Extracting bacteria from Live Rock

JennyFlow · 09/28/2019, 02:52 PM

So I'm new but had an idea, wondering if anyone has done it or has thoughts. People debate dry vs live rock and lots of the live rock proponents talk about all the beneficial bacteria that come with live rock.

What if I placed live rock from say FL in a container with some powerheads, then drained that water through a filter sock, which would mostly just allow the bacteria through. If I then took that bacteria laden water and placed dead rock in there, could this work?

I just dont want hitchhikers, I also thought maybe adding some small pieces of the rock that I could go over with a fine tooth comb. are there things that would be considered pests that could come through the sock, tiny pieces of algae maybe? Or are most of the pests people talk about larger? Thoughts?

mcgyvr · 09/28/2019, 05:06 PM

Very little bacteria is free floating in the water..most is surface dwelling...
Your plan wont work too well...

IMO hitchhikers are the best part of this hobby...and are rarely a problem..too many spend too much time/energy avoiding them..
Stop worrying about them..

mcgyvr · 09/28/2019, 06:48 PM

And the most useful bacteria is deep in the rock in the low oxygen areas and is certainly not something you can extract

Daddi0 · 09/28/2019, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JennyFlow

So I'm new but had an idea, wondering if anyone has done it or has thoughts. People debate dry vs live rock and lots of the live rock proponents talk about all the beneficial bacteria that come with live rock.

What if I placed live rock from say FL in a container with some powerheads, then drained that water through a filter sock, which would mostly just allow the bacteria through. If I then took that bacteria laden water and placed dead rock in there, could this work?

I just dont want hitchhikers, I also thought maybe adding some small pieces of the rock that I could go over with a fine tooth comb. are there things that would be considered pests that could come through the sock, tiny pieces of algae maybe? Or are most of the pests people talk about larger? Thoughts?

Just buy a bottle of bacteria

bnumair · 09/28/2019, 08:17 PM

Fritz Turbostart 900 will get your tank cycled in few days.

Plan you present will not work due to reasons already posted above.

Michael Hoaster · 09/29/2019, 10:31 AM

Interesting idea. You could give it a try. I'm not sure you'll be able to tell whether it is successful or not. I would think you would get some bacteria. I would also think that many things you don't want could make it through as well. So it may defeat the purpose.

I like farmed live rock from Florida, and don't fear hitchhikers. I'll take that risk over phosphate loaded dry rock any day.

ThRoewer · 09/29/2019, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

Very little bacteria is free floating in the water..most is surface dwelling...
Your plan wont work too well...

IMO hitchhikers are the best part of this hobby...and are rarely a problem..too many spend too much time/energy avoiding them..
Stop worrying about them..

This...

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

ThRoewer · 09/29/2019, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

And the most useful bacteria is deep in the rock in the low oxygen areas and is certainly not something you can extract

... and this.

And the regular surface bacteria can already be bought in bottled form.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

Sk8r · 10/03/2019, 09:43 PM

Back in the day, we started tanks with raw rock, raw sand and a gallon of dirty water donated by the lfs. Worked. Worked quite well, in fact: carpet anemone took half the tank by Christmas, and the two clowns were happy. I don't recommend it, because any parasites in the store will come home with you, but yes, the discard water from any healthy tank (or unhealthy one) is capable of starting a tank's biology. Not instantly, however. It took an 8 week wait for it to enliven.

09/28/2019, 02:52 PM	#1
JennyFlow Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2019 Posts: 23	Extracting bacteria from Live Rock So I'm new but had an idea, wondering if anyone has done it or has thoughts. People debate dry vs live rock and lots of the live rock proponents talk about all the beneficial bacteria that come with live rock. What if I placed live rock from say FL in a container with some powerheads, then drained that water through a filter sock, which would mostly just allow the bacteria through. If I then took that bacteria laden water and placed dead rock in there, could this work? I just dont want hitchhikers, I also thought maybe adding some small pieces of the rock that I could go over with a fine tooth comb. are there things that would be considered pests that could come through the sock, tiny pieces of algae maybe? Or are most of the pests people talk about larger? Thoughts?

09/28/2019, 05:06 PM	#2
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Very little bacteria is free floating in the water..most is surface dwelling... Your plan wont work too well... IMO hitchhikers are the best part of this hobby...and are rarely a problem..too many spend too much time/energy avoiding them.. Stop worrying about them.. __________________ Who me?

09/28/2019, 06:48 PM	#3
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	And the most useful bacteria is deep in the rock in the low oxygen areas and is certainly not something you can extract __________________ Who me?

09/28/2019, 08:17 PM	#5
bnumair Dr. Reef at ur service Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tulsa, Ok, USA Posts: 7,751 Blog Entries: 15	Fritz Turbostart 900 will get your tank cycled in few days. Plan you present will not work due to reasons already posted above. __________________ Water Quality: NO3 0,Phos 0,Cal 440,Alk 7.5,Mag 1300 "Reef Fast, You Crash, Reef Slow, You Pass" Mike's Reef 3:16 Current Tank Info: 350g DT,95g sump, 50g Frag tank, 4800gph return 4x Sea swirls. 6x AI Vega Color. 200# Pukani rock, dual recirculating skimmer, Biopellet, GFO Carbon rx's, Cal rx. Closed loop. 1.5hp chiller, genesis renew. Apex & RKE

09/29/2019, 10:31 AM	#6
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	Interesting idea. You could give it a try. I'm not sure you'll be able to tell whether it is successful or not. I would think you would get some bacteria. I would also think that many things you don't want could make it through as well. So it may defeat the purpose. I like farmed live rock from Florida, and don't fear hitchhikers. I'll take that risk over phosphate loaded dry rock any day. __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

10/03/2019, 09:43 PM	#9
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Back in the day, we started tanks with raw rock, raw sand and a gallon of dirty water donated by the lfs. Worked. Worked quite well, in fact: carpet anemone took half the tank by Christmas, and the two clowns were happy. I don't recommend it, because any parasites in the store will come home with you, but yes, the discard water from any healthy tank (or unhealthy one) is capable of starting a tank's biology. Not instantly, however. It took an 8 week wait for it to enliven. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.