How to use old live rock

[scoopsthedog]

Friend has several pounds of live rock that was literally sitting outside on a deck in the elements for several months. Do I have to / should I boil before using? How long? Thanks!

 

[dbl]

You may already know this, but please, never literally boil live rock.

My suggestion is to give it a bleach, or better yet, a muratic acid bath. Acid scares some folks so vinegar works also. Let the rocks soak for a while, rinse extremely well, and let them dry in the sun for a few days. Now you have clean rock. Side note...if you use the acid, gloves and glasses are required. The stuff is nasty, but works great.

Next suggestion is to "cure" the rock by putting it in a container with saltwater, a powerhead and a heater, if needed. Let it do its thing for a month or two. If you're using the rock in a new build, you can just use it right away knowing it may take longer to cycle the tank. My $.02 anyway.

 

[bratliff]

Don't boil it. Just get a rubber maid container big enough to hold it all, fill it with water from the garden hose (do this outside) and then pour in some bleach. Let it sit for 24 hours. Drain the water, rinse the rocks off and pit them back in the tub. Fill it up again and this time add some Prime to it. Let it sit for another 24 hours. Drain and rinse and your ready to cure it, or use it.

 

[Ksturg]

Are you using it in an already established tank? If so I would go against bleaching it just rinse it with hot water and put it in a separate tank to cure. If it's a new build rinse it with hot water throw in the tank and cure the rock as tank cycles. I got 200 lbs of dead live rock and rinsed it out it in the new tank and waited.

 

[scoopsthedog]

Thanks for the suggestions. It's not a new build want to actually add a few rocks to the sump and take back and forth to the display as a carrier of pods I'm breeding in there. So even if I kill everything with bleach I still want to cure it for a month?

 

[Ksturg]

IMO yes you would still want to that way you are positive you got all the bleach out. I'm not a fan of bleach cause it could still possibly leech out and cause problems. But if you are gonna cure it anyway why take the chance with bleach?

 

[RDA]

Following along for answers. In similar fashion, I am looking at rock for my new tank that I go pick up on Monday. Looking at dry rock due to the price point vs live rock at the local stores. I've been doing all the research and seen all of the same answers as above. Just trying to decide how I want to tackle it. Curious to know what you end up doing.

 

[Ksturg]

Following along for answers. In similar fashion, I am looking at rock for my new tank that I go pick up on Monday. Looking at dry rock due to the price point vs live rock at the local stores. I've been doing all the research and seen all of the same answers as above. Just trying to decide how I want to tackle it. Curious to know what you end up doing.

Dry rock is a good way to go it's cheaper you don't have to worry about unwanted hitchhikers hiding in the rock. But it will take a lot longer to cycle your tank cause you will be curing it as the tank cycles. Plus with dry rock you will probably have to dose with ammonia to kick start the cycling process. It will eventually turn into live rock though. Starting off with live rock will cycle your tank faster but you could start off with unwanted critters in the tank. It is a bit more expensive but and even if you get unwanted stuff you are also starting with the good bacteria you need as well. You also might get some cool stuff that you won't have to buy later. It's all about personal preference and how much you want to spend. I used dead live rock and my tank took 4 months to cycle and cure rock I was ok with it because I was really in no hurry. If you are new to saltwater the key is patience patience patience don't rush things.

 

[scoopsthedog]

Dry rock is a good way to go it's cheaper you don't have to worry about unwanted hitchhikers hiding in the rock. But it will take a lot longer to cycle your tank cause you will be curing it as the tank cycles. Plus with dry rock you will probably have to dose with ammonia to kick start the cycling process. It will eventually turn into live rock though. Starting off with live rock will cycle your tank faster but you could start off with unwanted critters in the tank. It is a bit more expensive but and even if you get unwanted stuff you are also starting with the good bacteria you need as well. You also might get some cool stuff that you won't have to buy later. It's all about personal preference and how much you want to spend. I used dead live rock and my tank took 4 months to cycle and cure rock I was ok with it because I was really in no hurry. If you are new to saltwater the key is patience patience patience don't rush things.

So if I have dry rock and throw into my tank I should have to cure it as it won't cause an spike in Ammonia correct?

 

[Ksturg]

In theory yes you should be able to without an ammonia spike but anything can happen and I wouldn't chance it if it was me. I would cure them outside of the tank if it's not a new setup.

 

[Scarlette]

So I literally just had the same thing happen to me, I put it in a 20 gallon, cycled it for a month.. Did 2 water changes and popped it in my tank and haven't had an issue!

 

[Ksturg]

If it was once live rock but has set out and dried you will need to cycle it before you put it in. There will still be carcasses from bristleworms and other things that will be in crevices that you can't get to. That will rehydrate like mine did then decay and start a cycle.