# Live Rocks? Dead Rocks?



## bigfishy (Jun 19, 2009)

I seen many people sell live rocks, but some put their rocks in dry out condition. 

Are they still consider as live rocks or just dead rocks?

If I were to buy dead rocks / corals and place them in a salt water tank for an amount of time, would that consider to be live rocks or dead rocks?


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## teemee (Aug 29, 2009)

I'll let the experts tell you (though I think they'll say that once it dries out, its not alive anymore!).
But if you want to buy some, i have a lot 
pm if you're interested!


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

yes, once Live rock (LR) has dried out, it has to be cycled again - which consists of putting it back into SW (with at the very least circulation)
and letting the dead material be decomposed and the rock re-populated with bacteria.


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## carmenh (Dec 20, 2009)

That's a good question. I have some "live rock" that's been in a rubbermaid tub in salt water with circulation, but I've neglected water changes and everything else for a number of months. There was very minimal life on it anyhow, so aside from bacteria, I don't think there was a lot of die off. Is there any benefit to continuing to store it this way or should I just let it dry out and use or sell it that way? The only thing I ever use it for anyhow it to break bits off of for frags...


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## tsam (Feb 13, 2009)

I didn't know they could be recycled again. 

at least with the dried out rock, you don't have to worry about any nasty hitchikers.


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## bigfishy (Jun 19, 2009)

+1 to my knowledge book 



and DEAD rocks smell like CRAP... stinks ++++++++


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## vaporize (Apr 10, 2006)

one thing that is not mentioned is that once you put the dead live rock back into saltwater, you might want to seed it with some 'really' live live rock, so that way it shortens the curing time.

If it's just dead live rock + SW, it's gonna take you awhile to get it aquarium-ready

Another thing about didn't do water change part, as long as you salinity is within 0.010 up or down, your live rock is absolutely consider as live. (1.015-1.035) otherwise it gets tricky


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## conix67 (Jul 27, 2008)

bigfishy said:


> +1 to my knowledge book
> 
> 
> 
> and DEAD rocks smell like CRAP... stinks ++++++++


That sounds like uncured live rock. If the live rock has been taken out of water for a long time, then it has gone past the stage where things die off and rot causing smell. I would then consider those rocks "base rock".

When my container of live rocks crashed (between tank moves), it cause unbrearable smell (god, that thing stinks!). Good or bad, this caused *all* snails and *all* worms (some were huge! 2 feet long) to die.

Washed all rocks with fresh salt water, then put them in a fish tank /w fresh salt water, heater and power head. Next day I took readings, and ammonia/nitrite/nitrate were all zeros. This was somewhat unexpected, and seemed like all dead stuff were in water column, or surface of the rock that were washed off. Whatever remaining were consumed by the live rock, and the biological filteration capability of live rocks survived the crash.


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## mr_brixs (Jun 18, 2009)

LIVE ROCK has life DEAD ROCK no life. LIVE ROCK is expensive DEAD ROCK is cheaper hehehehe


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## Kweli (Jun 2, 2010)

Its always weird explaining 'live rock' to someone who is looking at my tank for the first time..... Its almost like they expect it to move like a rock monster...

Whats a good way to add alot of new life/bacteria from live rock? Grab a handful of sand from someone elses tank?


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