Stupid Rock Question

[tpaparazzo]

Hey guys..its been awhile. I used to be on here awhile back but took my tank down due to some moving circumstances. Now this brings me to my question.

Im getting back into the saltwater reef..I just purchased a new tank. now when we took down the tank we had live rock in a cooler, that well frankly we just let sit in the cooler for the past 2 years

My question is can i take that rock maybe let it soak in boiling hot water, scrub it and use it as some base rock. It will become live rock id imagine correct?

Sorry if its dumb but hey i have about 20pds of rock and that can save me some money..

Any help would be aprreciated!

 

[melosu58]

You can clean it up and still use it for BR. Not a bad question. The only stupid question is the one not asked. I thought it was a good question.

 

[Jimbo7]

The only thing I wouldn't reuse is that cooler. That thing has to smellllll.
Boil the crap outta the rock and you'll be fine. Always better to ask the "stupid" question then to do something that could screw up your tank for months. It was a good question, rock is almost always salvageable. Check out our article on curing BR.

 

[austinsdad]

I'm thinking you can also add the rock to SW and use it to cycle the tank - assuming there's dead stuff on it that will again start to decay once it gets wet again.

 

[tpaparazzo]

awesome guys thanks..So i think im going to boil it and then add it to the new tank...theres nothing in it..so ill let it cycle with the live sand..and then go from there..Ill probably have lots more questions..THanks guys!!

 

[austinsdad]

So called "live sand" will not cycle a tank. Read up in our articles section of SW fishless cycling. Don't waste your money on live sand. Dry, aragonite sand in a bag, rinsed long is your best bet

 

[Jimbo7]

So called "live sand" will not cycle a tank. Read up in our articles section of SW fishless cycling. Don't waste your money on live sand. Dry, aragonite sand in a bag, rinsed long is your best bet

Live Sand from a bag at your LFS will probably not.
Live Sand from an established tank, in combination with regular sand, with an ammonia source, will.

 

[tpaparazzo]

i plan on cycling it with live rock..sorry im using this rock as a base..then im buying a bunch of live rock and cycling it that way? is that not ok? ive actually heard to throw in some shrimp from the supermarket as well..not sure of that

 

[austinsdad]

Pssst...

Read the article, then we'll answer any remaining questions.

 

[tpaparazzo]

just read it ..sorry it answered my shrimp question..guess that does really work! thanks again