live rock ?

jerl77 · 01/13/2008, 09:59 AM

how long can live rock stay out of water for with killing it?

phenom5 · 01/13/2008, 10:20 AM

Not too long...maybe a day or two if it stays damp, depending on the temp.

jerl77 · 01/13/2008, 10:28 AM

so if i put some in a pail and cover it with a wet towel i will be ok of about 6-8 hours temp will be at room temp 70 degrees.

phenom5 · 01/13/2008, 10:30 AM

Yeah, that's fine.

SaltyDr · 01/13/2008, 10:40 AM

Rock is shipped from far away and is still "live" when it arrives days later. Sure there will be some die off, but the bacteria (the live part of live rock) will survive. The longer it's out, the more die off and you should cure it before putting in the display.

BlazedDiamonds · 01/13/2008, 10:51 AM

Just remember that something ALWAYS dies when it is out of water. The bacteria will live a good while, but the more of anything that dies, the more ammonia will develop. And just a SaltyDr says, you will need to cure it again. The longer it is out, the longer it will take to cure it. If you can, mix some salt water and keep the rock in it with a heater or at a MINIMUM, if you don't have an extra heater, at room temp to help prevent further die off. This container (a rubbermaid or plastic container) can be used to cure it again. Then you can transfer to the tank when ammonia, trites and trates are 0. Hope this helps.

leoslizards · 01/13/2008, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by phenom5
Not too long...maybe a day or two if it stays damp, depending on the temp.

I was afraid of this. Someone gave my uncle a bunch of LR about 5 days ago and I just got it today. It's completely dry on the outside. Is it dead?

I'm gonna go scrub it and get it in water a.s.a.p.

NapoliNewJersey · 01/13/2008, 11:14 AM

You'll have to cure the rock over... it's dead but not 100% dead. It's still better than dry base rock.IMO

Zoophile · 01/13/2008, 11:16 AM

There will be a lot of die-off, but the rock will be okay. I don't like to scrub live rock, but it wouldn't hurt too much in this situation. Just don't be too harsh! Give the rock a short soak in some prepared SW separate from your curing vessel and let all the particulate matter fall off and allow any hitchhikers to poop.

ImprezaSTi · 01/13/2008, 11:18 AM

if its got any algae on it then it is not dead.

phenom5 · 01/13/2008, 11:20 AM

Quote:

There will be a lot of die-off, but the rock will be okay. I don't like to scrub live rock, but it wouldn't hurt too much in this situation. Just don't be too harsh! Give the rock a short soak in some prepared SW separate from your curing vessel and let all the particulate matter fall off and allow any hitchhikers to poop.

I agree with this, although I would give it a good scrub to remove any obviously dead stuff. Then dunk/ swish/ swirl it in a bucket with some SW, then move it into something that is heated, and has lots of flow, and cure it. It should be okay, though I'd watch your ammonia levels, you may have to do some large water changes.

leoslizards · 01/13/2008, 12:25 PM

I already have a 10g tank setup with SW, a heater, and a pump going. Can I use old water from my display tank and use it in the curing tank? I'm thinking I might as well do a water change. There's 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, about 30 nitrate and a lot of phosphate. I don't know how much because I don't have a test for it.

I don't think there's a lot of water movement so I'm going to attach a hob filter without any media or pads to agitate the water. The rock has a lot of dead stuff on it. A couple sponges and what looks to be algae as well as some black stuff that I have no idea what it is. There's some coraline algae still on it.

01/13/2008, 09:59 AM	#1
jerl77 Moved On Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: long island ny Posts: 325	live rock ? how long can live rock stay out of water for with killing it?

01/13/2008, 10:20 AM	#2
phenom5 Unregistered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Arizona Posts: 5,096	Not too long...maybe a day or two if it stays damp, depending on the temp. __________________ Rob Current Tank Info: DSA 155 Pro \| ATI Sunpower \| ATB 840 v2 \| Apex \| Wav

01/13/2008, 10:30 AM	#4
phenom5 Unregistered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Arizona Posts: 5,096	Yeah, that's fine. __________________ Rob Current Tank Info: DSA 155 Pro \| ATI Sunpower \| ATB 840 v2 \| Apex \| Wav

01/13/2008, 10:51 AM	#6
BlazedDiamonds Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Shreveport, LA Posts: 12	Just remember that something ALWAYS dies when it is out of water. The bacteria will live a good while, but the more of anything that dies, the more ammonia will develop. And just a SaltyDr says, you will need to cure it again. The longer it is out, the longer it will take to cure it. If you can, mix some salt water and keep the rock in it with a heater or at a MINIMUM, if you don't have an extra heater, at room temp to help prevent further die off. This container (a rubbermaid or plastic container) can be used to cure it again. Then you can transfer to the tank when ammonia, trites and trates are 0. Hope this helps. __________________ THIS TOO SHALL PASS! Current Tank Info: 45gal, 30 gal, 15gal reef tanks

01/13/2008, 11:14 AM	#8
NapoliNewJersey Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Woodbridge, New Jersey Posts: 69	You'll have to cure the rock over... it's dead but not 100% dead. It's still better than dry base rock.IMO __________________ Mike Scotto - NJRC. Current Tank Info: 120 gallon

01/13/2008, 10:28 AM	#3
jerl77 Moved On Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: long island ny Posts: 325	so if i put some in a pail and cover it with a wet towel i will be ok of about 6-8 hours temp will be at room temp 70 degrees.

01/13/2008, 10:40 AM	#5
SaltyDr Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Southwest Florida Posts: 1,191	Rock is shipped from far away and is still "live" when it arrives days later. Sure there will be some die off, but the bacteria (the live part of live rock) will survive. The longer it's out, the more die off and you should cure it before putting in the display.

01/13/2008, 11:16 AM	#9
Zoophile Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: NC Posts: 168	There will be a lot of die-off, but the rock will be okay. I don't like to scrub live rock, but it wouldn't hurt too much in this situation. Just don't be too harsh! Give the rock a short soak in some prepared SW separate from your curing vessel and let all the particulate matter fall off and allow any hitchhikers to poop.

01/13/2008, 11:18 AM	#10
ImprezaSTi Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 167	if its got any algae on it then it is not dead.

01/13/2008, 12:25 PM	#12
leoslizards Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Miami, FL. Posts: 394	I already have a 10g tank setup with SW, a heater, and a pump going. Can I use old water from my display tank and use it in the curing tank? I'm thinking I might as well do a water change. There's 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, about 30 nitrate and a lot of phosphate. I don't know how much because I don't have a test for it. I don't think there's a lot of water movement so I'm going to attach a hob filter without any media or pads to agitate the water. The rock has a lot of dead stuff on it. A couple sponges and what looks to be algae as well as some black stuff that I have no idea what it is. There's some coraline algae still on it.