Am I killing my live rock?

[Drewbacca]

Does LFS bought wet live rock need to be stored in circulating water? Or is just a heated bucket of saltwater ok for a week or is that killing anything on it?
Ask because I Just bought some live rock from the LFS last week to add to my new 90gal soon. Its Going in along with my 4 yr old rock from 55 when I switch tanks.
It was bought from a typical tank full of live rock so I'm assuming it has some good bacteria on it... but they get most wrapped in wet newspaper aka boat rock... so who knows.. but if it DID... does just sitting in a bucket of saltwater kill it?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yes. It needs flow. Water gets stagnant bacteria can’t breate and die.

 

[MnFish1]

Does LFS bought wet live rock need to be stored in circulating water? Or is just a heated bucket of saltwater ok for a week or is that killing anything on it?
Ask because I Just bought some live rock from the LFS last week to add to my new 90gal soon. Its Going in along with my 4 yr old rock from 55 when I switch tanks.
It was bought from a typical tank full of live rock so I'm assuming it has some good bacteria on it... but they get most wrapped in wet newspaper aka boat rock... so who knows.. but if it DID... does just sitting in a bucket of saltwater kill it?

So to me - there are 2 kinds (at least of 'live rock'). The kind of live rock that has living critters on it (small mushrooms, crabs, etc) - and the kind that is just sitting in a dark vat with water cycling in it. If its the first kind - you should be able to add it to your tank. If its the second kind - I would ask your LFS how to add it - i.e. how long it might need to still 'cycle'. I would tend to set up the new tank - and put the new rock in that - and test it for a couple days (i.e. ammonia, etc) - to be sure you're not going to have a problem when you just put it in the tank.

Either way - I would put it in well oxygenated water - with a powerhead and perhaps an ayirstone an d heater - and change water frequently until you add it to your new tank.

The good news is that you should already have a 'cycled filter' and 'cycled rock' from your old tank - so depending on how much new rock you're adding it may not make a difference. May want to add some Fritz Turbo when you set up the new tank.

 

[Drewbacca]

Thanks.
So assuming the water I had made and had it sitting in is no good now and should be thrown out? My water pressure sucks...takes forever to make rodi.
I did the same for a dry a Dry rock I bought... they said it was never living and came from the ground... but it has those Little stringy tubes on it that grow on reefrock.
While I'm here...bags of live sand I'm storing inside..it doesnt need light does it?

 

[MnFish1]

Thanks.
So assuming the water I had made and had it sitting in is no good now and should be thrown out? My water pressure sucks...takes forever to make rodi.
I did the same for a dry a Dry rock I bought... they said it was never living and came from the ground... but it has those Little stringy tubes on it that grow on reefrock.
While I'm here...bags of live sand I'm storing inside..it doesnt need light does it?

Not if its the live sand you bought in a bag at the store. Like pre-packaged. It can stay in the bag. I would talk to the LFS you bought it from - and ask - the best way to introduce it into your tank. Or put it into the 90 gallon first - and then only add the other stuff from your old tank once its stable. (unless you have a lot more live rock in your old system than the new piece) - in which case - the old rock will probably take care of any ammonia from the new rock - but its a gamble.

 

[Drewbacca]

I guess I'm also asking... if I killed the good bacteria.. did I just lose a positive...and am just neutral with the rock..or did I gain a negative?..as in creating monia or nitrates and phosphates from the bacteria I killed?

 

[Drewbacca]

Yeah, I was going to put in the sand then use all the water from old tank and half new water to fill the new tank, plus my existing livestock and hookup my new sump with a big bio block the lfs has been seeding for me for weeks.

 

[MnFish1]

I guess I'm also asking... if I killed the good bacteria.. did I just lose a positive...and am just neutral with the rock..or did I gain a negative?..as in creating monia or nitrates and phosphates from the bacteria I killed?

How long has the rock been sitting in the bucket. How big a piece of rock is it - compared to how much water is in the bucket. How was the rock stored at the LFS?

If you killed the bacteria - its a negative (or you lost a positive). If you killed the bacteria - rinsing it well in salt water will take care of ammonia etc from the rock.

