Seeding live rock?

[montipora]

I found a nasty black sponge on my live rock that I was curing and had to cook it now it's all dead rock. I was wondering if anyone knew of a place that sold critters to help reseed the rock I found a few and talked to the place where I get my culture pods from but wanted to know if anyone had some good links. The sponge I found I have seen in a few other systems and it takes over only to kill the corals as you try to take it out from taking the tank over as well as make you sick and give you a nasty rash so I decided to just cook the rock without taking the chance.

Thanks, Pete

 

[stunreefer Verified Sponsor]

How did you "cook" it?

I cook rock by running it with no light + water changes for an extended period of time, beneficial bacteria remains in tact.

BTW, where do you purchase cultured pods from?

 

[Aquascaper]

One way to "repopulate" cooked rock is to:
clean the container used to cook the rock,
then add live sand, the rock, and a bacterial starter....
circulate this mixture and follow your bacteria starter directions....
once this is done you can add a live culture of pods and speed up the flow just enought to affect a hiding behavior in the culture....
leave for 24hrs-....

 

[Wy Renegade]

If you just add some quality LR to the dead rock (I usually see a ratio of 1:10, LR to DR), that will also see your LR. Takes a little longer than the afore mentioned method.

 

[Troylee]

+1 scopus great advice...

 

[Railrider1920]

You can go to most any LFS (or a friends house) and get some live rock rubble and maybe a cup of sand from an established tank. Put this in with the rock and let it sit. You may have it in a large container outside or in a bucket someplace, but remember to treat it like an aquarium and do water changes on it.