How to Care for Live Rock

Live rock comes mainly from islands such as Fiji in the South Pacific; it is porous limestone gathered from the sea that supports micro-organic life. It adds color and much-needed nutrients to your fish tank. Live rock must be in a tank that is well-maintained. More importantly, it needs to be cured after initial purchase. Curing involves putting live rock in a separate container to allow previous organisms to die and ammonia to be released in a way that doesn't affect fish, so it can be safely placed in your aquarium to grow healthy organisms.

Things You'll Need

  • Rubber gloves
  • Plastic tub or trash can
  • Protein skimmer
  • Thermometer
  • Powerhead
  • Hydrometer
  • Salt
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Instructions

  1. Curing Live Rock

    • 1

      Set up your equipment. Fill your plastic bin with water that has a salinity level between 1.020 and 1.021 s.g. and temperature between 73 and 75 Fahrenheit. This can be measured with a hydrometer, which measures water density. Attach your powerhead and protein skimmer to the bin. The powerhead serves to circulate the water, while the skimmer monitors the ammonia level and removes it from the water. Instructions for use will come with the skimmer, hydrometer and powerhead.

    • 2

      Examine your rock. With your gloved finger, search for soft spots that may be sponges and scrape them off. They create the most ammonia, so the more of them you can get off right away, the better. Shake each piece of rock well to get off any loose debris. Place rocks in the prepared bin of water.

    • 3

      Check rocks after a couple of days. Rewash the rocks in a separate container, then put them back in the water.

    • 4

      Shut off all equipment. Remove half of the water from the tub the rock has been in and get rid of it. This water contains the dead organisms and ammonia that you are curing the rock to remove.
      Replace the water you took out with new, warm water. Repeat this process once every three to four days.

    • 5

      Keep track of your protein skimmer. It will fill up and need to be emptied. Every two or three days, test the ammonia level (the skimmer will tell you). In two or three weeks, the skimmer will stop buzzing and will give you an ammonia reading of zero. Your rocks have been cured. They can be placed in your tank.