How To Convert Dead Rock(base rock) to Live Rock

Max2000 · May 13, 2009

I was thinking of starting to convert some dead rock to live rock in order to save some money on the reef build. I have a ruff idea but wondering what kind of equipment i should use. was going to use a big toy box and create some sort of lighting rig with T5s. Need some inputs:nerd: planing to do about 100LBs worth of dead rock with maybe 10-20LBs of LR. How long would this take

oh: heard 2-3 months i can wait that long

SaraB · May 13, 2009

All I did was wash off the dead rock with a hose real well, threw it all into a large Brute garbage can with my standard mixed saltwater using R/O and added a few pieces of liverock to seed it. For filtration I added 2 maxi-jets and a canister filter filled with carbon and phosphate remover. Granted I let it cook for 7 months, but I had planned on using it much earlier than that! When added to the tank it never cycled at all. I also did not use any lighting.

NVTE · May 13, 2009

If you want to dead rock with little LR for new tank. just cure it for about a month with powerhead, skimmer, light and, then test the water parameter. Your water parameter can tell you that your rock is good or not.
I am setting my tank with Most dead rock and couple live rock. It is fine now and ready for corals.

Max2000 · May 13, 2009

SaraB since you did not use any lighting is that why ur dead rock took longer to turn to Live rock. NVTE does ur rock got Coraline algae on it yet? but within 1 month thats pretty fast. Was the canister filter nesscessary?

roshi719 · May 13, 2009

Are you trying to turn it into live rock, or get it covered in coraline algae? Cuz that's two totally separate things.

SaraB · May 13, 2009

Max2000 said:
SaraB since you did not use any lighting is that why ur dead rock took longer to turn to Live rock. NVTE does ur rock got Coraline algae on it yet? but within 1 month thats pretty fast. Was the canister filter nesscessary?

I don't think lighting plays into it much for how long it takes to become liverock in my opinion.

After a couple of months under the lights, it is growing coralline now, but that is not the determination of dead vs. live rock.

Yes, I think the canister filter is needed as there is plenty of dead stuff on the dead rock that will not be able to be blown off by the spray of water. You need to filter that out some how. I didn't have a spare skimmer, so a canister filter fit the bill for me.

Max2000 · May 13, 2009

roshi i am trying to do both but i need LR first right?

roshi719 · May 13, 2009

Correct. I would just do like sara said and cure it with some live rock in a brute can for a couple months. Once you get it in the tank under the lights, the coraline wil come quick enough.

Max2000 · May 13, 2009

how long does this proccess take i am going to need it cured in about 3-4months from now. expecting it to be 80% cured?

NVTE · May 13, 2009

No, I don't have Coralline Algae in my tank yet. The water parameter is good. Beside I don't like Coralline Algae that much. Even some of my other tank's live rock(which transferred from 1.5 years old tank) don't have much coralline . I like the clean look without coralline in the back.

roshi719 · May 13, 2009

Max2000 said:
how long does this proccess take i am going to need it cured in about 3-4months from now. expecting it to be 80% cured?

As long as you put a skimmer on it that should be no problem. If you want to speed it up a bit you can do a 10% WC on the can once a week.

Gimili the Great · May 13, 2009

can you just clean up the the base rock and put it in the tank with some already established LR?

kateater · May 13, 2009

When people talk about live rock most are confused. The LIVE in live rock is talking about the bacteria not on the rock (which dies off in shipping thats the reason for the ammonia spikes)but deep in the rock. To make true live rock would take years to have a major impact on biological filtration. Now if your talking about curing dried rock than a few weeks would be fine. Run the temperature a little high, skim like crazy, and heavy flow. Test water ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite when all 0 done.

Max2000 · May 13, 2009

rocks from that website are dried LR right? http://www.marcorocks.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=18

Gimili the Great · May 13, 2009

kateater said:
When people talk about live rock most are confused. The LIVE in live rock is talking about the bacteria not on the rock (which dies off in shipping thats the reason for the ammonia spikes)but deep in the rock. To make true live rock would take years to have a major impact on biological filtration. Now if your talking about curing dried rock than a few weeks would be fine. Run the temperature a little high, skim like crazy, and heavy flow. Test water ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite when all 0 done.

live doesnt just mean the bacteria it also means the little animals living in the rock as well, rock is in inanimate object not capable of having life in its self.

i guess what i was referring to was simply taking the base rock and putting it in the tank with some rock from an established tank either from a fellow reefer near by or if the OP owns another reef tank a piece or three from that tank.

kateater · May 13, 2009

Marco signature is dried LR and takes awhile to cure but well worth it. Deco rock is not its a product of US and COULD be placed directly in display tank after a good rinse. I would still cure the deco for a week or so to make sure.

kateater · May 13, 2009

Gimili the Great said:
live doesnt just mean the bacteria it also means the little animals living in the rock as well, rock is in inanimate object not capable of having life in its self.

i guess what i was referring to was simply taking the base rock and putting it in the tank with some rock from an established tank either from a fellow reefer near by or if the OP owns another reef tank a piece or three from that tank.

If your using rock for your primary filter it is talking about the bacteria in the rock. (anaerobic bacteria) The hitchhikers that are found is a bonus and sometimes a nuisance.

Max2000 · May 13, 2009

ok so the rock from marco base rock website is dead coral or cement, what is it when people talk about fiji dry rock i know its dead corals or is it just aragonated rock im confused >_<. Whats the diffrence if i used Fiji Dead rock or Marcos Dead rock ??? LR is going to be my primary filtration

kateater · May 13, 2009

Marco rock is not cement. Fiji dry rock was live rock at one time. It may have been broken off the reef and collected on shore or harvested and aloud to dry out for some reason. Most of the time cement rock is called cultured live rock. Which is allowed to cure in the ocean or a holding tank. You can also make your own rock called aragocrete.http://www.garf.org/class.html Its not hard but does take some time to cure.

kfennell · May 14, 2009

kateater said:
Marco rock is not cement. Fiji dry rock was live rock at one time. It may have been broken off the reef and collected on shore or harvested and aloud to dry out for some reason. Most of the time cement rock is called cultured live rock. Which is allowed to cure in the ocean or a holding tank. You can also make your own rock called aragocrete.http://www.garf.org/class.html Its not hard but does take some time to cure.

Im sure that the for some reason is so that it ships lighter and less stinky