I've got live rock, now what?

ej797 · 09/10/2019, 02:16 PM

I was able to find 115 pounds of Haitian live rock. I went ahead and grabbed it because it seems to be hard to find now.

However, it is full of gorilla crabs and who knows what else. Also, I have not even began my build yet.

So, what would you with the rock if you were me? Would you give it a bath in diluted muratic acid and let it dry out? Would you keep it "alive" in a trash can with a power head? Is there something else you would do? Please include your reasoning so I can understand why you would choose this path.

I truly Appreciate your time. I'll try to get some pics up of the score soon.

ycnibrc · 09/10/2019, 02:48 PM

Lol if u soak it in murid acid then why buy live rock to begin with. Get rid of the crab manually and put the rock in the bin with pump for circulation. For now no heater needed but come winter time then add a heater. As far as water just top off with rodi no need for water change. Keep it dark to prevent algae.

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Bpb · 09/10/2019, 03:25 PM

True that why get live rock just to kill it. I’d sooner buy a predatory fish and let them go to town and then rehome the fish

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ej797 · 09/10/2019, 03:31 PM

I bought the rock more for its shape and rarity than because it was alive. If the rock was readily available I would have just waited. Still, you point rings true. I'm going to keep it alive.

ThRoewer · 09/10/2019, 04:08 PM

See if you can "borrow" a small octopus to clear the rocks of the crabs. Those guys will get all of them in no time.

I would not sterilise Caribbean live rock alone for the fact that there is always a chance that you got a rare coral as a hitchhiker.

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Michael Hoaster · 09/10/2019, 09:30 PM

I vote to keep it alive too. Maybe the crabs will eat each other with no food added.

RioReefr · 09/11/2019, 02:46 PM

I have always read to put live rock into a high salinity (1.035+) water and that will get rid of a lot of hitch hikers without killing off the good bacteria deep inside the rock. The combination of doing that, manual intervention and maybe spraying some H202 should kill off that bad stuff.

ej797 · 09/12/2019, 10:55 AM

I appreciate the responses. I've kept the rock alive for now while I make the decision.

I bought the rock for the rock itself, not necessarily because it was live. I was having a really tough time finding Haitian live rock and this seemed like a fleeting opportunity. I am months away from having my tank up and running so I only have the option of either nuking them or keeping them alive in a trash can exposed to outdoor temperatures for about three months.

I have them in a trash can now with a powerhead so I could take my time to make this decision.

I'm leaning toward keeping them alive and just dealing with whatever pests I may have. Maybe I'll put a trap in the trash can and try to capture as much as I can. I've already seen a bunch of starfish and gorilla crabs, as well as some kind of worm and an urchin.

Feel free to chime in with your ideas as I have not made my final decision yet.

ThRoewer · 09/12/2019, 11:08 AM

Where did you find the rock?
Live rock is incredibly hard to come by these days and if there is a way to get some I would definitely take the opportunity to stock up on some.

ej797 · 09/12/2019, 11:12 AM

Happened to walk into a LFS and they had 120 pounds of it. That's exactly why I pulled the trigger.

Michael Hoaster · 09/12/2019, 01:53 PM

Gulf Live Rock dot com has farmed Florida live rock, with shipping costs included in the price. I've bought from them twice. It's very good live rock with tons of life.

Oldreeferman · 09/12/2019, 03:36 PM

The unusual life forms you can get on live rock makes it a compelling idea but one has to judge the idea carefully since live rock can also bring in just god awful hitch hikers such as Aptasia or worse. That being said, at the very least if you don't just nuke it all, do a ammonia break in till it only reads nitrates & start with a safe clean slate then id watch it very carefully for anything sinister for several months before introducing it in a DT. If it does not get a light source its going to go thru a die off cycle anyway as the coralline algae and other light loving organisms will die if it has such growths on it. Just saltwater & circulation also is not enough to keep a proper bacteria population going either, you will have to add ammonia daily to make up for the live stock that normally are in the tank to keep it real nitrifying rock. Lots to consider here. Best of luck.

09/10/2019, 02:16 PM	#1
ej797 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Cutler Bay, FL Posts: 1,609	I've got live rock, now what? I was able to find 115 pounds of Haitian live rock. I went ahead and grabbed it because it seems to be hard to find now. However, it is full of gorilla crabs and who knows what else. Also, I have not even began my build yet. So, what would you with the rock if you were me? Would you give it a bath in diluted muratic acid and let it dry out? Would you keep it "alive" in a trash can with a power head? Is there something else you would do? Please include your reasoning so I can understand why you would choose this path. I truly Appreciate your time. I'll try to get some pics up of the score soon. __________________ EJ NKAWTG, for those who know. Current Tank Info: Planning and Building out 225 Gallon in Wall Reef

09/10/2019, 02:48 PM	#2
ycnibrc STAG HORN DOMINATE REEF Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Irvine, California Posts: 3,348	Lol if u soak it in murid acid then why buy live rock to begin with. Get rid of the crab manually and put the rock in the bin with pump for circulation. For now no heater needed but come winter time then add a heater. As far as water just top off with rodi no need for water change. Keep it dark to prevent algae. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ SDR STAGHORN DOMINATE REEF Feature Reef of November 2019 GHL TOTM FEB 2020 ABC corals Current Tank Info: 360g Peninsula sps

