Is live rock really alive?

The name sometimes leads to misunderstandings, as the "live rock" itself is not actually alive, but rather is simply made from the aragonite skeletons of long dead corals, or other calcareous organisms, which in the ocean form the majority of coral reefs.

Can live rock come back to life?

Just get a few pieces of cured live rock and use that as the "seed". Your live rock that is not currently being used will become live again. In 6 months you'll have critters and coraline algae all over it.

How do you keep live rock alive?

Completely cover the rock with freshly mixed saltwater, with a specific gravity of 1.021 - 1.025. Use a heater and keep the water temperature near 80 degrees to speed die off. Provide constant water movement with a power head or airstone. Keep the area dimly lit to prevent algae blooms.

Does live rock need oxygen?

Organic materials (Dissolved Organic Compounds), such as that stuff on a piece of uncured live rock or the uneaten food and fish detritus on the bottom of the tank, consume a lot of oxygen as they break down.

Can live rock survive out of water?

Bottom line is that stuff out of water starts to die straight away, bacteria for instance. Not only should you not keep them in water, but make sure to keep them in a bucket for no less than 1 day.

Rocks Are Alive?: What YOU Need to Know About Live Rock!

What is growing on my live rock?

Coralline Algae – What is it? Coralline Algae is a type of red Algae in the order Corallinales. It is a desirable algae to have in a saltwater aquarium and its growth is an indication of a properly matured marine fish tank. It is commonly introduced into an aquarium by placing live rock into the aquarium.

How long can live rock be exposed to air?

Most of the benefical bactiera will survive being exposed to air for 48 hours and you will have great rock going into your tank after the curing process necessary for all the stuff that died in transit.

Why is live rock purple?

Coralline algae is a hard crust-like algae that is purple in color and grows over live rock.

CAN live rock be dry?

Dry rock is wet live rock that has been dried and cleaned before it is used. However, good and bad bacteria still grow on it over time.

Can you put live rock in freshwater tank?

The main reasons why you can't use live rocks in a freshwater tank are: Live rocks will contaminate the water with sea salt, which is dangerous to freshwater fishes. The pH of the freshwater would be too low for the organisms on the live rock to grow.

How do you know if live rock is alive?

You best test is to check water parameters. if you have enough LR (alot of people say 1lbs to 1 gal, maybe a litle more) with 'live' on it then your copmpunds above should be close zero. There might be some die-off on the live in liverock when adding it even if it is already cured.

What is live rock made of?

Live rock consists of rock made from the aragonite skeletons of dead corals and other organisms – it is typically covered in coralline algae and other microscopic organisms that function as biological filters and serve to diversify the saltwater aquarium environment.

Why did my live rock turn white?

Live rock, live sand, or a combination are used to control nitrates, but live rock can turn white if nitrates are too high. An under gravel nitrate control unit may help keep things in balance.

Can you reuse live rock?

Just hose it off real good and get as much dirt and stuff out of the holes as possible then toss it in if it's a new tank. For an existing tank I would scrub it in saltwater or RO then rinse then put in tank.

Does Marco rock need curing?

Again, this is not something that concerns us since there is nothing to cook or cure out of MarcoRocks. It is 100% reef safe right out of the box. As always, for beginners we recommend going slow with any marine system.

Can you clean live rock with tap water?

Your fine imo. I scrub my rock in old tank water with peroxide and rinse with the hose in an other bucket. The tap water tds here is a bout a billion and smells like bleach. I use another bucket of old tank water and let it rest with a power head though and add bacteria.

Will coral grow on dead rock?

Will coralline algae grow on dry rock? Absolutely, as long as you add an initial source like a bit that comes in on the bottom of a coral or on a single piece of live rock from an established tank that you trust. You can speed the process up a bit by scraping it off a rock allowing it to spread around quicker.

How long can live rock Live in bucket?

Agreed, with a little water movement and temp control (or simply keeping it inside... as long as it's >70 and <90 you shouldnt have an issue) it will be fine indefinitely.

What is CaribSea rock?

These natural porous calcium carbonate rocks are sliced on two sides to create ledges, platforms, and caves, and are perfect for fragging corals of all... Read More.

What is CaribSea life rock made of?

CaribSea LifeRock is made of an aragonitic base rock, instead of the typical cement used by many other artificial rock creators. Every rock contains a network of micro and macro pores that intertwine within the rocks internal structure creating the perfect environment for natural nitrifying bacteria.

Why is my coralline algae turning white?

What Causes Coralline Algae to Turn White. Due to its calcium carbonate structure, when the algae dies, it leaves behind its white exoskeleton. This is very similar to hard corals that lose their zooxanthellae during the bleaching process.

Can you get live rock from the ocean?

Our live rock is calcium-based limestone rock that is put in the ocean for 9-10 years and then harvested by hand in small batches, leaving existing reefs and rock beds intact and undisturbed. Most other live rock is out of water for days after harvesting, causing much of the life, including the coralline algae, to die.

How do you clean live rock without killing it?

If you want to completely clean up rock that has a bunch of unwanted aiptasia, majano, algae, trash palys, etc and don't care if you kill the bacteria in the rock, a bleach bath ( 2-3 cups per 5 gallons of fresh water ) for 24 hours. Repeat if needed.

Can you still buy live rock?

Whenever possible it is best to purchase live rock from a local fish store or wholesaler, because most have live rock in stock that is cured and ready to go, and you can physically see it before buying.