How To Cure Live Rock?

[1234-fishy-freind]

Hi guys
Ive been given some live rock but its been out of water for about a day.
I asume its still good but will have plenty of die-off so i will need to cure it.
How do I go about curing it?
I have also got alot of very porous lava rock. If I keep this in with the live rock will it eventually turn live too?

Cheers

 

[seffieuk]

If its only been a day, you will get die off but it is still cured So get it in the salty stuff as quick as possible and then just test the water as normal (obviously not in a tank with live stock)

Seffie x

 

[ben1987]

cured rock is when you dont get die off!

stick it in a salted water vat with a pump and test the water til the ammonia goes to zero!

 

[seffieuk]

uncured rock is rock with no beneficial bacteria - so, live rock that has been out of water for 24 hours will still have beneficial bacteria on it, rock is cured but has some die off which will cause an ammonia spike.

Seffie x

 

[1234-fishy-freind]

Ok thanks.
The rock I have been given mainly consists of lava rock (the deep red coloured stuff)
The rock has come from a mature system, running for about 3 years. Will this rock be live too?
It isnt the same colour of the live rock but it has plenty of hair algea growing on it.
What should I do with it?

josh

 

[ben1987]

thing with live rock is that it is very pourus so it has a large area for the bacteria to live in, some of the other rocks are not as pourus so cant home as much bacteria. This stuff is heavier and displaces more water.

 

[1234-fishy-freind]

Ok thanks.
So, should I treat this stuff as live rock then? Since it appears to be very porous and feels like the correct weight?

 

[AK77]

Lava rock is just another name for pumice and is usually very lightweight and porous. In this sense it is very good as a home for beneficial bacteria. The only thing is that since its not calcium carbonate based, it will do nothing buffer the PH of your tank.