I just bought about 35lbs of LR from someone breaking down their tank to start another. Some nice purple on it, but also some green hair algae. I'm curious as to the opinions of whether I should dump this right in my tank, let it all dry out and die then put it in, or remove some of the green hair algae and then dump it in my tank. I even see critters moving around the LR.
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Used LR or Dead LR
- Thread starter mantis32
- Start date
This is a tough call, because even tanks very low in nitrates and phosphates can have problems with live rock with algae growing on some places of it. For some reason the algae almost seem to have their own built in nitrate / phosphate factory at the point where it grows on the LR.
The question is what do you want more? All the "critters" and stuff on the existing live rock, or algae and "critter" free rock?
If you want the "critters" go ahead and use the rock as is, after removing as much algae as you can. (This is also the solution if you are laze and want to do less work, or are in a hurry to get things moving along(grin))
If you want algae and "critter" free rock, cure the rock for a couple of months in a large rubbermaid trash can, with a couple of power heads and a heater if necessary.
I would not let the rock dry out and die. There is a lot of good bacteria and such on the that rock, and it will all need to reestablish itself if you do that. That process can take months.
Personally, I'd opt for using the rock as is, after removing as much algae as possibe.
The question is what do you want more? All the "critters" and stuff on the existing live rock, or algae and "critter" free rock?
If you want the "critters" go ahead and use the rock as is, after removing as much algae as you can. (This is also the solution if you are laze and want to do less work, or are in a hurry to get things moving along(grin))
If you want algae and "critter" free rock, cure the rock for a couple of months in a large rubbermaid trash can, with a couple of power heads and a heater if necessary.
I would not let the rock dry out and die. There is a lot of good bacteria and such on the that rock, and it will all need to reestablish itself if you do that. That process can take months.
Personally, I'd opt for using the rock as is, after removing as much algae as possibe.
Be advised that by just drying the rock, you a) will not get rid of algae because the their spores will most certainly survive it b) you will not remove the nutrients used by the hair algae.
Baking it or microwaving it or UV-ing it might kill it. Scrubbing it might remove the outer layer and some biomass, but porosity of the rock will hide the nutrients and the spores.
well they don't . They either do not utilize much of them, or their growth scrubs them from the water and that is why you are testing them low.
The reason why you might not have them in your tank is that
a) you are removing the nutrients from the water more efficiently then the other tank
b) your water flow is much more stronger and your light is of different spectrum
c) you have live organisms feeding on such algae (my yellow tang is shaving the rocks of hair algae like a razor)
Baking it or microwaving it or UV-ing it might kill it. Scrubbing it might remove the outer layer and some biomass, but porosity of the rock will hide the nutrients and the spores.
well they don't . They either do not utilize much of them, or their growth scrubs them from the water and that is why you are testing them low.The reason why you might not have them in your tank is that
a) you are removing the nutrients from the water more efficiently then the other tank
b) your water flow is much more stronger and your light is of different spectrum
c) you have live organisms feeding on such algae (my yellow tang is shaving the rocks of hair algae like a razor)