Just got this rock.

[Iceman72]

Hello all. I just got 20lbs of some premium fl live rock. It seems to be loaded with life. With my noob eyes I can see all sorts of soft and hard corals. I see a couple clams and a few other things that are soft that I have no clue what it is. Can you guys help me by identifying this stuff? Thanks a mill.

 

[Iceman72]

Oops I forgot the pics.

 

[MacDracor]

Holy crap. I want to shop where you shop!
I can identify a few things. Easiest is halimeda algae in multiple pics, what appears to be favia or favites brain coral in multiple but most notably the last few, some Zoanthids in picture 9, and the little bivalves are a common hitchhiking mussel.
Many of those look either dead or severely bleached so get them in water under light ASAP and hope for the best.

 

[Iceman72]

Should I just put them in my tank? I have them in a big tub.

 

[MacDracor]

When introducing live rock to an established tank, there is always the risk of undesirable hitchhikers or a mini cycle from die off. But if those aren't kept at the right temp and under lights, all that coral and macro will die. So you need to weigh the risk against the benefit.
I'm a risk taker and would put them in, but it's your tank, not mine. What's in the tank already?

 

[Iceman72]

Right now three clowns, yellow tang, royal gramma, scooter Benny.

 

[mr_X]

Yeah, it looks like all of those corals are dead, but still I would have those rocks submerged in the best water I could, as soon as I could, AFTER plucking off all of that halimeda.

 

[Iceman72]

Well I put them in and pulled off as much of the leafy stuff as I could. After about 5 mins in the water several of the corals started to come to life. I'm hoping after I get back home today they will look good. I have them under lights so I'm crossing my fingers.

 

[Themonsterisme]

Nice live rock buy....too bad a lot of the coral looks bleached...get it in saltwater ASAP or the coral is a lost cause

 

[Iceman72]

Well I'm at work now and my daughter just called. Bad news. Looks like my tank has crashed. Down to two clowns and the yellow tang is next on the death list. Going to have to recycle my tank I guess. I have 4 new ATI bulbs coming in and a BH-2000 coming in this week. Now I'm just hoping the corals don't die. No more live rock for me. I lost this gamble bad.

 

[MacDracor]

In two hours?? I'm so sorry to hear that. Have you tested levels to see what was the cause? If it's ammonia from the rock, then take the rock out and do a massive water change. Might be able to save the rest.

 

[Iceman72]

By the time I got home at 6:30 they were all dead. Crazy. I'm so upset I haven't even done any test. It probably is going through another cycle.

 

[mr_X]

You definitely can't put uncured/uncycled live rock in an already populated tank. It's like dropping a dead fish in there. So much die off it will definitely cause a spike.