Rock dissolving

[Andrew_bram]

So I am faced with a tough choice. First has anyone actually seen rock crumbling in a reef tank. I am talking if I pick up a rock it falls apart in two pieces or more. All of my corals are doing great fish are alive so I know it is not a ph issue. I have two choices I can take tare it down or figure a way to add new rock and take out old rock without causing a cycle. Any tips would be welcomed.

 

[Catfish Charlie]

I've seen this happen but not recently. Several years ago (15 to 20 years) I'd bought "cultured live rock" from a company in Florida. I found that I started to have some rocks crumbling and investigated into it. Found out through another source, that the company I'd bought the so called "cultured live rock" used anything they could find cheap to make their "cultured live rock". They used a lot of building rubble from torn down buildings and as I look through other pieces they shipped me I even found a piece of re-bar in one! So who knows what else they may have used too. There still maybe company's doing this still today, but again this was several years ago that I seen this.

 

[Andrew_bram]

Some parts of said rock are even pieces of tonga branch. I know that is not cultured.

 

[jda123]

Where did you get it from? Do you know the history well enough to know that it never had PH issues, or was dropped into an acid bath?

I imagine that a new piece a rock fresh from the ocean is just fine?

 

[jda123]

Oh, you can add new rock with no problem. Just get a piece or two at a time. You can find cycled rock locally.

 

[Dr.DiSilicate]

How did you treat the rock before adding it to the tank? That's gotta have something to do with it... I mean did you talk nice, dirty, acid wash?

 

[Andrew_bram]

No I don't know the full history. A lot of this rock came from artfuldodger. I have a bunch if rock that has been sitting in my 75 just running with no attention for about a year. I would assume this will still be considered cycled. My concern is can I add as much cycled rock as I want at one time. I have access to more rock so I want to pull my rock out and replace with new rock and do water change. I have never seen or had this problem before and I am baffled. No mike I didn't talk dirty to it. But I did tell it that it was nice rock.

 

[sethsolomon]

No I don't know the full history. A lot of this rock came from artfuldodger. I have a bunch if rock that has been sitting in my 75 just running with no attention for about a year. I would assume this will still be considered cycled. My concern is can I add as much cycled rock as I want at one time. I have access to more rock so I want to pull my rock out and replace with new rock and do water change. I have never seen or had this problem before and I am baffled. No mike I didn't talk dirty to it. But I did tell it that it was nice rock.

Did you fondle the rock too?

 

[jda123]

You can add the cooked rock from your 75G. You should be able to add as much as you want.

 

[Andrew_bram]

You can add the cooked rock from your 75G. You should be able to add as much as you want.

Ok I was thinking that would be ok but wanted to check. I also have a source for some other cured rock also. Looks like rescaping tonight. Oh what fun.

 

[jda123]

A massive rescape could cause a mini cycle.

Leave the stuff that is in the sand, in the sand... if you can. Otherwise, you will disturb the oxic and anoxic zones which will kill the bacteria which in turn is needed to eat what you are killing, but you killed the eaters...

If you need to rescape all the way down to the sand, then go really slowly... this is what crashes tanks in moves.

Slow will NEVER hurt here.

 

[Andrew_bram]

Problem with slow is the rock is all on the base and it's dissolved and crumpling. I would be afraid to put any weight on the old rock for fear of a rock slide. Maybe take out one rock and replace let it wait say a day or two. Then move another rock.

 

[jda123]

I might suggest that you only displace 10%, or so, of the base at a time. If the ammonia is good after a few days, then move on.

Your plan is good. After the numerous crashes on here with fast moving rock, slower is way better. It should quickly get covered in microfauna and coralline.

 

[Andrew_bram]

10% sounds good but pain staking

 

[CRW Reef]

Picture of your rock-scape please :llama:

 

[Andrew_bram]

 

[Andrew_bram]

 

[kutcha]

your rock could be dissolving cause you have low PH and since the rock is dissolving your PH is showing normal but in reality it is low

 

[Andrew_bram]

If ph was that low I would have way bigger issues I would think. Considering a ca reactor works on ph oh less then 6.4. Oh shouldnot be an issue considering I have 8000gph flow plus big skimmer

 

[jda123]

It would have to be about 6.7, or lower, to melt rock. It would even kill the current bacteria in your tank if that were happening.