Live or dead rock?

[lilduud]

Under what conditions does live rock stay live... I just bought a rubbermaind of rock. It's been outa the main tank for a few months without light which I know is fine, but there's no Heater in with it and he said he took the power head out a few days ago. It didn't smell like dead ocean but it also seeme like it could just be rocks in water. There's almost no coraline and he said it's 8 years old. This is getting sketchier and sketchier. I'm gunna be pissed if I just bought a boat load of dead rock

 

[lilduud]

....? anybody?
btw it is in water and i just put a power head and heater in there to bring it to 80... it was 67 degrees.... there are sommmmeeee parts of coarline but they could be dead from being non circlulated for three days.... my main question is how long can you leave live rock without any circulation.......

 

[little_fish]

You could always test it, put a small amount of ammonium in there and see if it cycles. Or just add a heater and powerhead and monitor the water for die off.

 

[Bifferwine]

As long as it was kept in saltwater, it should still have bacteria on it. But if it was kept cold, with no circulation, and no light, for many months, then I doubt there's anything but bacteria coming with the rock.

 

[lilduud]

As long as it was kept in saltwater, it should still have bacteria on it. But if it was kept cold, with no circulation, and no light, for many months, then I doubt there's anything but bacteria coming with the rock.

Well it's only been lightness for a few months. The circulation got cut two or three days ago. It smells kinda like tank bu not the foul dead ocean smell... It's looking more and mor like it's alive and all I care about is the bacteria being alive. It's all really awesome rock so even if I just bought 200 lbs of base rock then I'll be content. I wa jay gunna by 100 of live rock for 200 and I gotthere and he gave me 100 lb of base rock with it cause he didn't wanna try to sell it by iself.

 

[reeffreak]

The nitrifying bacteria needs oxygen to survive.I can't tell you if three days is too long to run without circulation.If the rocks are cheap enough,it may still be worth it.

 

[dcantucson]

I think if it had died you would have smelled it, unless it had been dead and dry for a long time and he just poured saltwater on it before he went to sell it to you.

 

[lilduud]

I think if it had died you would have smelled it, unless it had been dead and dry for a long time and he just poured saltwater on it before he went to sell it to you.

Yea I considered that... But the the water it's in is the colour of tank water and have a light smell of ocean just not dead ocean

 

[lilduud]

so just tested the water that its been in.. its salinty is about 1.028, nitrates are 20, amonnia between zero and .25
i guess it could be alive but its almost white... theres soooommmee spots of purple but like 2 or 3 in the entire 100 pounds... it also doesnt smell at all.... i think ill just get a couple piece of live rock at my lfs and put them in there with the rest to make sure its got some bacteria... i havent seen any creatures at all... no fanworms no pods no hitch hikers...

 

[Rcpilot]

It's fine. Stop worrying.

I would say that it's still very alive. A couple days without circulation isn't going to deplete the o2 enough to kill the bacteria. They don't need that much o2 and a rubbermaid container full of water has more than enough to supply those tiny little bacteria for a couple days.

I think you got yourself a bucket full of some really clean rock. I also think one of the worse things you could do to yourself right now - would be to buy live rock from the LFS and mix it in. All it takes is one nasty little hitch hiker on that rock from the LFS and you're screwed.

You keep mentioning that is has very little coraline algae. So? :shock: It's been out of the light for at least 2 or 3 months. The coraline is all dead. EVERYTHING is dead. Except for the nitrifying bacteria. It'll grow coraline back as soon as you expose it to light and some nutrients.

:Cheers:

 

[lilduud]

ok ok haha. do you think it would be ok to put some into my ten gallon? ill be taking a 7 lb piece out soon and i want to replace it. theres a bunch of softies attached to it and its gotta go.