Live Rock - letting it dry out/adding tap water?

[SaltyMix]

Hi, I have a weird issue. I just picked up my tank and the guy is moving cross country and gave me all his live rock he pulled out last night. The problem is I’m not ready to start my tank tonight, but if I just add some tap water and trow some salt in there, what kind of problems will I have? What do I do because I heard/read that letting live rock dry is bad. Help!

 

[Llyod276]

Make up a batch of saltwater, at whatever mixture, 1.023-1.027ish and just let it chill. You're just preserving the bacteria and what not on it. If it is just live rock a heater will be good, maybe some flow, and depending on how long some source of ammonia. Although not really cause somethings will die, and the decay process will take care of that. No light needed, if anything avoid it to prevent algea. Cover to prevent/reduce evaporation. But sooner is better than later.

 

[Jedi1199]

Hi, I have a weird issue. I just picked up my tank and the guy is moving cross country and gave me all his live rock he pulled out last night. The problem is I’m not ready to start my tank tonight, but if I just add some tap water and trow some salt in there, what kind of problems will I have? What do I do because I heard/read that letting live rock dry is bad. Help!

If you let it dry out you will lose all of the benefits of live rock (built in bacterial colonies that will skip-cycle your new tank).

Get yourself a brute trash can, fill it with RODI water and salt, add in a water pump and heater and there you go.

 

[Llyod276]

I would not reuse the water that you use to store the live rock. Due to nutrients.

 

[SaltyMix]

Thank you!

 

[SaltyMix]

If you let it dry out you will lose all of the benefits of live rock (built in bacterial colonies that will skip-cycle your new tank).

Get yourself a brute trash can, fill it with RODI water and salt, add in a water pump and heater and there you go.

I’m going to do exactly that I that. Thank you!!!

 

[SaltyMix]

I would not reuse the water that you use to store the live rock. Due to nutrients.

Oh, yeah good tip! Thanks!

 

[SaltyMix]

Make up a batch of saltwater, at whatever mixture, 1.023-1.027ish and just let it chill. You're just preserving the bacteria and what not on it. If it is just live rock a heater will be good, maybe some flow, and depending on how long some source of ammonia. Although not really cause somethings will die, and the decay process will take care of that. No light needed, if anything avoid it to prevent algea. Cover to prevent/reduce evaporation. But sooner is better than later.

Okay so the live rock was sitting in a garage overnight. Is it a lost cause? Should I just start from scratch?

 

[Llyod276]

Nah rinse it. Some bacteria will survive. If the rick is even damp its ok. Hopefully the rock is porous. If it isnt, then yeah its prolly sqaure one. But if it is porous them i will put everyfish i have that some bacteria survived.

 

[Jedi1199]

Okay so the live rock was sitting in a garage overnight. Is it a lost cause? Should I just start from scratch?

No its fine.. As long as it is still wet it is good. Even a small colony of bacteria will quickly replicate.

 

[KrisReef]

Okay so the live rock was sitting in a garage overnight. Is it a lost cause? Should I just start from scratch?

If it is still damp and it wasn't in a parts cleaner in the garage then some of the life is still in it. Mix up the saltwater and dump the rock into the barrel. Do it NOW! :smiling-face-with-sunglasses:

 

[SaltyMix]

Nah rinse it. Some bacteria will survive. If the rick is even damp its ok. Hopefully the rock is porous. If it isnt, then yeah its prolly sqaure one. But if it is porous them i will put everyfish i have that some bacteria survived.

It is porous. I’ll give it a rinse. I don’t have r/o/d/I water but I have a gallon of distilled, which will not fill two 5 gallon buckets. I think for tonight I’ll rinse the rocks, get them warmer, and split the saltwater from the 1 gallon of distilled water between the 2 buckets then get more tomorrow.

 

[Llyod276]

Awesome. Just normal tap water will do. Nothing fancy, dont need distilled. Btw how much we talking here? Like a cubic yard of rock? But then again youll need the buckets... so do it bud!

 

[SaltyMix]

Awesome. Just normal tap water will do. Nothing fancy, dont need distilled. Btw how much we talking here? Like a cubic yard of rock? But then again youll need the buckets... so do it bud!

Haha no, just 2 5 gallon buckets of assorted rock. All of it purple and white and porous as all get out. Also it smells like ocean and it’s gorgeous!