When I have done this before (quite a similar situation as to yours) - I had about 50% 'old live rock' from a 90 gallon tank - and added 3 large pieces to a 120 gallon tank - I Rinsed the new rock put it in the tank - added Fritz turbo - and then added the old live rock to the tank. I didnt have any problems.

 

[Drewbacca]

Edit...livestock = liverock. But livestock too...after everything else.

 

[Drewbacca]

Rock was two smaller pieces..they had in a running tank full of LR...I put it in the bottom half of a bucket full of new saltwater with heater...been there for 5 or 6 days.. the dry rock is big and has been a seperate bucket for same time.

 

[MnFish1]

Yeah, I was going to put in the sand then use all the water from old tank and half new water to fill the new tank, plus my existing livestock and hookup my new sump with a big bio block the lfs has been seeding for me for weeks.

So to me - this is almost like hooking up a new tank - that might need to cycle - or at least be monitored for a bit until adding your fish/coral/inverts etc. At least thats what I would do. That said - If thats impossible - I would add your new rock and old rock - to the tank - add bacteria (like Fritz Turbo 900) the one that has to be kept cold. And add your fish and other livestock the next day once the temp, etc is stable. The water will likely have a lot of cloudiness after putting in new sand, etc

 

[MnFish1]

Rock was two smaller pieces..they had in a running tank full of LR...I put it in the bottom half of a bucket full of new saltwater with heater...been there for 5 or 6 days.. the dry rock is big and has been a seperate bucket for same time.

Does the bucket 'smell' bad. I would put in an airstone - and or a powerhead. You could check ammonia - if thats ok - its probably ok. How much rock is in your established 55 gallon tank??

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

The bacteria if dead , will stink. To high heaven. (die off, anerobic )
Add a powerhead and let it cycle again.
When it doesn’t stink , you can put it in the tank.
Yea , a wc would not be a bad idea.

 

[Drewbacca]

Doesnt smell...I'll test tho.
How long can mixed SW sit in buckets? Thought this all was going to be quicker...built a sump then realized stand is 1/2 inch to small..so finishing building that now too. It's taken over everything...time, house, wallet...
I have this much existing rock...4 yrs..no sump..it shows..lost some corals too...doin it right this time..mostly..ready to take some risks and be done...but ...Fish lives matter.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Mixed can sit a good long while. He questions become the amount of organics in the bucket. Organics decay , bacteria, cycle , die off.

IMO , test your rodi. My gut says it might be there.

 

[Drewbacca]

Power head In now with liverock in a new bucket of SW and heater. Not sure what to do with dry rock I've had sitting in a bucket of SW & heater...maybe test the water and if good add to other rock bucket or just take it out and let it dry until ready to put in new tank with other rock.

 

[MnFish1]

Power head In now with liverock in a new bucket of SW and heater. Not sure what to do with dry rock I've had sitting in a bucket of SW & heater...maybe test the water and if good add to other rock bucket or just take it out and let it dry until ready to put in new tank with other rock.

If nothing was living on the other rock that might have died ie the dry rock I would have just rinsed it and put it in the tank. So seems like that should be ok

 

[KrisReef]

Test the water in the bucket for phosphate, nitrate and ammonia. If the water isn’t polluted with nutrients from the rock then you should be good to go.

 

[brandon429]

The definitive answer as to whether or not live rock can stay alive without circulation is found by looking up special reef tanks for sale called PJ Reefs let me know what you find

They're special little Pico reefs that have one unique characteristic

 

[MnFish1]

The definitive answer as to whether or not live rock can stay alive without circulation is found by looking up special reef tanks for sale called PJ Reefs let me know what you find

They're special little Pico reefs that have one unique characteristic

They have a bunch of algae, a strong light and some coral. The organisms in them keep each other alive. I dont think this is the same as putting live rock in a bucket with no flow for weeks (the OP is only 5-6 days - it should be fine). They are not in the dark and in a bucket. For example - The algae in those (admittedly beautiful pico reefs - I might buy one) - produces Oxygen - which keeps the bacteria alive. etc etc. If you put one of those Pico reefs in a dark garage for a week - I would bet you would have a different result.