live rock

[SteveS]

next question :)

does live rock deteriete with age?

i would imagine the live rock becomes a better filter with age?? or does it?, but what about the amount of life that was once in it?, has either 1. been eaten by fish etc, 2. failed to reproduce in our aquarium simply because its not the ocean.

im lucky enough to have a sump, so i do have a constant safe zone, for pods/worms brittle stars etc

basically im sure ive read somewhere that live rock or part of it should be replaced every 2/3 years

your opinions please
steve

[Kev]

Hi Steve

I think its inevitable that live rock will eventually degrade to such a level that it will no longer be as efficient at processing "dirty" sea water. However, I personally think this would be a long time past 2/3 years.

When I look at the sand that collects on the bare bottom of my ststem, I feel that this must come from degradation of the rock, probably from burrowing organisms within the rock.

I am certainly no expert on this matter and would also be interested in others experience and comments.

Kev

[tonyponty]

would be intresting to find if it does or not

[Reefer]

Ive got live rock in my tank I've had for 2 years that was in my uncles tank for about 6 or 7 years its covered in coraline algae, seems sound and does a good job, I run Berlin method so it must be ok. So I dont believe that it degrades. As for the powdery substance on the bottom of tanks I suppose burrowing organisms are in part responsible as is dead flaked off coraline algae and general detriris, who knows what else in it I suspect that with open top tanks it could well be household dust?

[Kev]

Hi Reefer.

As I said I am no expert on the time span that live rock can / will be effective, or if it does degrade. My rock is 2 years old and certainly is fit and well. But I do see regular little jets of sand coming out of holes within the rock, which suggests that there are critters busy at work in there, knawing away at the rock, creating some of those very nice area's lacking in Oxygen for those little anearobic bacteria to inhabit.

But if they are in there digging away, the rock cannot last for ever?

There are those that cite coralline on live rock as a nuisance too, indicating that when covered in coralline the rocks ability to process "dirty" water is reduced. Don't know whether there is any substance to this though.

Kev

[Tangman]

As said by Kev rock that has corraline algae on is less efficient than rock without it as it blocks up the pores and the rock cant breath and so be able to deal with nutrients. I once read somewhere that rock does degrade with age, but not being an expert i would not know. Eric

[Buster]

As said by Kev rock that has corraline algae on is less efficient than rock without it as it blocks up the pores and the rock cant breath and so be able to deal with nutrients. I once read somewhere that rock does degrade with age, but not being an expert i would not know. Eric

Beat me to it Eric..:o

[Kev]

I think if I were buying rock second hand, I would be asking about the age of the rock in respect of its tank history, and indeed the conditions that the rock has been kept in.

Kev

[Kev]

Anyone else have any thoughts on the life span of live rock? Really interested in folks views on this one.

Kev

[Reefer]

Must admit I did wonder whether coraline algae would inhibit the filtration capacity of the rock, but as its not on all of it I wont worry . . . yet!

[Kev]

Hehehe

I don't have to worry about it now. Just about every square inch of my rock is covered with coral. The coralline cannot grow on the rock. One way of prevention if indeed coralline is seen as a nuisance.

Kev