Can live rock survive 48 hours?

[loweryphil]

I had some live rock posted to me, but they came wAY earlier than expected. I can't pick it up until tomorrow now. It will have been out of water for about 39 hours. Will it be ruined? No freebies etc as I presume they'll all die and the bacteria?

 

[ApoIsland]

Not ruined at all. Some organisms can survive months out of water. You will have a fair amount of die off after a couple days though, which is why you dont add it to your system right away. Put it in a bucket or other large container filled with salt water and a power head pointed at the surface for good oxygenation. Let it circulate for a couple days then change ALL the water and let it circulate for a few more days before adding to your tank. You could also do a final water change and test for amonia just to be sure.

 

[loweryphil]

Not ruined at all. Some organisms can survive months out of water. You will have a fair amount of die off after a couple days though, which is why you dont add it to your system right away. Put it in a bucket or other large container filled with salt water and a power head pointed at the surface for good oxygenation. Let it circulate for a couple days then change ALL the water and let it circulate for a few more days before adding to your tank. You could also do a final water change and test for amonia just to be sure.

Ah I hope so, I was hoping for star fish and shrimp etc maybe corals, but I guess that's a no go now? This will be added to a brand new set up with cured live rock, and atm collony added, does the same still apply?

 

[brandon429]

ha nice agreed to that above. wont kill the bac

as soon as you can rinse it off using saltwater and submerge a few days I bet it cures right back to normal if it was not crusty tunicate rock already, but truly coralline basic rock I bet wont skip a beat in 48 hours. this rock would absolutely not require bottle bac purchase, slough off the bad parts let the underparts shine as they will.

 

[brandon429]

matter of fact

we need data from this to add to cool cycling outlier study collections

like the three year fallow live rock test (which passed, nitrifying bac did not starve in three years unfed in a garage)

when your rocks are back in tank we'd love to see api readings as the days go by. Once you give it a few, then spike with enough ammonia to raise the test up just a haze of light green nothing heavy, an initial change from steady state green lol (api joke)

then when that sample goes back down (zero not required) we can see if the bac survived.

 

[loweryphil]

matter of fact

we need data from this to add to cool cycling outlier study collections

like the three year fallow live rock test (which passed, nitrifying bac did not starve in three years unfed in a garage)

when your rocks are back in tank we'd love to see api readings as the days go by. Once you give it a few, then spike with enough ammonia to raise the test up just a haze of light green nothing heavy, an initial change from steady state green lol (api joke)

then when that sample goes back down (zero not required) we can see if the bac survived.

I don't use api I'm afraid. Way too basic. Salifert for me. Let's assume there were some coral and inverts, bristle stars etc. I'm assuming these are now dust?

 

[brandon429]

I drain my 14 year old nano for a long long time in the air to make fun videos about cycling control. Ive seen brittle stars hole up in live rock that appeared dry as jerky

if you got a few live pods and stars out of the innards of that rock on a mere 48 hour emersion run lol I would not be surprised at all. they are the fare most likely to keel over, you'll smell it in 2 days after rehydration if so. then it'll cure out, the bac remained the whole time, we wait for overcoming to stop.

 

[loweryphil]

I don't understand?

 

[ApoIsland]

I don't understand?

Brandon says it is very likely you will have some stars and pods survive that 48 hours. I agree.

He is also explaining the rationale behind circulating the rock in a separate container for a few days before introducing to your main tank. There will be a lot of things that have died on that rock and it will fowl the water quickly (within 2-3 days). At that time you drain all the water from the holding tank and let it circulate in new water for a few more days. Most of the benefical bactiera will survive being exposed to air for 48 hours and you will have great rock going into your tank after the curing process necessary for all the stuff that died in transit.

 

[loweryphil]

Brandon says it is very likely you will have some stars and pods survive that 48 hours. I agree.

