Curing Marco Rock

[Dave]

Do you need to cure the rock in salt water, or can you just put the rock in fresh water and let any debris etc come out?

I guess I do not see the purpose of using salt water since you are not trying to keep anything alive.

 

[Brian]

I've never heard of curing live rock in anything BUT saltwater. The only time you would dip your rock in freshwater is if you were trying to rid it of pests.

When you cure you're also starting the nitrogen cycle, which in turn means you need to keep the bacteria alive. If you cure it in the main tank be ready for one heck of a stink!

 

[Dave]

I guess the reason for the question is, it is not live rock.

It is dead rock.

 

[Brian]

I assumed that it was. It still needs to go through a cycle. That will turn it into live rock. It has to hit saltwater at some point, and will cycle. I don't know if your tank is established already, but if it is...you don't want to add it directly to the tank before you cure it. Otherwise the dead rock will cure while in the tank and cause a spike in the ammonia/nitrite/nitrates in your tank. Unless of course, it's a big system and a small piece of rock.

If you're starting with nothing in the tank, then it can cure in right in the display. It will smell however (badly) so, keep that in mind, it can stick up the whole house! When I cured rock in my basement it was pretty terrible.