# Old live rock ok to use?



## dataz722 (Aug 25, 2014)

After what seems like forever since starting to get everything together and having to reseal my tank I am about to get everything going. I have a 90 gallon tank with 100 lbs of PFS in it. Years ago I used to have a salt tank and still have about 150 pounds of "live rock" from that. It has been sitting dry in my basement and garage for about 8 years now. I have rinsed everything off and just want to make sure it will be ok to use in my cichlid tank. I can't see any reason why not since I have rinsed nearly all of the salt and sand off, but just want to make sure.

I hope to get that in and set up tonight and then get some ammonia tomorrow to start the cycle. Other than that I just need to get another filter or even just a PH or two and I think I should be good.


----------



## The Cichlid Guy (Oct 18, 2014)

I've seen it done, with no apparent ill effects. Yours is probably plenty sterile given the time it sat, plus your rinse. I usually find marine rock to be a bit craggy for my taste, but if you like the shape, go for it. :thumb:


----------



## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

I have done it. I am doing it right now and the first time I used rocks from a salt tank in freshwater was about 40 years ago. I still have some of those rocks. To be more extreme, I had 17 marine tanks in the mid seventies that became infected with a disease that killed all the fish. A local importer brought in fish that somehow infected all his tanks, and somehow it then spread to many hobbyists wiping out many. I drained out 90% or more of the water, refilled with freshwater and even left the skimmers on as aerators. African rift lake cichlids and Central American fish did fine in the tanks, although they looked a little strange dodging through dead corals. I never did go back to exclusively saltwater.


----------



## Matt1628 (Oct 22, 2014)

I had a saltwater tank with live rock probably 15 years ago. When I tore it down, I soaked all the live rock in 55 gallon barrel with two gallons of bleach & water to kill off everything on the rocks. I stored the rocks in my garage for 10years. Then I set up a mbuna tank. I again soaked the rocks in bleach & water. Then soaked in freshwater, then in freshwater and prime. I put them in the mbuna tank and after being in the tank for about 6 months I was amazed to see little polyps of coral growing off the rocks in freshwater. The tank is still set up and running without any problems. There is no more polyps growing, either they died off or the Mbuna ate them.


----------



## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

Matt1628 said:


> I had a saltwater tank with live rock probably 15 years ago. When I tore it down, I soaked all the live rock in 55 gallon barrel with two gallons of bleach & water to kill off everything on the rocks. I stored the rocks in my garage for 10years. Then I set up a mbuna tank. I again soaked the rocks in bleach & water. Then soaked in freshwater, then in freshwater and prime. I put them in the mbuna tank and after being in the tank for about 6 months I was amazed to see little polyps of coral growing off the rocks in freshwater. The tank is still set up and running without any problems. There is no more polyps growing, either they died off or the Mbuna ate them.


Matt, that is amazing. Are you sure they were not Bryozoans or Hydra which are freshwater animals somewhat similar in appearance to coral polyps? it would change the world order if coral was proven to be that hardy and adaptable.


----------



## Matt1628 (Oct 22, 2014)

I googled the Bryozoans and that is what it looked like growing out of the rocks. I was just shocked that after being bleached twice and sitting dormant and dry for ten years that anything was left that would live on it.


----------



## hisplaceresort1 (Mar 10, 2014)

I also use some type of old coral/live rock that was bleached and sat outside for 2 years - there IS one possible downside that may or may not apply to you. Your fry survival rate will go up... Those little buggers hide out in it and learn to be incredibly fast and agile avoiding the predators...  Otherwise, I love it! It's fun watching them dart in and out of it.


----------



## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

Matt1628 said:


> I googled the Bryozoans and that is what it looked like growing out of the rocks. I was just shocked that after being bleached twice and sitting dormant and dry for ten years that anything was left that would live on it.


The Bryozoans colonized the rock after all that happened to it. They are aquatic animals which (Phylactolaemata) occur in North America in fresh water. Spores may have survived in your tap water or been introduced with fish or aquatic plants. If your tap water comes from a lake, the spores could be present in tap water. At my old house I used to get these every year in my 2400 gallon water lily pond. They never got out of hand and I thought they were cool.


----------



## kosai1111 (Oct 23, 2019)

To be honest, I don't understand how your fishes live in aquarium, there is so big algae there. I think, that you should cut the top of algae and in addition to clean your fish tank. Likely, you can use live rocks for it, like a lot of clever owners of fish tank do for saving the time and money, because this rocks "clean" the fish tank, instead of you, so you haven't to lose your dear time for it.


----------

