LR/Base Rock question

[davidj5491]

Ok, a couple quick questions for you guys/gals. A friend of mine is offering me some rock for a very good price. It used to be LR that was in a 230 gallon. He since took it all down. He still has the rock, but it has all obviously dried. I'm thinking I'll buy some and throw in with my current LR, as I know it will seed. Here are my concerns though. Do I need to cure this as LR before I stick it in the tank? Or, since it has been dried up for a while, do I just rinse it in SW and stick it in the tank? Thanks in advance for any advice on this.

 

[clarkiiclo]

IMO I would re-cure the rock. No telling what has landed on the rock since it was removed from the tank. Always better to be safe than sorry.

 

[kiharaconn]

How long has it been dried? I wouldn't think that if it has been out for a long time it would need to be cured again. Just rinse it extremely well to get off all the dust and grime that settled on it over time. If it hasn't been out long then it would probably need to be cured again. The curing is for the die off of the live part. IMO this would be better rock than what they sell as base rock since it is more porus and has all the tunnels and holes that the creatures have bored. From what I've been told and read base rock takes about 5 years to fully become live rock and is not porus enough so is ok but not great. So this would be a good deal for you to buy. Any ls you put in and other lr will seed this rock and will again become good lr.

 

[jester805]

I have a 29 gallon setup and need to get some live rock. I called my LFS today and he said I only need about 10 to 15 pounds of it. Is that true??? Everything I've read on here says 1 to 1.5 pounds per gallon. :help: :notsure:

 

[davidj5491]

Thanks for the replies. I was thinking along the same lines, that I could just thoroughly rinse it and put it in, since there will be nothing to die off.
Mine is a 29, and I currently have about 10-12lbs in mine. I'm not sure if it is enough biologically, but either way I want more. It's just not near enough decoration in the tank.

 

[greatfullreefer]

Originally posted by davidj5491
Thanks for the replies. I was thinking along the same lines, that I could just thoroughly rinse it and put it in, since there will be nothing to die off.

I strongly recommend curing it, i had live rock that had been out of my tank for well over a year. I cracked a piece open and it was moist inside and there were worms and pods still inside (most were dead but still preserved).