Old Live Rock

[Vin7250]

Old LR.... I want to add some old LR that has been sitting in a tank w no lights barely any movement and just fills from an old RO..... I have an established system that could use a few more pieces and a new refugium that is bare. I do not want to introduce any issues into my tank and really dont want buckets of water with curing rock in it. What would you guys do at this point? Let a few pieces dry? Boil them? Any suggestions?

[Vin7250]

Would it be safe to just add some of it to the refugium if it were dry? Say like 5 or 10 lbs?

[Fizz71]

I would test the old tank as it in now. If it has 0 ammonia and nitrite (don't care about nitrate) then it's chemically safe to use. Smell it too...it should smell like a Caribbean beach...if it smells like the jersey shore you might have a problem. :)

I say chemically safe because I'd also want to check for algea or anything else on there you don't want to move into your new tank. If it's dark then the rock is probably white and if it is, you should be fine.

I've kept rock in an unlit tub for over a year and brought it back up to start a system as if nothing happened. My current 240g has been brought up from live rock in storage for over a year....the tank cracked (oops)....was taken down AGAIN for several month to repair (rock went back into a tub) and brought up again and I've yet to see a hint of ammonia.