Live Rock?

[Latzi17]

I am new to the whole salt water fish hobby, and I was wondering about Live Rock. I live in San Francisco and the local fish store in which I buy my live stock from is not the healthiest of live stock. I was planning on buying live rock from them and hopefully nursing the live rock to its full bacteria creating potential. What can help me help the live rock to be a good bacteria creating rock.

Thank you.

[sruiz]

I think is should have some good bacteria as long as you see it come out of a saltwater tank. Just make sure its not base rock they are selling you(dry rock). Another thing you should do is cure your rock. From what you described it as it sounds like it has not been cured. Could take anywhere from 2-4 weeks to cure, put it in a big storage bin, with a heater and a powerhead. Do some water changes every other day, and keep it in the bucket until it does not smells horrible.

[sruiz]

look at the thread right on top of yours.

[pablodub01]

As sruiz said...

The best is to cure the live rock for a few weeks... usually when the rock is not cured you get a very strong smell... that smell is ammonia you need to put the rock in a container (or your empty tank if you're setting up a new display tank) with a heater and a powerhead to create as much circulation as possible and let the rock cure for a few weeks... check the parameters every few days until the ammonia and nitrites are gone... when the ammonia and nitrites are 0, you can throw in a couple of shrimps (dead ones) to create some ammonia and check that the LR process the ammonia into Nitrates... Once this happen the LR is cured ;)

Hope it helps
Pablo

[Latzi17]

Thanks for the help guys. I guess i'll buy rock and try to cure it the way you guys described.