thcmusic

Hi Todd,

When you purchase 'cured' live rock, it has been in saltwater for a long enough period that the water no longer measures ammonia or nitrite. When it ships in to your local store, it arrives wrapped in wet newspaper in a waxy box to help retain moisture. It is definitely rotting in the boxes, and any sponges that were not peeled off or pressured washed away will be dying. This is why it causes a cycle. If your store has had the rock for a few weeks and it is now sold as cured rock, it should be safe to add to your tank without worry. It would be best to bring it home submerged in water so it stays wet at all times.

TBS rock is pretty and covered with all kinds of neat life, but unfortunately a lot of it dies in our tanks for a few reasons. Hitchhikers are the only downside usually, getting small Mantis shrimp for example. We rarely want those in our tanks because they will kill snails when hungry. Other rock such as Pukani or Fiji is very nice, but usually only is rock and coralline algae, nothing else. I've always used Fiji because I like its look.

A lot of rock we purchase is aqua-cultured, meaning it was made by man and placed in the ocean to colonize over time. This is a good thing because we aren't taking from existing reefs.

Thanks melev.. What other company(s) provide aqua-cultured rock?

Walt Smith has been producing rock in Fiji for the past 10 years, and it is sold at many stores nationwide.