Can I use live rock that I dig up in my backyard?

[miogpsrocks]

Hello.

I live in the south Florida area on the water and I think my house may have been on a coral reef thousand of years ago because when I dig down, I often hit large coral rocks. Its very hard stuff.

Anyway, I was wondering if I collect these coral peaces and maybe like boil them, throw them in beach, or leave them in the sun if they can eventually be used as live rock in a salt water aquarium.

I am 100% sure that these rocks are actually old coral but I don't know if being underground for all this time has ruined them for aquarium use.

Thanks.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

First of all NEVER BOIL ROCKS> Sure it's possible to use what you are finding can you post a picture of the rocks you are digging up?

If they are the same I would just clean the mud off of them the bleach them, allow to dry in the sun and then start them in salt mix bin and start the cycle.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Thr rocks are probably OK. I'm in SW Florida and I have used a few local rocks we found in the area because they were extra cool shapes. It is old coral reef and you can find some nice porous rock if you look around enough.

I put mine in a 7 gallon bucket with tap water and cover it. I leave it in the sun for a couple days, then change the water. I do this a few times until the rocks are clean and the water doesn't stink after a few days in the sun.

Then I put them in a bucket with RO/DI water and after a few days test for ammonia, nitrate, and phosphate. If I get zeros, it's good. If there is a reading, it goes back into buckets to cook in the sun some more.

 

[shifty51008]

I wouldnt see why not. Most base rock in this hobby come from dug up old coral reefs. I would take a pressure washer and clean them off really good then soak them for a week, if no phosphate readings you should be good to go

 

[whosurcaddie]

To add to what shifty recommended you really want to check the phosphate of rock that's been dug from the ground. Its much easier and cheaper to pull phosphate out of rock in a bin than in a DT. If your reading phosphate in the water you're gonna want to get some lanthanum chloride and go through a dosing regimen to pull the phosphate from the rock. http://www.amazon.com/SeaKlear-Phosphate-Treatment-Solution-1-Quart/dp/B008UMF93I/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1445210873&sr=8-12&keywords=seaklear

Also once you clean the rocks if you see any orange dark orange or red, toss em. You want it to be white or off white. Those colors mean heavy metals have leached into the rocks.

Edit: I would go ahead and do it while your cycling the rock just to be sure.

 

[Bent]

Post some pics of this stuff. I'd like to see it.

 

[whosurcaddie]

Wrong link for the seaklear.http://www.amazon.com/SeaKlear-SKZ-U-Q-Phosphate-Remover/dp/B0017SV6HU/ref=sr_1_19?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1445217775&sr=1-19&keywords=seaklear