live rock/dead rock

wallie03

wallie03

Member
HI all.... so I have a couple questions I had a 29 gallon tank the I sold off about a year ago and I keep ed the live rock witch has all died off, can I use this ? Right now I have a 55 going that is going through a small cycle since I moved it and sered up the sand bed .how do I go about making this rock useful.. can I just put it in or should I treat it like new live rock and cure it in a bucket of salt water. Any use full tips would be very appreciated
thanks wallie
ps: stoked to be back in the saltwater game
 
culp

culp

Active Member
you should cycle the rock in a different tank until the rock has cycled before adding it to your display tank.
 
culp

culp

Active Member
or a bucket will work.
your still need a heater, a powerhead, and a light to give the rock some color.
 
bizzmoneyb

bizzmoneyb

Member
yes you can still use it. it will become "live" again within a few months.
is it wet or dry? i had some old live rock that was sitting outside for months. i dropped it in my new tank with some rock from my previous tank and saw no problems. i just rinsed and scrubbed it off real good and it was fine. no spikes at all.
or to be safe do as culp said, put it in a bin with a powerhead and heater for a few weeks and keep checking the ammonia levels. when they are down to zero you're ready to rock.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
IMO if you had your rock out of your tank for a year and you put it in a tank of some sort and wait untill you get an ammonia spike and then a cycle you may be in for a very long wait
 
wallie03

wallie03

Member
ya its about 20lbs i put it in a 5 gal bucket with a heater and an air stone going to let it sit for a week or two and see if i get an ammonia spike iv'e read that some people have boild it to kill every thing and just put it in the tank what do you guys think
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
I mean this with all due respect. Why do you think you need to see ammonia present before you put it in your tank? I think you have a misconception about what cured and semi cured rock. Take your rock put it in a bucket with ¼ bleach to ¾ tap water let it sit for a few hours empty the bucket and rinse well until you now longer can smell bleach then fill the bucket with fresh tap water and a aquarium product to neutralize chlorine just to make sure. Add it to your tank with a piece of fully cured live rock and let nature take its course
Looking back at your pics I am even more confused. Did you believe that adding that rock will start the cycle of your tank ?
 
wallie03

wallie03

Member
1. the tank in the picture has been set up for 3+ years i moved it a week ago and had an ammonia spike from sturring up the sand. i want to the rock to this tank
2. the rock that's in the bucket has been outside in open air for over a year. i diden't no how to go about using this rock weather or not it needed to be cycled again or if i could just put it in the tank after washing it off.
so i washed it off with fresh water and scrubed it placed it in water that i took out of the 55 gal and placed a couple pieces of live rock in it a heater and a power stone i just tested it for ammonia and its at 2 ppm
so are you saying to just wash it and put it in?
 
culp

culp

Active Member
i would do a water change on the bucket with the live rock and wait a day and test for ammonia, and nitrites
if ammonia and nitrites are zero. it should be safe to put in your tank.
 
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