I just purchased about 300/350 lbs of live rock at a crazy price. And I want you guys thoughts. The person had the rocks sitting in a tank for about 6 months with a power head running the whole time. It was his display setup. He just removed the live stock and kept the rock in the tank. No filter. Should I cure it for a few weeks or just add it to the tank as it’s been in water the entire time. I tested his ammonia at zero but his nitrates were around 40ppm. I’ve put the rock in a a trash bin and a few tanks with water/heat/circulation until I figure out what to do. So far after 24hr the ammonia is at zero and nitrates are at 12. What are you guys recommendations?
New live rock help
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VtecGuy88
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If it was me I would cure it but that's just me and I'm pretty particular about things I'm comfortable with. Honestly if you know the guy and trust him quite a bit I wouldn't worry about it but unless you know the guy personally I would do the safe thing. I'm not trying to be mean here but you never know what other people are thinking and sadly more times than not you don't get the whole story. IMO its not worth crashing a tank over.
Very very true. I have a large system and only put in about 15lbs in the display as I couldn’t fit it all in the curing tanks. Curing the rest. Don’t know the seller personally but just know for a fact the rocks have been sitting in water for 6 months
No bacteria dies while in holding, so that part is good. No feeding is req to keep the bac, only water, live rock has nutrient stores to feed bac forever if kept hydrated, until the rock dissolves away I guess. Live rock is permanent bac feed inherent.
Use it just my opinion. Post pics of it. Six months in a bin before you is curing. Shake some about in a clean white bucket, shaken hard, then set the rock in the test bucket for two hours and see how much detritus it exudes as further testing for the lot
Use it just my opinion. Post pics of it. Six months in a bin before you is curing. Shake some about in a clean white bucket, shaken hard, then set the rock in the test bucket for two hours and see how much detritus it exudes as further testing for the lot
Nice
What about associates: pods starfish worms, are there any at the tank bottom areas or anything like fanworms open and attached to rock? Those have nice coloration and aren't infested like some we've seen, I'm trying to eliminate hidden issues. So far looks like you got good deal
If there are living motile creatures that helps in verification/no strange meds used etc
The nitrate reading already confirms the bac assumption portion. Most people won't lie harshly about stuff like copper/rocks, most nowadays have dedicated treatment tanks I vote this may be good stuff off pics so far. Later on, put some snails in to see If stay alive
What about associates: pods starfish worms, are there any at the tank bottom areas or anything like fanworms open and attached to rock? Those have nice coloration and aren't infested like some we've seen, I'm trying to eliminate hidden issues. So far looks like you got good deal
If there are living motile creatures that helps in verification/no strange meds used etc
The nitrate reading already confirms the bac assumption portion. Most people won't lie harshly about stuff like copper/rocks, most nowadays have dedicated treatment tanks I vote this may be good stuff off pics so far. Later on, put some snails in to see If stay alive
Six mos of dark sure might have starved them off. That kind of life/death decay cycle of higher life is part of the never ending food source for filtration bac
If you can get snails to live in the rocks and not die that's good confirmation, then in a different holding tank dose those rocks with liquid ammonia to 2 ppm tankwide. Test in 24 hours. If it's moved down markedly from 2 ppm (doesn't have to zero) then that's all the bioconf id use it it was my score. Meaning I'd set up and sell about twenty running vase reefs reefs with that load of good rocks
Any form of ammonia lowering from that high over 24 hours, plus the stated history and coloration, plus the nitrate, plus no rotten smell, able to keep Gastropoda all lines up pretty well.
If you can get snails to live in the rocks and not die that's good confirmation, then in a different holding tank dose those rocks with liquid ammonia to 2 ppm tankwide. Test in 24 hours. If it's moved down markedly from 2 ppm (doesn't have to zero) then that's all the bioconf id use it it was my score. Meaning I'd set up and sell about twenty running vase reefs reefs with that load of good rocks
Any form of ammonia lowering from that high over 24 hours, plus the stated history and coloration, plus the nitrate, plus no rotten smell, able to keep Gastropoda all lines up pretty well.