He is also explaining the rationale behind circulating the rock in a separate container for a few days before introducing to your main tank. There will be a lot of things that have died on that rock and it will fowl the water quickly (within 2-3 days). At that time you drain all the water from the holding tank and let it circulate in new water for a few more days. Most of the benefical bactiera will survive being exposed to air for 48 hours and you will have great rock going into your tank after the curing process necessary for all the stuff that died in transit.

Thank you for your explanation. However if this is a brand new set up, new sand new rock etc. Will the curing be necessary? Or could this be cycled in the tank?

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

My live rock survived 5 days in boxes in plastic bags covered with only wet newspaper.

 

[brandon429]

yes in tank is nice convenience, mainly you're watching for castings and detritus pilings, ghostly things waving off the live rock attachments, be hose siphoning all that off if applic. in tank is great I bet it wont be that bad at all really. a 2 day activity if that / smell is a big indicator, and water clouding

pretty much any non seneye kit you use to discern ammonia can mislead, so dont think a six week cycle is coming if this is all non seneye readings. mainly you can trust it will work, be busy in guided export, and watch for signs of clarity and sniff test passed, after a few days submersion

please do not inhale directly from a palythoid who has sat in the air three days.

I know you will not.

but in 2036 some reefer is going to read this, and bring rock right up to nose. Im talking philtrum pressed into a colony of toxins, lets dont. sniff carefully lol

 

[DeniseAndy]

I would do it in a separate container at least for the first couple day die off. Could be nasty and you do not want that in your new tank. You can do it, but I wouldn't. I would then after a few days and no nasty die off, add to tank. It should be cycled good and ready for cuc, corals, etc.

Only other thing to consider is critters you do not want in your system. However, since it is a new set up, you can monitor that in tank while you wait for decisions on other inhabitants.

 

[Marc2952]

I had some live rock posted to me, but they came wAY earlier than expected. I can't pick it up until tomorrow now. It will have been out of water for about 39 hours. Will it be ruined? No freebies etc as I presume they'll all die and the bacteria?

I wouldnt risk it, i left mines outside for 24 hours as i was trying to rescape my tank with e marco cement. 2 weeks after i put it back in the tank i started to get a mean case of dinos. My guess is that not all the bacteria dies but most of them do.

 

[Conrad Noto]

Ah I hope so, I was hoping for star fish and shrimp etc maybe corals, but I guess that's a no go now? This will be added to a brand new set up with cured live rock, and atm collony added, does the same still apply?

If you don't have fish, coral or inverts in tank, you can put it directly into tank. Will most likely cause re-cycle. Don't add anything alive til fully re-cycled.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

If you don't have fish, coral or inverts in tank, you can put it directly into tank. Will most likely cause re-cycle. Don't add anything alive til fully re-cycled.

This is what I did.

 

[loweryphil]

I do have 4 fish, but I plan on adding live sand and ATM collony, in my understanding this instantly cycles the tank and rock?

 

[Conrad Noto]

I do have 4 fish, but I plan on adding live sand and ATM collony, in my understanding this instantly cycles the tank and rock?

False, there will be die off from live rock, will spike, but ATM will help. Why however would you be adding live sand after fish, should have gone in before, that has die off too. What kind/size fish? How big is tank? If something hardy they might make it.

 

[loweryphil]

False, there will be die off from live rock, will spike, but ATM will help. Why however would you be adding live sand after fish, should have gone in before, that has die off too. What kind/size fish? How big is tank? If something hardy they might make it.

No the fish are in a holding tank at the minute with my old live rock. I have 30kg of dead rock curing for 7 weeks now also, I'll be mixing the salt in the empty tank 5ft 525L bringing up to temperature l, adding the sand then rock, then fish. I might add the additional live rock that I'm waiting on to the vat to cure as it will take a while to fill with RO.

 

[loweryphil]

No the fish are in a holding tank at the minute with my old live rock. I have 30kg of dead rock curing for 7 weeks now also, I'll be mixing the salt in the empty tank 5ft 525L bringing up to temperature l, adding the sand then rock, then fish. I might add the additional live rock that I'm waiting on to the vat to cure as it will take a while to fill with RO.

3 clowns been in a group for 5 years and a regal tang.