Live Rock Dying

[Aqua Pro Builder]

Do you have experience of live rock dying after you move from one established tank to the other?

Assuming both tanks are somewhat established, after you put rocks from tank A to tank B, the ammonium level of tank B spikes! I am assuming the bacteria or other live forms in the rock of tank A must be dying in tank B.

So my question is what steps we can take to ensure this isn't killing things in tank B.

We all know live forms die moving from one tank to another and that whatever rocks you move from one tank to another will generate a small cycle but tell me the MAXIMUM RATIO of rocks you have moved from A to B without a major problem.

I hope this information will help us to properly add rocks to our tanks without a major issue.

Thanks.

 

[Deanos]

You can minimize any die-off, by keeping the live rock submerged during transportation.

:dead:

 

[Pseudo]

one question ? Was the rock on a sandbed ?

Kasei

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

They are on barebottom

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

You can minimize any die-off, by keeping the live rock submerged during transportation.

:dead:

I wrapped the rocks with wet paper towels during transportation, just like some exporter when they ship me corals and plants.

So I think they should be staying healthy unless, hmmm, the paper towel I got has a problem.

Well just remembered. I always do that with that particular brand of towel and only this time I found a problem so I should not blame the paper towel yet.

 

[Deanos]

The problem with paper towel is that air is still reaching organisms accustomed to being submerged in water, hence killing them.

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

The problem with paper towel is that air is still reaching organisms accustomed to being submerged in water, hence killing them.

true

What you just said reminded me another hint to the problem this time. The rocks I am moving this time is the most porus of all about half (or even less than half of the density) of regular rocks. More air must be reaching the the inside of the rocks than usual.

 

[marrone]

There are a lot of things that can die on the rocks like sponges, clams and different type of algaes not just bacteria. Some of those things will die once they've been out of the water for just a little while. So once you place the rock in the new tank those things that died will start to decay.

So if the LR that you move has very little life on it you shouldn't see that much, if any, of a spike.

This was a major problem back in the 80's when the rock use to come in with all kinds of live on it, like sponges, clams, crabs and such. If you placed it in your tank you would problem have a massive died off, even if the tank was established. You would actually have to clean off the rock before you placed it into you tanks.

 

[Reefer420]

i got rock like that from tampabaysaltwater- but they shipped in water so there was little if any dieoff that I could see.

otherwise I am sure my water would have been nasty for a loooong time!

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

There are a lot of things that can die on the rocks like sponges, clams and different type of algaes not just bacteria. Some of those things will die once they've been out of the water for just a little while. So once you place the rock in the new tank those things that died will start to decay.

So if the LR that you move has very little life on it you shouldn't see that much, if any, of a spike.

This was a major problem back in the 80's when the rock use to come in with all kinds of live on it, like sponges, clams, crabs and such. If you placed it in your tank you would problem have a massive died off, even if the tank was established. You would actually have to clean off the rock before you placed it into you tanks.

I am sure the rocks I have in tank A has lots of live because no matter how many fish I add to that holding tank the amonia is always zero.

I noticed what you said, the cultured rocks I got recently runs into this catagory-clams, crabs, snails ....everything on it but too bad they all dead in general except unseemingly some starfish survived.

 

[marrone]

I am sure the rocks I have in tank A has lots of live because no matter how many fish I add to that holding tank the amonia is always zero.

I noticed what you said, the cultured rocks I got recently runs into this catagory-clams, crabs, snails ....everything on it but too bad they all dead in general except unseemingly some starfish survived.

The LR that you have has a lot of bacteria that helps keep the ammonia, nitrite and nitrates in check but it also has life on it that doesn't do anything for your biology system. This life can die very easily by being removed from the water. This is what usually causes the spike when you move the LR from one tank to other.

Some of the things on the LR that I got survied but back then they just pretty much shipped the rocks with all kinds of stuff which included a lot of sponges which didn't make it.

 

[prattreef]

I agree sponges are the most likely culprit. When they are exposed to air for even a short time, most crap out and can cause a spike as you describe.

Randy

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

I agree sponges are the most likely culprit. When they are exposed to air for even a short time, most crap out and can cause a spike as you describe.

Randy

Hey we are almost getting to the real culprit for what I am experiencing because tank A does have a lot of sponge everywhere.

 

[Deanos]

We've already gotten to the culprit. Die-off on the live rock because of lack of water/exposure to air. What is actually dying, shouldn't matter.

:dead: