Live rock? Is it worth the risk?

[Ls7corvete]

Not to put a cat amongst the pigeons here but I'm an old reefer and back in my day we were told go one way or the other because a mix of seeded/live rock with dry/non cured seeded etc would be pointless because of the amount of phosphates and nitrates that are released from the rocks that were dry going in? Do we just use chemicals to adsorb / absorb these now?

From what I have read, not all dry rock releases nitrate and phosphate. Actually, some think dry rock can bind phosphate over time.

 

[tharbin]

Not to put a cat amongst the pigeons here but I'm an old reefer and back in my day we were told go one way or the other because a mix of seeded/live rock with dry/non cured seeded etc would be pointless because of the amount of phosphates and nitrates that are released from the rocks that were dry going in? Do we just use chemicals to adsorb / absorb these now?

Meow...

Interesting that was our thinking and it probably still applies although it seems we have more techniques for removing nitrates and phosphates today than we had then.

I should have said

Starting with dry rock and using a few seed pieces will end up in the same place.

Starting with dry rock and using a few seed pieces several months later will end up in the same place.

 

[Garf]

Meow...

Interesting that was our thinking and it probably still applies although it seems we have more techniques for removing nitrates and phosphates to day than we had then.

I should have said


Starting with dry rock and using a few seed pieces several months later will end up in the same place.

First time I added live rock to dry rock it took a few years to look the same, tbh.

 

[tharbin]

From what I have read, not all dry rock releases nitrate and phosphate. Actually, some think dry rock can bind phosphate over time.

I believe this is also true. I have not seen any appreciable nitrate or phosphate leeching from my artificial rock (CaribSea Life Rock).

 

[tharbin]

First time I added live rock to dry rock it took a few years to look the same, tbh.

I agree but it does get there, eventually.

 

[Brucealmighty]

I believe this is also true. I have not seen any appreciable nitrate or phosphate leeching from my artificial rock (CaribSea Life Rock).

Isn't that epoxy resin though?

 

[Jubei2006]

So my idea is Ive started with dry rock and sand. When I started the tank I added bottle bacteria, when nitrates appeared I added clean sea lettuce from algae barn. In addition I did two cultures from them of copepods, and have been adding live phytoplankton from them on and off. Im about 7 to 8 months in. Ive had some cyano (mild), cleared out in a month with no treatments. And had a hair algae outbreak, which just cleared up while I was on vacation (also about a month). No panicking, just slow and steady and continued reasonable water changes, decreased feedings if needed, and some increased skimming if needed. Added decent clean up crew (trochus, cerith, and tuxedo urchins) from a clean source. Now that tje new year is started and my wife has goven the go ahead, I'll be setting up a 125 gallon quarantine/coral grow out tank. To start it Im going to get ocean grown live rock overnighted in water, and eventually add that to my established tank tank once the risk of velvet, ich, flukes and such has passed (72 days at least), and had a chance to go through it an removed gorilla crabs, bobbits, or anything of that nature before it goes in the reef. Hope it gives you some ideas. So hopefully best of voth worlds!

 

[Garf]

I agree but it does get there, eventually.

Indeed it does. Happy new year

 

[tharbin]

Isn't that epoxy resin though?

No. It's mined aragonite with aragonite coatings, whatever that is, and "infused" with their AragAlive bacteria. Basically dead rock coated to resemble live rock superficially and some questionably viable dormant bacteria.

 

[Garf]

I believe this is also true. I have not seen any appreciable nitrate or phosphate leeching from my artificial rock (CaribSea Life Rock).

This is also true. On my recent tank I had to dose phosphate, then again I used what we called “ocean rock”, calcite. You take your pick, you take your chances. The only advantage to dry is you can sculp an aquascape to maximize flow and aesthetics. If you think you’re not gonna get pests, ive got news for ya. Lol.

 

[DeniseAndy]

YES! Just make sure to qt it first for hitch hikers you do not want and to prevent disease from being imported.

I put mine in a separate tank for about 3 months. Lights, flow, heat (was not needed as it was summer), water changes, everything normally do for tank.

 

[ScottB]

Not to put a cat amongst the pigeons here but I'm an old reefer and back in my day we were told go one way or the other because a mix of seeded/live rock with dry/non cured seeded etc would be pointless because of the amount of phosphates and nitrates that are released from the rocks that were dry going in? Do we just use chemicals to adsorb / absorb these now?

I tested dry Marco rock for PO4 by soaking in a bin with a pump and some heat for 3 weeks. Hanna ULR: 0.00

Dry, recovered rock from an old system will retain about as much PO4 as it had in the prior system, and yes it will leach out into relatively "cleaner" water. Nitrates don't bind to aragonite the way phosphates do.