Unfortunately when living rock is collected from coral reefs and imported to aquatic stores, it is kept in less than ideal conditions. By the time it has arrived alot of the small creatures that naturally inhabit the rock, such as Bristle worms, Shrimps, crabs, Coralline Algae, Sponges and delicate Tubeworms on the outer surfaces reduce greatly in numbers. This is why the rock needs curing. It needs time to recover and replenish.

java-premium-cultured-rock-3-.jpeg&w=470

To do this we place the rock into freshly made-up seawater and provide plenty of circulation around the rock to flush away decaying matter. The rock is also gently brushed and turned regularly to ensure that the pores and crevices do not get blocked. The water contained in the 'rock curing bin' becomes heavily polluted, this is where we rely on the protein skimmer to remove organic waste from the water. 

The curing process is only complete when there is no waste being produced, which we observe from the skimmer, also by testing the water for ammonia and nitrite levels. Once these both have reached zero, the rock is then and only then deemed safe for customers to purchase. Finally the rock is then transferred from the rock curing bin and placed in our sales tanks for purchase.