09/10/2019, 03:31 PM	#4
ej797 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Cutler Bay, FL Posts: 1,609	I bought the rock more for its shape and rarity than because it was alive. If the rock was readily available I would have just waited. Still, you point rings true. I'm going to keep it alive. __________________ EJ NKAWTG, for those who know. Current Tank Info: Planning and Building out 225 Gallon in Wall Reef

09/10/2019, 04:08 PM	#5
ThRoewer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Fremont, CA Posts: 9,555	See if you can "borrow" a small octopus to clear the rocks of the crabs. Those guys will get all of them in no time. I would not sterilise Caribbean live rock alone for the fact that there is always a chance that you got a rare coral as a hitchhiker. Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk __________________ Pairs: 4 percula, 3 P. kauderni, 3 D. excisus, 1 ea of P. diacanthus, S. splendidus, C. altivelis O. rosenblatti, D. janssi, S. yasha & a Gramma loreto trio 3 P. diacanthus. 2 C. starcki Current Tank Info: 200 gal 4 tank system (40x28x24 + 40B + 40B sump tank + 20g refugium) + 30x18x18 mixed reef + 20g East Pacific biotop + 20g FW +...

09/10/2019, 09:30 PM	#6
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	I vote to keep it alive too. Maybe the crabs will eat each other with no food added. __________________ 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

09/10/2019, 03:25 PM	#3
Bpb Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Texas Posts: 3,148	True that why get live rock just to kill it. I’d sooner buy a predatory fish and let them go to town and then rehome the fish Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

09/11/2019, 02:46 PM	#7
RioReefr Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Rio de Janeiro Posts: 394	I have always read to put live rock into a high salinity (1.035+) water and that will get rid of a lot of hitch hikers without killing off the good bacteria deep inside the rock. The combination of doing that, manual intervention and maybe spraying some H202 should kill off that bad stuff.

09/12/2019, 10:55 AM	#8
ej797 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Cutler Bay, FL Posts: 1,609	I appreciate the responses. I've kept the rock alive for now while I make the decision. I bought the rock for the rock itself, not necessarily because it was live. I was having a really tough time finding Haitian live rock and this seemed like a fleeting opportunity. I am months away from having my tank up and running so I only have the option of either nuking them or keeping them alive in a trash can exposed to outdoor temperatures for about three months. I have them in a trash can now with a powerhead so I could take my time to make this decision. I'm leaning toward keeping them alive and just dealing with whatever pests I may have. Maybe I'll put a trap in the trash can and try to capture as much as I can. I've already seen a bunch of starfish and gorilla crabs, as well as some kind of worm and an urchin. Feel free to chime in with your ideas as I have not made my final decision yet. __________________ EJ NKAWTG, for those who know. Current Tank Info: Planning and Building out 225 Gallon in Wall Reef

09/12/2019, 11:08 AM	#9
ThRoewer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Fremont, CA Posts: 9,555	Where did you find the rock? Live rock is incredibly hard to come by these days and if there is a way to get some I would definitely take the opportunity to stock up on some. __________________ Pairs: 4 percula, 3 P. kauderni, 3 D. excisus, 1 ea of P. diacanthus, S. splendidus, C. altivelis O. rosenblatti, D. janssi, S. yasha & a Gramma loreto trio 3 P. diacanthus. 2 C. starcki Current Tank Info: 200 gal 4 tank system (40x28x24 + 40B + 40B sump tank + 20g refugium) + 30x18x18 mixed reef + 20g East Pacific biotop + 20g FW +...

09/12/2019, 11:12 AM	#10
ej797 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Cutler Bay, FL Posts: 1,609	Happened to walk into a LFS and they had 120 pounds of it. That's exactly why I pulled the trigger. __________________ EJ NKAWTG, for those who know. Current Tank Info: Planning and Building out 225 Gallon in Wall Reef

09/12/2019, 01:53 PM	#11
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,807	Gulf Live Rock dot com has farmed Florida live rock, with shipping costs included in the price. I've bought from them twice. It's very good live rock with tons of life. __________________ 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

09/12/2019, 03:36 PM	#12
Oldreeferman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: NW Indiana Valparaiso Posts: 505	The unusual life forms you can get on live rock makes it a compelling idea but one has to judge the idea carefully since live rock can also bring in just god awful hitch hikers such as Aptasia or worse. That being said, at the very least if you don't just nuke it all, do a ammonia break in till it only reads nitrates & start with a safe clean slate then id watch it very carefully for anything sinister for several months before introducing it in a DT. If it does not get a light source its going to go thru a die off cycle anyway as the coralline algae and other light loving organisms will die if it has such growths on it. Just saltwater & circulation also is not enough to keep a proper bacteria population going either, you will have to add ammonia daily to make up for the live stock that normally are in the tank to keep it real nitrifying rock. Lots to consider here. Best of luck. __________________ Montipora Digitas, Cyphastrea, Blastos, different Leptoseris, Green Stylo, GSP, gorgonions, Ricordea mushrooms, psammocoras, Birdsnest coral, Clownfish, Watchman goby, Royal gamma. Current Tank Info: Nano Reef tank