cooking live rock

no you don't need a skimmer. just heat and water movement.

 

Ideally you would want to do a water change after a week, another after another week, then one more about two weeks later. Was it dry, or partially alive? I think it takes quite a bit longer if it's been dry for a while. Are you planning on having it all cured, then emptying the tank, putting the rock in and filling it all right away so there's no(or very little) waiting period for the restaurant?

 

You don't even need heat, just flow and water changes. Ideally, it should be in a dark environment...so covered is best. See this:

http://www.greateriowareefsociety.org/Resources/GIRSWiki/tabid/163/Default.aspx?topic=%22Cook%22+Live+Rock

--AJ

 

I statred my rock cooking on Sunday.... covered and in the basement....Holy crap does it smell!

 

Yep it does get to stinkin'. Also depending on how good or bad the rock is will decide on how often you do the water changes. I did my first two water changes after three days and the old water looked like bad oarnge juice and stuck like bad pea soup. Just keep at it until the rock has recured and cleaned up. It is hard on you salt supply though, Shaun

 

The first week and water change is the worst. It gets a little better each week. Remember to change the water once a week. When I did it, I pulled the rock out of the container every week, drained and rinsed it. I also filled a tub with fresh RO water and gave the rocks a rinse and used a powerhead to blow them off a little in the rinse water in between water changes. That's not required, but I think it probably helped get more of the crud off of the rocks.

--AJ