Live rock question

[SCFatz]

Ok..so I'm cruising the lfs...which has SW no more.

They have one tank left and it holds some rock.Live rock was how it was mentioned (and caught my ear) so I went to check it out.

Its a 125g and they have about 40 lbs (I'd guess) of rock left...but nothing else.No fish no coral no nothing....just the rock...been that way for a while.

Can it still be live?Doesn't the bacteria need a ammonia souce?Can the live rock itself sort of self sustain?
Its giong for $3 a pound and I'll snatch it up if I feel like it really is "live".

What should I ask or watch for to decide?

 

[roka64]

Make sure that LR was never treated w/copper meds. If it was, inverts probably won't survive. I would also ask how long that LR has been sitting there with no ammonia source.

 

[SCFatz]

Well its been a few months it seems (since anything living was in there with it)...and no ammonia dosing to speak of according to the manager.

No longer live?Any way to check?

 

[roka64]

I'm not really sure how to check, maybe test the water or look to see if there are any critters, like tiny feather dusters. Is there still current in the tank? Hopefully one of the more experienced folks can add mor helpful info. I am not really sure how long it would take LR to become dead rock in that situation.

 

[SCFatz]

Yes,its still in the tank and completely under water.

Whoops...mis read that...No current that I noticed,but there may have been some.

 

[roka64]

I think, since you starting your tank, you could probably use that to help the cycle. Do you have a test kit?

 

[SCFatz]

First.... just so I'm clear.....I'm helping a bud kick off a FO 20g.I'm asking about the rock for a tank I'm about to get...(thursday I hope),which willl have rock and at some point coral I hope.

Both tanks will be my first attempts at SW.

I'll have a test kit.

Any more thoughts on the initial potential of the rock??

 

[Devilishturtles]

3 bucks is a steal, live or not. IMO, get all that he has, then maybe a few pieces of more expensive rock with life all over it, and wait for it to spread. If its "ultra cured", meaning there is no die off or bacteria, you can always cycle the tank with a raw shrimp.

Dead rock will get all the good living stuff on it over time. It may take a while but it'll happen eventually, as long as you add in good rock for it to spread from.

And like roka said, if you notice an ammonia spike then its still got bacteria on it.