Reef Rock Question

Phil413 · Apr 28, 2023

I cycled some rock according to BRS directions. I got this rock from when I bought a second hand tank and decided to try to make something of it. It looks like some of it is like concrete. Can someone tell me if this looks okay?

Saltyreef · Apr 28, 2023

What does that stamped thing say???

Looks like it says liverock on it LOL.

But some of that is funky looking liverock and could be manmade from concrete....

Almost looks like one piece has iron in it...

twentyleagues · Apr 28, 2023

You'd have to break one of the suspected ones open to see for sure. I ordered a carribsea life tree that stated it was real rock well when I got it, it was all broken in the box. That was not 100% real rock it had what looked like pieces of real rock with a lot of concrete (agracrete). I've made agracrete before and as long as its been "soaked" long enough its fine to use in a reef. I just didnt want to deal with all the broken pieces. Curing agracrete is a process of soakng it in regular water to allow the ph influencing effects to stop. Fresh agracrete can jack your ph and alk up really high. The first round of my column I made was something like 25dkh and 14ph. Took about 2 months of changing water a couple times a week to get it to stop increasing the ro water kh and ph. Im sure that what you have is fine and I wouldnt think if it is carribsea or other brands of that type of rock they would sell it with no instructions to take that precaution (my life tree said nothing about having to do that). My shelf background I made took much less time probably because it was much thinner.

Superd513 · Apr 28, 2023

It needs to be pours so the bacteria can grow inside it also.

PigPen84 · Apr 28, 2023

I know some of the “live rock” that Petco sales some of them have that stamp on the bottom

Phil413 · Apr 28, 2023

@Saltyreef Haha ohh nooo I feel really stupid now. Thats exactly what it says. So after cycling it with acid and a bleach wash it has sat in water for a couple days. Do you think it would be fine to use or should I soak it in RO for a while longer? Any other differences between agricrete and live rock?

Saltyreef · Apr 28, 2023

Phil413 said:
@Saltyreef Haha ohh nooo I feel really stupid now. Thats exactly what it says. So after cycling it with acid and a bleach wash it has sat in water for a couple days. Do you think it would be fine to use or should I soak it in RO for a while longer? Any other differences between agricrete and live rock?

Did you use dechlor in the water after bleach? Thats what i would be worried about. Just test for total chlorine in the soak bin.