Can I dry nice live rock out and then re-use a month from now??

kielty · 11/06/2007, 01:35 PM

Took down the 30 gallon that I'm turning into a sump and it was
full of nice live rock. Put it in a tote and want to re-introduce into
a 110 gallon with lots of older (7 year old) live rock.
Any problems with this???

Probably 20 lbs of the dried out stuff to 100 lbs of rock that
will stay wet and go straight into the 110 (upgrading from the 90)

Thanks all.

Cheers,
Kielty

gjh289 · 11/06/2007, 01:45 PM

The problems with doing this is that all the "live stuff" on the live rock will die off. If you don't properly clean off the rock before entering into your 110 then you are only going to introducing a lot of dead organisms ultimately messing up your water parameters.

sruiz · 11/06/2007, 01:48 PM

I think youre mistake was drying the rock. You should have kept in a countainer with a power head and a heater. but i guess its too late now. There should be no proble with adding your base rock with the live rock. Just make sure to scrub it, who knows what it has on it now that is has been sitting out. It should tak some time but sooner or later it should start growing some life again.

sruiz · 11/06/2007, 01:50 PM

Took down or Take Down??? Have you done it yet, if not don't let it dry.

kielty · 11/06/2007, 01:51 PM

Figured it wasn't the best way to go but my 90 is full to the top
with LR and I have another 50 Gallon full of rock so maybe best
not to use this dried rock at all. Thought if I used it as base rock
I wouldn't run into too much trouble. Thks for the input.

bertoni · 11/06/2007, 03:52 PM

It'll be okay as base rock, although it might have a bit more organic debris. A good rinse might help. Lots of people reuse dried live rock.

seapug · 11/06/2007, 03:52 PM

it's fine. I used a few pieces of old, dried live rock I had in my garage for 5 months when I set up my last tank. It started to grow corraline algae within 2 weeks of being put in the tank with new live rock.

jake32010 · 11/06/2007, 04:25 PM

your live rock may die

J-Burns · 11/06/2007, 04:45 PM

Rock is not alive, live rock just has live organisms and bacteria. Adding your dry rock will not hurt anything- in time it will become recolinized with the same critters that is on your live rock now.

H2OLUVSME · 11/06/2007, 06:05 PM

I had a friend give me about 100 pounds of dry rock. Ive got it in a trash can in my garage with a couple pieces of live rubble. I will be using it in a couple of months in my 180. I will also be adding a 100 pounds or so of LR, but it will spend a little time in a trash can between tanks as well. I dont plan on putting any animals in the tank until water is nice and stable. If you do the same everything will be fine.

11/06/2007, 01:35 PM	#1
kielty Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Sarnia, Ontario Posts: 105	Can I dry nice live rock out and then re-use a month from now?? Took down the 30 gallon that I'm turning into a sump and it was full of nice live rock. Put it in a tote and want to re-introduce into a 110 gallon with lots of older (7 year old) live rock. Any problems with this??? Probably 20 lbs of the dried out stuff to 100 lbs of rock that will stay wet and go straight into the 110 (upgrading from the 90) Thanks all. Cheers, Kielty

11/06/2007, 01:45 PM	#2
gjh289 1* Join Date: May 2005 Location: Port St Lucie, Florida Posts: 388	The problems with doing this is that all the "live stuff" on the live rock will die off. If you don't properly clean off the rock before entering into your 110 then you are only going to introducing a lot of dead organisms ultimately messing up your water parameters. __________________ IF YOU CAN'T STAND BEHIND OUR TROOPS FEEL FREE TO STAND IN FRONT OF THEM! Current Tank Info: 150 Reef, 55 g sump/refuge with 50g Frag tank

11/06/2007, 01:48 PM	#3
sruiz Reef'R Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Searching... Posts: 1,381	I think youre mistake was drying the rock. You should have kept in a countainer with a power head and a heater. but i guess its too late now. There should be no proble with adding your base rock with the live rock. Just make sure to scrub it, who knows what it has on it now that is has been sitting out. It should tak some time but sooner or later it should start growing some life again. __________________ Don't forget your water change.

11/06/2007, 01:50 PM	#4
sruiz Reef'R Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Searching... Posts: 1,381	Took down or Take Down??? Have you done it yet, if not don't let it dry. __________________ Don't forget your water change.

11/06/2007, 03:52 PM	#6
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	It'll be okay as base rock, although it might have a bit more organic debris. A good rinse might help. Lots of people reuse dried live rock. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

11/06/2007, 01:51 PM	#5
kielty Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Sarnia, Ontario Posts: 105	Figured it wasn't the best way to go but my 90 is full to the top with LR and I have another 50 Gallon full of rock so maybe best not to use this dried rock at all. Thought if I used it as base rock I wouldn't run into too much trouble. Thks for the input.

11/06/2007, 03:52 PM	#7
seapug Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: 4980 ft. Posts: 7,954 Blog Entries: 1	it's fine. I used a few pieces of old, dried live rock I had in my garage for 5 months when I set up my last tank. It started to grow corraline algae within 2 weeks of being put in the tank with new live rock. __________________ insert clever saying here. Current Tank Info: 200 gallon custom Marineland DD peninsular tank. LPS dominated mixed reef. Previous 90 gallon mixed reef TOTM April 2009.

11/06/2007, 04:25 PM	#8
jake32010 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Stuart, Florida Posts: 162	your live rock may die __________________ "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new."---Albert Einstein A great dyslexic like me! Current Tank Info: 46 gallon bowfront

11/06/2007, 04:45 PM	#9
J-Burns Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Charleston, WV Posts: 235	Rock is not alive, live rock just has live organisms and bacteria. Adding your dry rock will not hurt anything- in time it will become recolinized with the same critters that is on your live rock now.

11/06/2007, 06:05 PM	#10
H2OLUVSME Premium Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: MYRTLE BEACH, SC Posts: 5,048	I had a friend give me about 100 pounds of dry rock. Ive got it in a trash can in my garage with a couple pieces of live rubble. I will be using it in a couple of months in my 180. I will also be adding a 100 pounds or so of LR, but it will spend a little time in a trash can between tanks as well. I dont plan on putting any animals in the tank until water is nice and stable. If you do the same everything will be fine. __________________ Landon