Live Rock question

piggyacres

piggyacres

New Member
Hello,
I had a reef aquarium a while ago with live rock. I shut it down about 2 years ago and have been storing the rock outside in the shed (in Minnesota so it was frozen). Can this rock be used again once I start up a new tank? Do I need to do anything special with it before I set up my tank? I want to do a FOWLR tank to start with then add corals down the road.
Any info is helpful.
Thanks
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Piggyacres http:///t/395488/live-rock-question#post_3521038
Hello,
I had a reef aquarium a while ago with live rock. I shut it down about 2 years ago and have been storing the rock outside in the shed (in Minnesota so it was frozen). Can this rock be used again once I start up a new tank? Do I need to do anything special with it before I set up my tank? I want to do a FOWLR tank to start with then add corals down the road.
Any info is helpful.
Thanks
Hi,
Welcome to the site.
I would rinse the rock real good and you can reuse it. You do need to purchase at least one piece of live rock to seed the tank. All of life that was on your stored rock is long dead.
 
tthemadd1

tthemadd1

Active Member
I did the same and know the consequences. You may find the rock will leech any chem back into the tank over time. I would boil it all first before starting up the display tank. I had a lot of Fiji from years back and it is very porous so it will absorb lots of different stuff.
So boil and then put it in saltwater without lights for a few days. Then get a wide spectrum water test done with your local water company.
Might seem like overkill but saltwater hobby is expensive and bad foundation can lead to issues down the road.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by tthemadd1 http:///t/395488/live-rock-question#post_3521081
I did the same and know the consequences. You may find the rock will leech any chem back into the tank over time. I would boil it all first before starting up the display tank. I had a lot of Fiji from years back and it is very porous so it will absorb lots of different stuff.
So boil and then put it in saltwater without lights for a few days. Then get a wide spectrum water test done with your local water company.
Might seem like overkill but saltwater hobby is expensive and bad foundation can lead to issues down the road.
If you had live rock you removed from your own tank...
I stored lots of rock in a tub in the garage, when I was ready to use it, I rinsed it off and put it in the tank. What chemicals would you be afraid of that could leek from the rock over time?
 
piggyacres

piggyacres

New Member
What kind of chemicals are you referring to? These were all in my salt water aquarium to start with, then just moved to a tupperware tub for storage. To be honest, it is a lot of rock and big pieces, not sure how or where I could boil them at?
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
No need to boil.
Simply wash them off in a little saltwater and put in the tank.
Im not sure is nitrobacter and nitrosomonas bacteria form endospores, but if they do, there might still be bacteria within those rocks.
 
tthemadd1

tthemadd1

Active Member
Whatever chemicals you use in your garage storage area. I have rocks that were left out to dry and all the old rock I reused gas been a cyano/algae issue. The new rock I used to seed it and subsequent rocks have not once ounce of cyano or algae growth.
In all I would say there was an issue with the old rock not the new rock. Do as you see fit but I'm letting you know there can be an issue. Rock is porous and over time it dies and dries. If that is not an issue or you feel rinsing it will remove any and all contaminants go for it. Otherwise there is the possibility of the dead dried matter to decomp and it may just help with your cycle or it could be a cause for issues down the road.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by tthemadd1 http:///t/395488/live-rock-question#post_3521168
Whatever chemicals you use in your garage storage area. I have rocks that were left out to dry and all the old rock I reused gas been a cyano/algae issue. The new rock I used to seed it and subsequent rocks have not once ounce of cyano or algae growth.
In all I would say there was an issue with the old rock not the new rock. Do as you see fit but I'm letting you know there can be an issue. Rock is porous and over time it dies and dries. If that is not an issue or you feel rinsing it will remove any and all contaminants go for it. Otherwise there is the possibility of the dead dried matter to decomp and it may just help with your cycle or it could be a cause for issues down the road.
Sorry but I'm going to disagree...The dried dead decomposition of critters deep in the rock is not the cause of cyano or algae. Maybe somebody else will chime in and offer an opinion. I have been wrong before, so my opinion isn't etched in stone.
A more likely possibility is that you placed the dead rock on the bottom of your tank, and the new live rock on top, your issue with cyano and algae is that the lower rocks are not getting as much flow as the higher ones. Possibly that wasted food was allowed to settle low on the rocks.
I thought you were going to tell me a scenario of stored rock being exposed to chemicals in the garage, or PO4 as an issue in the display before breaking it down, and still being in the rock. Personally I would just rinse the rock to get any dust off of it.
 
