Dead LR?

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r95rdstr

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Jun 25, 2003
Messages
94
Location
Ohio
I got my Fiji LR from liveaquaria.com yesterday. They overnighted it, but it still felt about 45 degrees when it arrived (it was 23 degrees outside). I've had it in a tub of saltwater at 78 degrees with 50 lbs of Southdown and a hang on filter for circulation. There's not a spec of red or purple coraline on it, and no worms or other critters can be seen. It looks completely dead. Does this sound right?
 
I have never bought fiji LR from live aquaria, but it does not sound right compared to the fiji I see in the LFS or the fiji I bought several years ago.
 
Fiji rock often does not have the critters like crabs and shrimp on the rock like FL aquacutlre rock beause its out of the water much longer than it takes to get to you. The worms will more than likly be down deep within the rock. When I got my fiji years ago while it was totally coverd in corilne I didnt see any real life on it either.
 
There's only bits of coraline here and there, bleached out and appearing dead, like everything else on the rock.
 
r95rdstr said:
I got my Fiji LR from liveaquaria.com yesterday. They overnighted it, but it still felt about 45 degrees when it arrived (it was 23 degrees outside). I've had it in a tub of saltwater at 78 degrees with 50 lbs of Southdown and a hang on filter for circulation. There's not a spec of red or purple coraline on it, and no worms or other critters can be seen. It looks completely dead. Does this sound right?

Just a quick question -- how come you put it in a bucket when you got it? Why not put it right into the tank?

I'm not questioning your practice, just trying to learn. My last reef tank was a disaster, and I put the rock right in the tank when I got it. Just wondering if there is a secret here I have not heard yet.

Thanks,
Todd
 
When you receive liverock by MO, a varying amount will have dieoff by the time it reaches you (it goes through several stops and periods where it is literally out of water). Thus is why it is a good idea not to add it directly to a tank with livestock in it until it cures again (to avoid potentially deadly ammonia and/or nitrite spikes).

As for this rock in particular, it doesn't sound great but I think once it is cured you may see some critters come out of it.

***Duplicate Post removed by Bearfan***
 
Ahhhhh, I see. You have livestock. So if I buy LR online, and am using it to cycle the tank, it doesn't need to go in a bucket first, right?

Thanks,
Todd
 
Correct. Unless you want to check it for bad critters.

The coraline wont appear alive. Think of it like a hard colorful coloring onthe rock and thats about it.
 
and don't be fooled by just not seeing anything.

I bought LR from my LFS and saw not much more than some coraline. I got it home and put in my tank and for a few months, still saw nothing more. Then, almost over night, I started seeing worms, sponges and even a few CORALS spring to life out of the rock. I've concluded that some items in LR can lay dormant for a good while and only come out when conditions improve enough that they can grow.

give it time and keep your parameters where they should be, you'll see some life eventually.

rule #1: Patience.
 
I also bought 10lbs of tonga to start cycle on a new 55gal tank. The rock had lot of pink to purple on it but now it looks like it is turning to what looks like ash in some areas. Do I need to clean this? If so, do I clean the rocks in the tank or do I take them out and rinse them with saltwater. Thanks for the input...... :lol:
 
I've had the same experience as BillyZ. When I bought my LR from the LFS, I found no visible hitchhikers. All I saw were a few purplish splotches on some of the rocks. Since I've read about so many people getting some cool hitchhikers with their LR, I was more than a little disappointed.

But it's been four months since I set up my tank. I have recently found a colony of feather dusters growing on my LR. I have more than a dozen waving in the current like a hand, and two (which are my favorites) which are shaped like a crown. :)
 
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