Can I keep live rock alive without water changes?

roper512 · 03/20/2006, 09:02 PM

Hey guys, I got some Cured Premium Aquatics Marshall live rock several weeks ago and it's been stewing in my 32gallon brute container with a deltec protein skimmer and Tunze 6000 for circulation..

RO/DI water, 1.025-1.026 salinity, top off direct from RO/DI every couple days..

I have not done any water changes, is this okay? Will the rock stay "live" this way? I was planning on using the live rock in my tank sooner than this but unfortunately due to technical difficulties with my light I have had to postpone setting up the tank. So the rock may have to stay in the container for several more weeks.

Thanks!

TCU Reefer · 03/20/2006, 09:09 PM

It will still stay live. The critters should be okay and the bacteria on the rock will be okay as well. I'm sure there's tons of people here that never change their water in their tanks and their rock is still live. Make sure you have a heater in there.

scrmbld33 · 03/20/2006, 09:11 PM

some water changes would be best, but having the skimmer helps out quite a bit, i would say youd be ok if you didnt change it

Swanwillow · 03/20/2006, 09:17 PM

it sounds like your cooking your rock: you'll come out with bacteria, and maybe some coralline... Not many hitchhikers can live through the ammonia spikes that the tub o rocks is going though, and NO macro will live through no lighting...

Daddie05 · 01/03/2015, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swanwillow

it sounds like your cooking your rock: you'll come out with bacteria, and maybe some coralline... Not many hitchhikers can live through the ammonia spikes that the tub o rocks is going though, and NO macro will live through no lighting...

I am glad to hear that hitch hikers will have a hard time living.

FraggledRock · 01/03/2015, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daddie05

I am glad to hear that hitch hikers will have a hard time living.

Some hitchhikers can be beneficial...

Azedenkae · 01/03/2015, 08:44 PM

Basically as everyone said, you can definitely keep the live rock alive, but not everything on it will survive.

You really don't want a skimmer unless parameters are way off. Since you are basically 'cooking' the rocks you'd want the dead matter to remain around, feeding the microbes and other organisms there, not being sucked out.

Daddie05 · 01/03/2015, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FraggledRock

Some hitchhikers can be beneficial...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azedenkae

Basically as everyone said, you can definitely keep the live rock alive, but not everything on it will survive.

You really don't want a skimmer unless parameters are way off. Since you are basically 'cooking' the rocks you'd want the dead matter to remain around, feeding the microbes and other organisms there, not being sucked out.

I just wouldn't want some nudibranch/eggs or flatworms in my tank. I just took 3 out that were devouring my ZOA. Thankfully I have a nano upstairs, and the zoa seems to be opening up great.

Would I get a lot of die off with 3 weeks of having live rock with only a power head and a heater?

Teenreefer15 · 01/03/2015, 09:06 PM

depends on wether you have a heater and low nutrients and keep your params in check.

Daddie05 · 01/03/2015, 09:10 PM

I just mixed some fresh RS coral pro salt and all params except salinity (1.023) were in check. I'm gonna check again in an hour and hopefully everything is okay.
By nutrients, do you mean feeding?

Azedenkae · 01/03/2015, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daddie05

I just wouldn't want some nudibranch/eggs or flatworms in my tank. I just took 3 out that were devouring my ZOA. Thankfully I have a nano upstairs, and the zoa seems to be opening up great.

Would I get a lot of die off with 3 weeks of having live rock with only a power head and a heater?

Oh no it's cool, to each their own.

With the hitchhikers stuff.

Yeah you may get quite a bit of die-off (depending on how much life there is in the first place), but in general that is just more food for the microbes.

It's only if you get wayyyyy too much die-off, then that is bad.

Daddie05 · 01/03/2015, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azedenkae

Oh no it's cool, to each their own.

With the hitchhikers stuff.

Yeah you may get quite a bit of die-off (depending on how much life there is in the first place), but in general that is just more food for the microbes.

It's only if you get wayyyyy too much die-off, then that is bad.

Probably only going to have them in the blue tub for a month tops. Then I'll commence to trying to aqua scape.

03/20/2006, 09:02 PM	#1
roper512 Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Detroit suburbs Posts: 393	Can I keep live rock alive without water changes? Hey guys, I got some Cured Premium Aquatics Marshall live rock several weeks ago and it's been stewing in my 32gallon brute container with a deltec protein skimmer and Tunze 6000 for circulation.. RO/DI water, 1.025-1.026 salinity, top off direct from RO/DI every couple days.. I have not done any water changes, is this okay? Will the rock stay "live" this way? I was planning on using the live rock in my tank sooner than this but unfortunately due to technical difficulties with my light I have had to postpone setting up the tank. So the rock may have to stay in the container for several more weeks. Thanks!

03/20/2006, 09:09 PM	#2
TCU Reefer Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 1,044	It will still stay live. The critters should be okay and the bacteria on the rock will be okay as well. I'm sure there's tons of people here that never change their water in their tanks and their rock is still live. Make sure you have a heater in there. __________________ Steve - DFWMAS Member Click on the red house to view my build thread Current Tank Info: 215g starboard SPS in-wall, AC Jr, 3 x 250w MH's, 10k Reeflux, 320w VHO actinics, closed loop w/ Sequence Dart and OM 4-Way, Tunze wavebox, VorTech, 2x modded MJ 1200's, ASM G4 recirc/meshwheel, Geo 618 Ca reactor, custom Melev sump, Mag 9.5 return

03/20/2006, 09:11 PM	#3
scrmbld33 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: south jersey 08050 Posts: 2,394	some water changes would be best, but having the skimmer helps out quite a bit, i would say youd be ok if you didnt change it __________________ a left over shrimp shedding is not "a sicilian message meaning luca brasi sleeps with the fishes" fish are friends, not food Current Tank Info: 90gal salt, 2 250mh 14k hamiltons 2 110 actinic, 127lbs LR,50lbs tonga 70lbs indonesia 7lbs tonga branch asm g3

03/20/2006, 09:17 PM	#4
Swanwillow goby girl Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Bemidji MN Posts: 2,025	it sounds like your cooking your rock: you'll come out with bacteria, and maybe some coralline... Not many hitchhikers can live through the ammonia spikes that the tub o rocks is going though, and NO macro will live through no lighting... __________________ my advice:walk away. do nothing. til tomorrow. if its still alive, it will hopefully be fine. If you do not see it, do not try to find it. it may be hiding. just LEAVE it alone Current Tank Info: starting over! 125 gallon. Soon to be home to Blackfoot clowns, A. nigripes

01/03/2015, 08:44 PM	#7
Azedenkae Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1,196	Basically as everyone said, you can definitely keep the live rock alive, but not everything on it will survive. You really don't want a skimmer unless parameters are way off. Since you are basically 'cooking' the rocks you'd want the dead matter to remain around, feeding the microbes and other organisms there, not being sucked out.

01/03/2015, 09:06 PM	#9
Teenreefer15 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: New Jersey Posts: 479	depends on wether you have a heater and low nutrients and keep your params in check.

01/03/2015, 09:10 PM	#10
Daddie05 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 53	I just mixed some fresh RS coral pro salt and all params except salinity (1.023) were in check. I'm gonna check again in an hour and hopefully everything is okay. By nutrients, do you mean feeding?