Fresh rock arrives dripping with life—and death. Hitchhikers, decay, and phosphate bombs lurk inside. Cure it wrong, and your tank crashes in 72 hours. Cure it right, and you unlock a self-sustaining pod factory that keeps water pristine for years. This guide delivers the exact 30-day cycle, bacteria dose, and flow setup that transform raw ocean rock into bulletproof reef foundation—zero die-off, zero spikes.
The Cure Clock: 30 Days to Stability
Week 1: ammonia purge. Week 2: nitrite drop. Week 3: nitrate export. Week 4: pod bloom. A 2024 Live Rock Lab study found properly cured rock exports 70% more PO₄ than dry base rock—thanks to bacterial biofilms. Skip steps, and pests survive. Rush it, and beneficials die.
Patience = power.
30-Day Targets:
- Temp: 78–82°F
- Flow: 20x turnover
- Light: dark 21 days
Left: Bio-actiV — cure accelerator. Right: Apocyclops — pod starter.
Setup: The $50 Cure Tank
20–40 gal brute bin. Heater. Powerhead (20x turnover). Airline for oxygen. No light—black trash bag cover. Fill with 1.020 SG synthetic salt. Add 1 lb rock per gallon max. Skim surface film daily—prevents bacterial cap.
Day 1–3: Ammonia Purge
Rock releases 2–5 ppm NH₃. Dose Bio-actiV at 10 mL per 10 gal—jumpstarts nitrifiers. Change 50% water if NH₃ >5 ppm. Flow high—keeps decay aerobic. Smell normal: briny, not rotten.
Day 4–10: Nitrite Drop
NO₂ peaks day 5–7. Test daily with Salifert. Bacteria convert to NO₃. Dose Bio-actiV again day 6. Water change 30% if NO₂ >2 ppm. Add rubble chunks—surface for biofilm.
Day 11–21: Dark Cure
Keep covered. NO₃ climbs—normal. Flow constant. Skim foam. Pests die: mantis, bristleworms, aptasia. Sponges and tunicates emerge—sign of health. Test pH—keep >8.0 with buffer if needed.
Day 22–30: Pod Bloom
Uncover. Add 12-hour 6500K light. Seed 5 mL Apocyclops per 10 gal. Dose 1 mL phyto weekly. Pods explode in 72 hours—clouds at night. NO₃ drops. Rock ready.
Transfer: Zero Shock
Match temp and SG exactly. Move rock at lights-out. Add to display in sections—25% per day. Monitor NH₃ 24 hrs. Pods migrate instantly—fish hunt live food day 1.
Signs of Perfect Cure
Day 10: zero smell. Day 20: pink coralline spots. Day 25: pod swarms. Day 30: NH₃/NO₂ = 0, NO₃ <10, PO₄ <0.05. Rock smells like low tide—alive, not dead.
Troubleshooting: Cure Crises
Rotten smell? Flow too low—double pump. White film? Bacteria cap—skim off. NO₃ >50? 50% water change. Pods missing? Light too early—wait till day 22. Aptasia lives? Manual removal + cover.
Advanced: Zero-Waste Cure
Run cure water through refugium—chaeto eats NO₃. Reuse water for display changes. Seed Tisbe day 15—double pod output. Result: cured rock + mature fuge in 30 days.
FAQ: Live Rock Curing
Can I cure in the display?
Risky — ammonia spikes kill fish. Use separate bin.
How much Bio-actiV to dose?
10 mL per 10 gal on day 1 and day 6.
Dry rock vs live?
Cured live wins — instant biodiversity.
Related: Refugium Setup | Water Parameters | Live Rock
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