Change your Dry Rock

[Simon Cushing]

Hi all,
Having the Caribsea life Rock for around 5yrs now, I feel I need to change due to the Fact that my Nitrates have risen to around 30/40 ppm. The life Rock is now crumbling and I'm pretty sure that it's bound up with Nitrates and phosphate. Would this be a good time to change the old for new Rock? Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Many thanks.
My cube is 60g with sump.
My parameters are ok except for Nitrates.
I mainly keep soft corals but would love to try my hand at LPS / SPS

 

[bluprntguy]

Aragonite based “man made” rock often has the crumbling problem after a few years. That sounds like an issue for you.

You could probably resolve the nitrate issue with carbon dosing, but the crumbling issue would suggest it should just be replaced.

You may want to look at Marco Rock. It’s a natural rock that is mined from land. Has all the benefits of the Caribsea rock you have, but should last longer.

 

[Simon Cushing]

Aragonite based “man made” rock often has the crumbling problem after a few years. That sounds like an issue for you.

You could probably resolve the nitrate issue with carbon dosing, but the crumbling issue would suggest it should just be replaced.

You may want to look at Marco Rock. It’s a natural rock that is mined from land. Has all the benefits of the Caribsea rock you have, but should last longer.

Thanks very much for your constructive info I have around 40lbs of rock and I have noticed that apart from the purple Caroline algae, some pieces of rock have turned white in parts with it comes the crumbling issue like in powder form, so therefore.... as you have suggested...I have of the same opinion to replace it.
I would need to look online with regards to the Marco Rock to see if it's obtainable here in the U.K.
As for The Nitrates I can live with that percentage as I have tried countless ways to bring it down, to some degree I've had it down to 20, but on the bright side the corals are doing very well as are the fish.
Thank you..and big up

 

[cracker]

May I suggest soaking this new rock in nsw for a few weeks & testing for nutrients . I have found this type of rock to have a lot of N03 , Po4 in it. Not just Marco But all rock mined from land.

 

[Mastiffsrule]

How is you evening going.

Cracker is on to something as usual. Only thing I could add is when it’s time, swap one with for one to give time for the new rock have time to build up its bacteria. No rush since the rock you have in the tank has been there a long time. Slow transition should make swap unnoticeable

 

[Simon Cushing]

How is you evening going.

Cracker is on to something as usual. Only thing I could add is when it’s time, swap one with for one to give time for the new rock have time to build up its bacteria. No rush since the rock you have in the tank has been there a long time. Slow transition should make swap unnoticeable

Thank you,
I am very well, you are quite right with your suggestion, like when I first started into this hobby I decided on the Caribsea life Rock as opposed to live Rock due to keeping uninvited pests that comes with live! My point is that with the Caribsea I allowed my 60g cube to build up the bacteria needed over a period of six weeks plus I did soak the rock before I placed into the cube.
So plan to do the same again in principle.

 

[Simon Cushing]

May I suggest soaking this new rock in nsw for a few weeks & testing for nutrients . I have found this type of rock to have a lot of N03 , Po4 in it. Not just Marco But all rock mined from land.

Thank you Cracker,
As I've posted I plan to soak the new rock for at least a few weeks as I did when first started into this hobby. Thank you for all your comments and contribution.

 

[Robert McCreary]

same issue I have, I put my main base rocks in two 5 gallon buckets overnight with heaters and wave maker and my nitrates went up. so what im going to do is find someone with a band saw so I can cut parts of the rock off so I don't have to frag any incrusting lps, and sps.