 

[Llyod276]

Oohh thats sounds like coraline all day, bummer most of that will die off unfortunately. But if your quick enough, you be suprised what survives...

 

[slingfox]

If you have limited water for some reason you can just wrap the rocks in paper and soak it with salt water. That is how some live rock sellers ship live rock. Should try to keep the live rock damp.

 

[Jedi1199]

It is porous. I’ll give it a rinse. I don’t have r/o/d/I water but I have a gallon of distilled, which will not fill two 5 gallon buckets. I think for tonight I’ll rinse the rocks, get them warmer, and split the saltwater from the 1 gallon of distilled water between the 2 buckets then get more tomorrow.

Those water filter machines in the grocery store are RO water. Better than tap, cheaper than distilled. (Usually $0.35- 0.50 /gallon) How big of a tank are you planning? 2 5/gal buckets of rock is probably about 50 pounds, that will easily stock any tank up to about 80 gallons. (the general rule of thumb is 1 pound per gallon), but less will work as long as the bio-load is not too bad.

For your rock, and future needs, get the Brute garbage can. You will eventually get it anyway when you start making your own water. At least get a 20g one.. and get the wheeled dolly they make for them. Believe me that is an investment you will NEVER regret. Carrying 5 gallon buckets around and lifting them up to pour into the tank, being careful not to disrupt the sand bed, knock over rocks,, blah blah.. That is for the birds!!

A 20g brute can on wheels and a pump and hose will make water change day a snap!

My water station is two 32g brute cans and one 20g. The 20g and one of the 32g are on wheels. The fresh water from the RODI fills one 32g. The other 32g is where the salt is mixed in. The 20g is for refreshing the ATO and catching the waste on water changes.

The 32g on wheels is the mixing can, after the tank is drained, I simply roll the new stuff in place, pump it into the tank and roll it back to refill from the fresh water can.

 

[clarkreef2]

Hi, I have a weird issue. I just picked up my tank and the guy is moving cross country and gave me all his live rock he pulled out last night. The problem is I’m not ready to start my tank tonight, but if I just add some tap water and trow some salt in there, what kind of problems will I have? What do I do because I heard/read that letting live rock dry is bad. Help!

Live Rocks have a different characteristic as a type of organism that helps or provides supplemental biological filtration, increasing biological diversifying, shelter, and structure.
You must save the precious water from the old tank if you still have it. Set aside and put a small filter; put it all together in one bucket for now. Or if you have old water already in a bucket much better. Don't ever put it in your tank. It's getting worse. You need to wait until the water parameter is perfect. No rush .. if you don't have the previous water left, make urgent mixing water in a bucket and put PRIME, concentrated conditioner, You need 2 buckets to switch the live Rocks in addition to saving it. Do some searching

 

[Jedi1199]

Live Rocks have a different characteristic as a type of organism that helps or provides supplemental biological filtration, increasing biological diversifying, shelter, and structure.
You must save the precious water from the old tank if you still have it. Set aside and put a small filter; put it all together in one bucket for now. Or if you have old water already in a bucket much better. Don't ever put it in your tank. It's getting worse. You need to wait until the water parameter is perfect. No rush .. if you don't have the previous water left, make urgent mixing water in a bucket and put PRIME, concentrated conditioner, You need 2 buckets to switch the live Rocks in addition to saving it. Do some searching

This post is confusing and contradicting. Use the old water, but wait till the parameters are perfect? Don't use the old water? If you already have old water even better? Add conditioner? WHAT???

Add 2 capfulls of liquid magic, dance 3 times around a chicken carcass, Say 12 Hail Mary's and 18 Our Fathers, spit twice on an icy sidewalk, and then paint your toenails teal blue.

 

[Jedi1199]

Ok.. In all seriousness, @clarkreef2 actually does have a couple valid points, even if his post is a bit misleading.

Not all live rock is the same. For example, if I were to give you say 10 pounds of rock from my tank today, you will be chasing Phosphates for a year. My tank is so high that it will take me months to get it in line. So in that respect, yes, make sure the rocks you are using will not have a detrimental outcome to your new system.

From your posts prior, I do not expect this outcome from the rock you have, but DO test your water after the waiting period of setting up your tank so you know exactly what you are dealing with.