Live Rock Question

[bschnuck]

Hello, i am new to the site, and let me tell you this is the greatest thing around. I've already found lots of great information that i will use as i start my tank. I have a question regarding some old live rock. I have been running a 29 gallon saltwater tank for about 2 years, nothing special, has about 30 lbs live rock in it but mostly open for the fish to swim. Damsels, Clown, some pink fish (i dont remember the name), star fish, crabs, and a 2 inch sand bottom make up the tank.

I recently acquired a 55 gallon tank, that i intead on setting up and eventually transfering everything over to. Along with the tank i was able to get a 10 gallon tank full to the top of live rock (no idea how many lbs are actually in there). The problem with this live rock is it has not heated. The rock has been sitting covered with salt water for the past 6 months or so in this tank, and they added water so they rock remained covered whenever necessary. I would guess the temp of the water to be around 60 degrees. Will this rock still be usefull to me, or is it going to be dangerous to reintroduce it to the new tank once i get it started. Thanks for your help.

[Razoreqx]

I would probably cure it for a few days in a seperate container.. check the water levels make sure you dont get any spikes..
but... Its probably pretty much dead at this point though... but still can be used for aquascaping.. If you already have LR in your tank it will seed the new rock even though its dead..

OH and welcome to the site!!!

[bschnuck]

I have another question while we are at it. I have been running a Prism skimmer on the 29 gallon tank, but it has been pulling out very little. When i talked to the LFS about this they asked how often i change the water, and i said every other week, about a 5 gallon bucket full, which is what was recommended to me. They told me that since i change the water that often, i may not be even giving it enough time to build up the garbage that the skimmer is supposed to be removing.
Does this make any sense, and if so, with an agro sand bottom and the 40 lbs of live rock I have, along with this other rock (ill probably buy a little more), it is really worth me trying to upgrade the skimmer? Thanks again.

[Razoreqx]

Thats not a bad skimmer and certainly not under rated for that size aquarium. If you are succesfully removing detris with your water changes and suctioning your subsrate.. etc.. then it is possible to never see dry foam being collected in your skimmer. A good way to test your skimmer (I found) is using Phyto in your tank.. Just dose the tank as instructed on the label My skimmer goes crazy.... Phyto is like liquid PO4 in a bottle

One other note.. Do you clean your skimmer? many of the cheaper skimmers like the prizm, seaclones, berlins.. require frequent cleaning around the collection cup lip.. Do you clean your skimmer from time to time?

I clean my berlin once a week.. I dont take it apart. but I empty the collection cup and clean around the lip inside the base tube (where the collection cup fits into)

[bschnuck]

Yeah, i would say i clean it off along with each water change. Cleaning as far as taking off the collection cup and making sure the seal around the o-ring at the top is clean, and then rinsing out the collection cup.