Live rock curing HELP please :)

Hi all!

I decided to get back into the hobby after 10 years away from it. I started with a 25g. Purchased some questionable live rock off of ebay (i know, bad idea). I have it curing in my garage for approximately 3 weeks now and its not looking good.

My tank has been running for about 3 months now. I have about 10 lb of LR, 2 shrimp, a ton of baby snails that I have no idea where they came from, a small clownfish, and a lawnmower blenny. Not adding anymore fish to this small of a tank. Looking to upgrade this tank to a 55 in the near future.

Tank is doing great. All parameters are fine, fish happy and fat. Fed with brine shrimp and seaweed sheets.

Now, the rock has been "precured" so this guy stated. I knew for the price it wasnt going to be perfect great rock. It arrived like something died in the box.

Found lots of coralline algae, some worms, clams attached in holes, but the smell was the worst.

Put it in a large tub, filled with saltwater, heater and circulation pump. Topped it with a lid to keep out light. Changing the water on a weekly basis.

Heres my problem. I'll get a picture as soon as I return home from the dog groomer. Lots and LOTS of green algae all over the rocks. The smell is still horrible even after all the water changes and rinsing off the rocks. I scrubbed the rocks the first day I got them to get rid of anything dead that was attached.

Nitrates are at 0. I havent tested the po4 as of yet. Granted the smell isnt as half as bad as it was in the first week or so, but if you pick up the rock and sniff it, its quite bad.

I dont want to chuck the rocks - beautifully shaped would look great in the tank but they dont seem to be improving at all. I've searched online and really havent found anything that was similar to my situation.

 

you might as well nuke the rocks and turn them into base/dry rocks

 

Hopefully you didn't pay more than $4/lb, dry rock around here is about $2/lb and live ~$5/lb. I thought I was ripped off with my rocks, but I'm happy now that I'm cycled.

I'd consider this procedure if you must: Rock reincarnation... beyond "cooking" - Reef Central Online Community

 

If the lid is airtight, you're defeating your purpose. The nitrifying bacteria, as well as any surviving inhabitants, need oxygen. You can, of course, rectify that with an airstone.

Also, I'd expect it to take 6 - 8 weeks to fully cycle; that's pretty much normal for uncured LR, what you obviously received in reality.

 

LR around here is 8.99 and more depending on the store. I got it around 1.50/2 a lb. Fairly nice shaped rocks too. Came from Puerto Rico according to the shipping label.

The lid isn't airtight. I just put a piece of plywood over it so nothing gets in it while I have it in my garage. It has an air stone bubbling away.