Dead Rock to live rock?

[snobanker]

When I originally set up my tank as an FO I used some "dead rock" from my LFS for the aquascaping. This is the way it was for about a year. I then added a bunch of LR right on top of the DRto make it a FOWLR. I have tons of pods in my tank, and I see them crawling all over the DR and LR at night. I read about how people can revive LR that has been in the air and dried out. Is it also possible for the DR to become LR? I guess I'm wondering if I can consider my old DR to be LR now? I've got to imagine it is covered in bacteria ect. It is pretty porous stuff too.

 

[Witfull]

dead rock will become "live" in a matter of weeks once bacteria and life finds it. to become "true live rock" give it a good 6 months. it will have a strong anerobic zone deep inside.

so what you have in your tank is "live rock".

 

[Ritsuko Nashida]

Put a couple of pieces of live rock in there and it most definitely will be come live rock. But to be honest while bacteria will colonize it fairly quickly it will be a while before the coralline agale starts making it look like "real" live rock. By about 6 months it should start looking pretty nice and in about a year you shouldnt be able to tell the difference.

A lot of the rock I have is DIY rock and I did have a good bit of "dead" rock. A year later and its looking really nice and most wouldnt know the difference and are shocked when they find out.

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Ditto here! I use dead/base rock all the time to replace LR that has been colonized by my soft corals that I give away or get credit at the LFS. Within months it has bacteria, soft corals, and coraline algea all over it and you can't tell the difference. Best thing is no aiptasia can come on dead/base rock!

 

[Ritsuko Nashida]

:lol: Now aint that the truth about the apitasia! It does look just as nice after a while.

 

[snobanker]

Hey thanks guys...cool. It's been in there about a year and a half so it should be all good. I added the LR in with it just a couple months ago. Cool thing is I guess I'm "technically" not a FOWLR anymore cause two little button polyps came on the LR I bought.... :lol:. I guess that qualifies as a reef I'm hoping to convert to a full on reef soon, but I have a picasso trigger in there right now...my wife's favorite fish.

 

[Ritsuko Nashida]

I guess technically it does...but your really starting to reach for air :lol:

In all seriousness , under the right lighting those guys will mutliply like crazy and start making it look pretty spiffy in there (just make sure they arent Apitasia). The bad part is you will find yourself wanting to add a whole lot more in all probability. It sure became an addiction for me real fast!

Now that the Journey has begun...kick back and enjoy the ride....

Good luck with things!!!

 

[snobanker]

I guess I am reaching a little lol, but I really am looking forward to moving on in the hobby

 

[Craig Manoukian]

You could keep lots of softies under NO lighting. I have a 20 gallon with 110 watts of 10,000K PC lighting and my mushrooms, polyps, and BTA are thriving. It's a mini reef with a Blue Damsel and Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse.

 

[mojoreef]

Hey Stan I have a couple of polyp rocks I dont want anymore...for one of Auburns finest thier yours if you wish

Mike

 

[snobanker]

Wow! Mike that would be great, how do I get them?

 

[mojoreef]

Shoot me a pm and I will give you my address and phone number

Mike

 

[snobanker]

I sent you a PM

 

[acropora]

I also agree that over time dead L.R. skeletons will turn into L.R. Results will vary, and it may be longer then sooner. I also use home made aragacrete,but I found it to be very dense and heavy.
As a side note, when I first set up my tank with some dead rock,aiptasia made it's way over to the new dead rock. What a resilient dammed creature. Some peppermint shrimp took care of them. Now I have fish that ate the shrimp, so I added a Copperband.

 

[RockyHeap]

Geezus.

Have you guys never gotten fresh un-cured live rock right from the ocean before? Now THAT'S ALIVE rock!

You guys are as bad as some local reef store retailers in Bellevue, that add some bare limestone quarried rock to an aquarium for a couple weeks, and suddenly its worth $5.00-$8.00 a pound as "live rock" (cough cough) just because its wet, got some bacteria on it now, as well as 2 specs of coraline algae.

I still remember my first sting of buying 3 tennis ball sized bare dead rocks for $85 as "live rock" when I didn't know better. Sigh.

Just because you have a lump of rock thats been wet a while doesn't mean that it's now "alive"......sure if some Zoo's or polyps have merged onto it.......but really, you're stretching and reaching a bit here!

Off my soap box now.

Happy Bubbles.

 

[Angelscrx]

I have a lot of base rock for my aquascaping. I simply placed the live rock on top which is covered with feather dusters, bacteria, sponges, and coralline algae and now my base rock is getting covered with coralline, and everything else on the live rock. I have had my tank set up for 5 months now (upgraded from a 29g to a 55g). If you really want the coralline to spread you can scrape some off of the live rock and let it settle in other places or just give it time.

 

[Craig Manoukian]

RockyHeap,

Chill out, take a breather, and get the bunch out of your panties. I can't see where anyone was representing that wet rock was live rock. As you know "no time" in this hobby is a long time in real life.

We ain't selling nothin', just sharing expeiences. If live rock is only live with polyps by your definition, I've got a tank full of rock living bacteria that are preparing a defamation suit against you.

 

[Witfull]

Geezus.

Have you guys never gotten fresh un-cured live rock right from the ocean before? Now THAT'S ALIVE rock!

yes i have, and most of that life will die off in a tank.

You guys are as bad as some local reef store retailers in Bellevue, that add some bare limestone quarried rock to an aquarium for a couple weeks, and suddenly its worth $5.00-$8.00 a pound as "live rock" (cough cough) just because its wet, got some bacteria on it now, as well as 2 specs of coraline algae.

no where in my statements did i say a couple of weeks, and i take offense to you referring to me (i feel i am included in your lumping of "you guys") as a disreputable person. whatever bad experience you may have had does not include anyone here. we are answering a question with honest facts, if that does not please you, so be it, you are entitled to your opinion and are free (if not encouraged) to give your comments on the subject as to what your definition of live rock is. but it should be done in a manner that does not insult or degrade the opinion of others.

I still remember my first sting of buying 3 tennis ball sized bare dead rocks for $85 as "live rock" when I didn't know better. Sigh.

Just because you have a lump of rock thats been wet a while doesn't mean that it's now "alive"......sure if some Zoo's or polyps have merged onto it.......but really, you're stretching and reaching a bit here!

Off my soap box now.

Happy Bubbles.

i can take a dead rock and glue a frag of zo's to it and few shrooms. does that make it "live"? in my opnion no, it is the biological processes on and within the rock that make it alive.

 

[Angelscrx]

I agree "Rockyheap" you were very harsh in passing judgement. I haven't been here long but in the time that I have been on this forum I have never heard a harsh word from anyone. I would expect an apology since I am considering myself "you guys" on this board as well.

 

[Ritsuko Nashida]

Opinions are okay and so is disagreeing but....that was a little hot and smokey.