Dead Live Rock

Mr Smiley · 09/26/2010, 12:19 PM

I am curious to know if i buy 400 lbs of reef savers rock from BRS, will 40lbs make it live rock by the end of a cycle? Ive read a post where it was stated that dead rock will never be live rock.

jeff@zina.com · 09/26/2010, 12:28 PM

Any rock left in an environment conducive to the growth of various flora and fauna will eventually become live. The more live rock to dead rock you have, the quicker it happens.

Jeff

Mr Smiley · 09/26/2010, 01:10 PM

So eventually all the rock will be live. No matter how it started.

shifty51008 · 09/26/2010, 01:14 PM

IMO if you start out with dead rock only with just a dead shrimp to start the cycle then it don't become live rock but can still sustain filtration.

adding real live rock to your dead rock will turn your dead rock into LR in time. as stated the more LR added the faster it happens

drnihili · 09/26/2010, 02:46 PM

Live Rock is just rock with biological filtration organisms and other stuff growing on it. All rock will eventually become live. Ideally, you want rock that is porous and has a lot of surface area per volume. Mined ancient reef, such as reef saver, is excellent. I just added a bunch to my tank.

However, the more live rock you start with, the quicker your dead rock will become live, and the greater the variety of organisms you'll have. You can buy a few pieces of live rock, preferably from different sources to increase variety, or maybe borrow some rubble from a friend's sump. Another alternative is to buy something like Garf Grunge (that's the brand I use, but there are lots of others.) That will come with an assortment of tiny critters, coraline, etc.

09/26/2010, 12:19 PM	#1
Mr Smiley Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Columbus, In Posts: 139	Dead Live Rock I am curious to know if i buy 400 lbs of reef savers rock from BRS, will 40lbs make it live rock by the end of a cycle? Ive read a post where it was stated that dead rock will never be live rock.

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09/26/2010, 12:28 PM	#2
jeff@zina.com Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Naples, FL Posts: 3,345	Any rock left in an environment conducive to the growth of various flora and fauna will eventually become live. The more live rock to dead rock you have, the quicker it happens. Jeff

09/26/2010, 01:10 PM	#3
Mr Smiley Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Columbus, In Posts: 139	So eventually all the rock will be live. No matter how it started.

09/26/2010, 01:14 PM	#4
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	IMO if you start out with dead rock only with just a dead shrimp to start the cycle then it don't become live rock but can still sustain filtration. adding real live rock to your dead rock will turn your dead rock into LR in time. as stated the more LR added the faster it happens

09/26/2010, 02:46 PM	#5
drnihili Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 172	Live Rock is just rock with biological filtration organisms and other stuff growing on it. All rock will eventually become live. Ideally, you want rock that is porous and has a lot of surface area per volume. Mined ancient reef, such as reef saver, is excellent. I just added a bunch to my tank. However, the more live rock you start with, the quicker your dead rock will become live, and the greater the variety of organisms you'll have. You can buy a few pieces of live rock, preferably from different sources to increase variety, or maybe borrow some rubble from a friend's sump. Another alternative is to buy something like Garf Grunge (that's the brand I use, but there are lots of others.) That will come with an assortment of tiny critters, coraline, etc.