can this "live rock" be saved?

[moonp13]

Ok, so heres the deal. I had some live rock in my sump and i took it out and forgot about it in a bucket with saltwater. its been about 2 weeks. I tested the water it is in, and like i figured the ammonia level is at 2.0, the nitrite is 0, nitrate is ~0, and phosphate is at like 2. The rock is now a rusty color.

My question is can I save this rock and crush it to be used as substrate for my incoming red mangroves without harming anything. If not, what can i do to "save" it for use in the next 3 days?

 

[firebirdude]

Hmmm... you're seeing ammonia and the rock has visually changed color. Sounds to me like it's toast (meaning it must be cycled again). This means you're not using it within 3 days...

 

[moonp13]

bummer. so now, to take action i suppose. so now what do i need to do to cure it? boil it to get rid of all the nasty, put it in a bucket with lots of flow and light it for 12 hours a day?

 

[beckbrass]

Bucket with heater, air stone, and flow. No need for light change the water once and a while. Wait a month or 2 and once your readings are stable your done. When you change water it's easier if you transfer all rock to a new bucket and swish the rock around in the old bucket to remove any debris, aka dead matter, this will help speed up things.

 

[firebirdude]

Bucket with heater, air stone, and flow. No need for light

Agreed.

 

[moonp13]

i cant speed up the process by any means? i ha e a three year old established tank.

 

[firebirdude]

If you could speed it up, don't you think we'd all do it?

 

[ja4207]

Is it going back in an established tank?

If it is instead of curing it I would cook it and once all dead rinse off and throw back in sump. Process should take only a few days in this heat to kill everything.

 

[moonp13]

i cant speed up the process by any means? i ha e a three year old established tank.

 

[ja4207]

Is it going back in an established tank?

 

[moonp13]

no my plan was to start a mangrove tank until they are a proper height for my refugium. the tank is aboit 20 gallons. i plan on putting live sand into the tank and seeding it with a cup of sand from my main tank. the only.problem is that i dont have any lr to spare from the main amd i needed thia other stuff.

 

[kingfisherflesh]

Rock is totally useable...you might just have ammonia from die-off.

Let it cycle...or better yet put it in clean water with the above listed and test again in a week. Some ammonia is to be expected when you just dump rock in a bucket.

 

[firebirdude]

Hell. A small amount of ammonia isn't going to hurt mangroves. Do it up.

 

[schoch79]

Yeah from what it sounds like you plan to use it for it should be fine to throw right in a tank with some mangroves. From what I understand the only life in the tank will be the plants and the "live" rock. I can't say for sure about saltwater tanks but alot of freshwater plant people start a brand new tank with plants in it. They even say that the plants help with the ammonia and what not right from the start.

 

[moonp13]

so, heres my setup. pretty basic lol. 10-30 gallon heater. set at 78 degrees. a pump from one of my discarded protein skimmers, and a dual line air pump. i have the light over it right now. but its just a basic 100w bulb. sound okay? im pretty sure the light will end up going. haha.

 

[beckbrass]

Looks good, no need for the light, I'd just put a cover over the bucket to help with evaporation

 

[121]

I would of just given it a good rinse in RO and put it straight back in the tank.

 

[jimmy frag]

its fine, put it in your new tank. dont boil it.

 

[scuzy]

Well if you're using it for a mangrove tank who cares if it's cycled or not?

 

[moonp13]

Well if you're using it for a mangrove tank who cares if it's cycled or not?

i was planning on adding fish for nitrate support for it to grow well. i dunno if it needs the fish, but i know its meant to go into a refugium like area and the plants are just too small right now. I was going to grow them a little taller before they go into the refugium. i dont want them just floating around in there with some ugly thing anchoring it down.