tthemadd1

tthemadd1

Active Member
It's opinion without data really. It mixed around and I've only seen what I have seen. The rock from top to bottom side to side has had algae and cyano while new rock mixed in and through has not had it. This setup has been running now for four years so its had its good and bad times. Prior to the rock being dried out it was up and running, purple and healthy for five years. I had a post up about six months ago that went through old tank issues. So in all rinse it or soak it or boil it.
Any way you look at it, it depends on the pace you feel like moving. If you have the time rum the rock in the tank for a few weeks through the cycle and test if the test equipment says your ready for fish go for it.
Good luck and bed of luck.
 
geridoc

geridoc

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/395488/live-rock-question#post_3521149
No need to boil.
Simply wash them off in a little saltwater and put in the tank.
Im not sure is nitrobacter and nitrosomonas bacteria form endospores, but if they do, there might still be bacteria within those rocks.
They don't sporulate, they need to come into the tank live.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by tthemadd1 http:///t/395488/live-rock-question#post_3521173
It's opinion without data really. It mixed around and I've only seen what I have seen. The rock from top to bottom side to side has had algae and cyano while new rock mixed in and through has not had it. This setup has been running now for four years so its had its good and bad times. Prior to the rock being dried out it was up and running, purple and healthy for five years. I had a post up about six months ago that went through old tank issues. So in all rinse it or soak it or boil it.
Any way you look at it, it depends on the pace you feel like moving. If you have the time rum the rock in the tank for a few weeks through the cycle and test if the test equipment says your ready for fish go for it.
Good luck and bed of luck.
I'm not the expert, but I have been keeping tanks for some time....I do know that coralline will prevent algae from forming on the rock, perhaps the old rock from storage just was so dead the algae could only grasp that area, leaving the new rock alone.
No matter what, the tank must cycle, only water tests will tell when it's time to add fish. The old rock will be just fine. The new rock that has to cure will help kick start the cycle, but I would still add a chunk of raw shrimp, pure ammonia or ghost feed.
There is one huge plus with the old rock, undesired hitchhikers can be a problem. At least with old dried rock, that's a headache you won't have to concern yourself with. I always cringed when I added new rocks, you never know what really is living in it until it's in your tank. I have even gone as far to put new rock in a bucket with extra salty water...all the critters will come out of the rock and you can see what's living in it...after a few minutes everything goes back in the rock to hide, it gives you a few moments to get a bobbit worm out if you see it.
I suggest you also set up a quarantine tank as the new tank cycles, and save yourself some other headaches.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/395488/live-rock-question#post_3521149
No need to boil.
Simply wash them off in a little saltwater and put in the tank.
Im not sure is nitrobacter and nitrosomonas bacteria form endospores, but if they do, there might still be bacteria within those rocks.
Yes, they do. When conditions become harsh.
My concern would be all of the nutrients stored in that rock. My guess is that using them will result in a constant hair algae battle for 6 months to a year until all of the Phosphate has leached out.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bang Guy http:///t/395488/live-rock-question#post_3521192
Yes, they do. When conditions become harsh.
My concern would be all of the nutrients stored in that rock. My guess is that using them will result in a constant hair algae battle for 6 months to a year until all of the Phosphate has leached out.
Now that one I have heard before, that if your tank was loaded with phosphate, it would leek from the rock... and as Snake asked...what do you do then? (what is an acid bath?)
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
A bleach soak will dissolve organic material. Then a very, very good soaking in water and left to dry.
A natural alternative is called "cooking". That's where you set up a dark tank to hold the rock with good waterflow and heat and let bacteria consume the nutrients over time.
Either will work.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/395488/live-rock-question#post_3521205
Now that one I have heard before, that if your tank was loaded with phosphate, it would leek from the rock... and as Snake asked...what do you do then? (what is an acid bath?)
I like leeks - they are good in soups and stews.
Myriatic acid... you use about a 1:10 ratio of acid to water in a polypropylene container and you sit your rocks in it and let the acid eat away all the organic material. It also gets rid of phosphates within the rock. The careful though,... sit it in there too long and you will dissolve all the calcium carbonate. lol
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/395488/live-rock-question#post_3521211
I like leeks - they are good in soups and stews.
Myriatic acid... you use about a 1:10 ratio of acid to water in a polypropylene container and you sit your rocks in it and let the acid eat away all the organic material. It also gets rid of phosphates within the rock. The careful though,... sit it in there too long and you will dissolve all the calcium carbonate. lol
LOL...I hate typos...my spell check doesn't work if the mistake is a real word.
Where would you get such stuff? Also how to time the acid so it doesn't totally destroy the rock? I have some pieces of rock and my column from the 56g on my back porch drying out because it was covered in aptasia. I would feel a great deal more comfortable reusing it if I could use something to make sure all organics are gone off of them.
 
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