have good results. Thanks for the tip.

[NATIVEVAMAN]

Here is a plan for curing live rock(for the safety of your tank treat all rock as uncured)
You will need:A plastic tarp large enough to hold all the rock when it is out of the box.A soft bristled paint brush about 4 inch.Hammer and chisel.Rubber gloves for everyone handling the rock(not the surgical kind the dish washing kind).A tub of salt water large enough to hold the largest rock.
Spread the rock out over the tarp and put the tub of salt water on the tarp.One rock at a time rinse it in the tub of salt water and go over it with the paint brush while submerged.Remember the spot you miss is where the mantis shrimp is hiding lol.Place each cleaned rock in the EMPTY tank(no sand or water).Once all of the rock is washed and in the tank you are ready for phase 2:Pour all the water in the wash tub thru a screen wire sieve every drop of it black ooze and all.This stuff is liquid gold.Remove any unwanted critters like mantis shrimp and pour this right on the bottom of the tank.Go back thru the bax's that the rock came in and repeat this process.Now pour the sand in the tank covering up the black ooze.Being careful not to disturb the sand to much fill the tank with water turn on the pumps and let them run a while.After a couple of hours runnung the pumps check all the basic parameters to get a base line.Remember that amonia kills everything dont let it get to high,keep it down with water change's.Alaways run your skimmer and run the lights a couple of hours a day.Be prepared to let the tank cycle for at least three weeks before you even think about putting critters in.Increase light a little bit each week until you are running a full photoperiod.And remember the golden rule of aquariums:NOTHING GOOD EVER HAPPENS IN A HURRY IN A REEF TANK.And of course my favorite:IF YOU CANT TEST FOR IT DONT PUT IT IN YOUR TANK.Take that bottole of ourple up back to the lfs and get your money back.If you havnt had a green algea outbreak your cycle is no where near done.

[Gohn]

That is about what I have read on the good LR online store sites. They have clear outlined steps that include everything from curing rock right inside one's brand new tank you are setting up to the bucket method you describe for curing outside an established aquarium. VERY good point about the mantis shrimp though - I had a mantis scare (turned out false alarm) but kept me awake a few nights. Thanks for the top notch tips.

[WILLIAM1]

Why would you put the black ooz under the sand?

[NATIVEVAMAN]

Because it looks real ugly on top of the sand.Other than that it contains all sorts of critters that like to live in sand or rock.Its one heck of a jump start for the sand bed.

[Gohn]

I started my cured LR on uncured sand and used some live sand from established aquariums to seed the bed. This worked out ok and everything is fine. Luck perhaps. My son learned from me and started his tank with LR (cured) right on the tank bottom and then, after a while put in live sand. He said this was not perfect as spreading sand around the rock evenly was a bit of a chore. So pros and cons on both plans and both ended up ok. Now many folk go for a bare bed and that has good points in it's favor such as cleaning up the bed etc. And so we keep learning. Thanks again for your feedback Dale.