Using dried out rock; how long till it's usable again?

[JC VT]

Hi guys,

I broke down my 40 br a couple of weeks ago moving out of my apt in college. I wasn't planning on setting up another tank, but I've got the itch again and am taking the plunge in the next week or so. My question is:

How long should I wait till I add anything to a new tank using dried out rock? It's sitting in very little water, and most of it is exposed to air and has been for the last 2 1/2 weeks. FWIW, It's been cooked before, and my old system was very very very clean so I assume there is little in the way of dead/dying crud in the LR.

Joon

[JC VT]

Also, I smelled the rock yesterday and no smell at all.

[Little Luey]

Welcome to TRT!

So, this is the rock you pulled out of the tank two weeks a go, right? There has to be definatly some die off, at least on the areas not covered in water. If you can you should add more water so the existing bacteria will colonize the rest of the rock. Hopefully the die off is minimum.

[Leonardo's Reef]

I should seed it with some fresh live rock and cook it al together to make sure that you'll have no high phosphate and nitrate levels stored in your LR.

Gook luck!

Leonardo

[JC VT]

Thanks guys!

[Leonardo's Reef]

Good luck, and show us your tank when it's ready

Leonardo