Can rock be cooked too long?

mhudzinski · 02-16-2006, 06:31 PM

I'm looking into buying some rock from a guy who broke down a SPS system almost a year ago, he has had his rock in a rubbermaid container, heated and with a Rio2500 for flow, in the dark, for that whole time. Is this stuff still going to be any good, or is it basically base rock at this point?

If so, can I buy some pieces I like at a cheap price, then add a piece of cured LR from a LFS and let the bacteria spread to the base rock?

Geoff · 02-16-2006, 08:54 PM

it all depends on what your definition of LR is.

to me that rock is absolutely perfect. the only thing living on it is bacteria. this is all i want on my LR. bristleworms are nice and all, but as long as it has the full compliment of bacteria than i am a happy camper.

G~

elephen · 02-16-2006, 10:55 PM

No its not base rock. Its live rock that your taking from an algeal driven process to a bacterial driven process. After cooking mine for 8 weeks I still on TONS of pods, feather dusters and sponges! Just no shedding anymore

Orion76 · 02-16-2006, 11:18 PM

If he just dumped them in a bucket for a year without doing regular water changes and dunking or any other form of detritus export then you probably don't want this stuff anywhere near your tank.

Do a PO4 test on the water they are in, I think you'll be shocked

concept3 · 02-17-2006, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orion76

If he just dumped them in a bucket for a year without doing regular water changes and dunking or any other form of detritus export then you probably don't want this stuff anywhere near your tank.

Do a PO4 test on the water they are in, I think you'll be shocked

He's got a point there. Plus, if the water was never changed, or never topped off regularly from evaporation, the rock may have been sitting in brine for sometime. Give us more info please

elephen · 02-17-2006, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by concept3

He's got a point there. Plus, if the water was never changed, or never topped off regularly from evaporation, the rock may have been sitting in brine for sometime. Give us more info please

How do you get evaporation in a closed container?

You will only get evaporation when an open container, not a completely closed

Orion76 · 02-17-2006, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elephen

You will only get evaporation when an open container, not a completely closed

No evaporation if it's completely closed air tight, just this other thing, called hydrogen sulfide

Wiskey · 02-17-2006, 09:22 AM

ya if it is air tight the o2 would have been used up months ago, but how do you get an air tight seal around the power coards for your PH and heater?

I would get it if the price is right, then cook it more by the guidelines before using it.

Whiskey

SeanT · 02-17-2006, 09:48 AM

Ask yourself if the bacteria would have survived without oxygen.

NoSchwag · 02-17-2006, 09:52 AM

My rocks were in the same condition. I cooked for about 2 months and I thought everything was okay.

Once I put it in my tank everything was good for like a few weeks. Then I had a horrible algae outbreak and the rock was shedding like crazy. They are still shedding.

After speaking with some of the smarter people they said that my bacteria was probably no more (something along those lines) and that my rock needed to age.

Basically my rock was dead and I should have added an ammonia source when I started cooking.

here's the thread:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...highlight=heck

Check for a ammonia/nitrite spike.

Geoff · 02-17-2006, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeanT

Ask yourself if the bacteria would have survived without oxygen.

you know better than that.

G~

Geoff · 02-17-2006, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoSchwag

My rocks were in the same condition. I cooked for about 2 months and I thought everything was okay.

Once I put it in my tank everything was good for like a few weeks. Then I had a horrible algae outbreak and the rock was shedding like crazy. They are still shedding.

After speaking with some of the smarter people they said that my bacteria was probably no more (something along those lines) and that my rock needed to age.

Basically my rock was dead and I should have added an ammonia source when I started cooking.

here's the thread:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...highlight=heck

Check for a ammonia/nitrite spike.

i did not get dead from that. i got not ramped up, but not dead. it is very difficult to remove all traces of bacteria. you do need to help the LR get ramped up when exposed to a bio-load. the bacteria that need ramping up are there, they just need the food to get thier populations in check.

G~

REEF-DADDY · 02-17-2006, 02:11 PM

I find it hard to believe that the containers were totally air tight. There had to of been some air getting in unless it was vacuum sealed

concept3 · 02-17-2006, 06:58 PM

so, any updates on the vacuum sealed, hydrogen sulphide laden, oxygen depleted, powerhead and heater treated, brine soaked, cooked in the dark Live rock? LOL

J/K

Krux · 02-18-2006, 12:08 AM

if you can get a water sample and bring it to the test on sunday, i can bring a range of test kits and we can see what is going on in that water, but a few questions about what he did to the rock in the interim would probably answer your questions.

you could always recook it if the price is really great.

who is doing the selling? might be able to find out for you.