curing live rock

I'm a newbie with my first fish only live rock tank. It is cycled with two damsels, some live rock and a few inverts. I'm going to add new live rock and purchased some uncured lr from the LFS. I'm curing it in a bucket before i introduce it to the tank according to most instructions I've read but my question is this. The lady I bought the rock from said I should feed flake fish food to the uncured live rock while it's going through the curing process. None of the sites I've been to mention feeding while curing the live rock. Is this a good idea?

 

Your tank is still cycling. When did you start it?

 

My tank is finished cycling. The live rock in it was already cured when I bought it and put it in the tank 6 weeks ago.. This new lr will be added in 4 or 5 weeks but I need to know if I should be feeding the lr (curing in a separate container) while I cure it.

Thanks.

 

No, You don't feed live rock when it is curing.

Jim

 

feeding live rock

Thanks all for the help. I won't feed my lr and will wait it out a month or so with the appropriate water changes and tests.

 

I think that the only reason that one would add food to the tank is to increase the ammonia levels and to get the bacterial bioload off to a good start. One is not actually feeding the rock in this case but providing additional food so to speak for the bacteria. If it is uncured live rock with algae growth on it, one should not have to feed it because the dying organisms or algae will provide food for the bacterial population. the decomposition leads to the ammonia spike, which later contributes to the nitrite and nitrate spikes observes as juvenile bacterial populations begin to gain a foot hold. Once the tank balances out and parameters (ammonia, nitrite and nitrates go back to zero, especially nitrites and nitrates), the rock has been cycled or cured and the tank is ready for the introduction of new organisms. Wow! in reading this it seems like I know wha I am talking about, I just learned by reading and visiting forums such as this.

Caribe

 

Depends whether you have male or female Live Rock.

 

nm, lol

 

Learn to Live With It ​

Adam Blundell M.S. ​

"...As surprising as it may seem your tank will look ugly at first. This happens to all new marine aquariums as they cycle through their initial filtration phase. Your tank may go brown, and then green, and then red, and then just look junky. It happens. Consequently the one coral you really want to keep may not live. You may struggle to raise the prize fish you originally intended to acquire. It's okay; just learn to love whatever is working for you. Remember, not only is this a hobby, but we are keeping living ecosystems. Special efforts should be put forth to enjoy and appreciate what we are keeping, whatever it may be. It takes time and patience to turn a glass box full of rock into a beautiful, thriving reef tank..."

Good Luck!


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