is it possible to have cold water live rock in a tropical marine aquarium?

mike001

mike001

New Member
Hello Everyone
Im soon about to make the big jump from fresh to salt water. And the Question i have is: I live in Newfoundland and find lots of live rock either on the beach or stuck into fishing nets. and i was wondering have anyone tried to use these cold water live rocks into a tropical marine set-up?
Live rock is $11.99 a LB and i have to drive 6 hrs to the nearest LPS But the beach and water that i find these live rock are pristine.
 
fattytwobyfour

fattytwobyfour

Member
Welcome to the hobby! Everything I have read advises against adding stuff you find on the beach into your tank. The reasons vary from not knowing the pollutants contained in it to destroying natural habitat.
The initial investment in quality rock and substrate is an important one. It can affect things in your tank 2 years from now.
The best advice I've received in this hobby is not to take shortcuts. Youll regret it down the road, and wind up spending more.
I'm still relativity new to this hobby, but wanted to share what I have learned. There are many on this forum who have been doing this for years and will offer advice too.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Don't use live rock that you're finding on the beach. It's likely to be highly contaminated if it's that close to the shore. If you want to save some money, you can go with dry rock and seed it or do a slightly longer cycle on your tank and it will become live. Marco rock is a great dry rock to start with.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Welcome to the site!
As long as the rock is in saltwater, you are fine...
Make sure it isn't against the law to take it. As for what lives on the rock..quarantine and cure the rock before adding it to your tank. I have read from members on the site, that it would be better to get said rock from off shore since all the "yuck" accumulates at the shore line.
fattytwobyfour...LOL...Your such a sweetie, please don't think I'm laughing at you, but I had to chuckle a little... where do you think they get the rock to sell you from the fish store? They don't grow their own, they take it from the ocean. I agree with on this point...It's very true that not being careful, and taking short cuts will have repercussions down the road.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
I think he was referring to actually taking the rock right off the beach/shore, not out in the water. Rocks that wash up on the shore or are very close to the shore are usually highly contaminated with pollutants, and are even more likely to carry hitchhikers in my experience (because the water is muckier and hitchhikers like to eat the yucky stuff ie: crabs), and it's really not advised to take rock right off the land or close to the shore even if it is legal.
 
F

fishhugger

Guest
FWIW, I remember reading that someone saying on a forum (I don't remember which) you would need to travel out at least 10 miles off the coast to avoid pollutants in the water. That should vary for each coast. If I recall correctly, the topic was about taking live sand from the ocean.
Either way, I wouldn't do it.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by FishHugger http:///t/394374/is-it-possible-to-have-cold-water-live-rock-in-a-tropical-marine-aquarium#post_3510187
FWIW, I remember reading that someone saying on a forum (I don't remember which) you would need to travel out at least 10 miles off the coast to avoid pollutants in the water. That should vary for each coast. If I recall correctly, the topic was about taking live sand from the ocean.
Either way, I wouldn't do it.
I have heard 5 and 10. It's on this forum somewhere. Seems that most won't do less than 5. I live on Long Island, way, way, way too close to NY city for me to ever consider taking substrate or rock from the shore line. I won't even but shells in my tank from the shoreline.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Well...there you go...If you like to dive, and you have a boat, and if it is legal...go for it.
Now doesn't $11.99 per pound sound cheap and easy when you compare?
As for the original question, tropical and cold water may have different bacteria, but as soon as the water warms up or cools down, the right little tiny things will accumulate. I had a tropical reef aquarium (90g) I switched it to a cold water potbelly seahorse tank after 10+ years. I used rock from the first system in the potbelly cold tank, and it''s been over a year...all is well.
 
al&burke

al&burke

Active Member
Yah but Mike lives in Neufoundland, the waters are alot cleaner up there. And welcome to the forums my fellow Canadian!!!!
 
mike001

mike001

New Member
I was fishing a few times with a friend for crab about 15km ofshore for crab 600 - 800 feet deep and in one string of pots we always had some very porous rock get stuck in the bottom of the pot. But at that time i wasen't concerned with a marine aquarium hobby but I do know that the rocks had alot of pink on them and some purple. so Im sure this summer i can get more from my friend.
I was mainly concerned with what result these rocks would have once warmed to a tropical marine aquarium environment.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by mike001 http:///t/394374/is-it-possible-to-have-cold-water-live-rock-in-a-tropical-marine-aquarium#post_3510310
I was fishing a few times with a friend for crab about 15km ofshore for crab 600 - 800 feet deep and in one string of pots we always had some very porous rock get stuck in the bottom of the pot. But at that time i wasen't concerned with a marine aquarium hobby but I do know that the rocks had alot of pink on them and some purple. so I'm sure this summer i can get more from my friend.
I was mainly concerned with what result these rocks would have once warmed to a tropical marine aquarium environment.
Wow how fortunate you are. I paid $10.00 a pound for my rock. In my 90g alone I put at least 75lbs. I have about 25 to 30 pounds in another tank. Temps won't matter...
 
al&burke

al&burke

Active Member
There are temperate set up as well, cold water. They are really cool, no pun intended. I can't see being that far out in the ocean especially where you are being a problem, get some at let it soak in some good sea water for a while with a PH in it for circulation. ANd shile you are at it send me 100pounds of the stuff, LOL
 
geridoc

geridoc

Well-Known Member
What do the live rocks in Newfoundland look like? Desirable live rock is highly porous to give the anaerobic bacteria plenty of surface to thrive and convert nitrate into nitrogen (see Fiji rock for a good example).
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by GeriDoc http:///t/394374/is-it-possible-to-have-cold-water-live-rock-in-a-tropical-marine-aquarium#post_3510333
What do the live rocks in Newfoundland look like? Desirable live rock is highly porous to give the anaerobic bacteria plenty of surface to thrive and convert nitrate into nitrogen (see Fiji rock for a good example).
I always thought:
Even fake decor will have enough good bacteria for a fish tank to thrive. The little nooks and crannies on the Fiji live rock makes good homes for the tiny sea life critters to live in. It's only live rock because the living tiny critters are in and on the rock. Bacteria will grow on any surface to convert ammonia, to nitrite, to nitrates....WC are needed because we can't get nitrates to break down quick enough to become harmless nitrogen to escape to the air (full cycle).
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Order it online. No 6 hour drive and no ridiculous high pricess.
If the rock you collect is full of life then I wouldnt be overly concerned about pollutants. Just hich hickers.
Do an internet search of your area and see if you live near any dead zones.
 
geridoc

geridoc

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/394374/is-it-possible-to-have-cold-water-live-rock-in-a-tropical-marine-aquarium#post_3510348
I always thought:
Even fake decor will have enough good bacteria for a fish tank to thrive. The little nooks and crannies on the Fiji live rock makes good homes for the tiny sea life critters to live in. It's only live rock because the living tiny critters are in and on the rock. Bacteria will grow on any surface to convert ammonia, to nitrite, to nitrates....WC are needed because we can't get nitrates to break down quick enough to become harmless nitrogen to escape to the air (full cycle).
You are right - fake rock (I have lots of it in my 220 FOWLR) provides surface for aerobic bacteria that take ammonium through to nitrates, but the conversion of low toxicity nitrates to zero toxicity nitrogen can only occur where there is no oxygen (so-called anaerobic conditions). The pores in porous rock provide low oxygen and slow movement of water so that processing can occur. Wet/dry trickle filters are known as being nitrate factories because the bio-balls are specifically designed to maximize exposure to atmospheric oxygen, so they produce nitrates from the fish waste. Either water changes, or anaerobic conditions are required to complete the nitrogen cycle.
 
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