Storing Live Rock

[hummer]

Excellent points. Thanks for all the replies. I do have a few pieces that I really like. So I might just hang on to those pieces.

Speaking of hitchhikers, I remember my rocks came with a few crabs. Tiny like 1/2 inch. They weren't hairy. But yesterday as I was pulling rock out I found one of them and it grew to at least 2". Too bad it was dead. But I haven't seen them grow that big before.

[Myka]

Why is everyone so afraid of hitchhikers? I've had my fair share of hitchhikers, and they were definitely a pain in the rear. By no means were those hitchhikers the worst thing that ever happened to my tanks, nor the biggest pain in the rear either!

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by Myka

Why is everyone so afraid of hitchhikers? I've had my fair share of hitchhikers, and they were definitely a pain in the rear. By no means were those hitchhikers the worst thing that ever happened to my tanks, nor the biggest pain in the rear either!

I am talking about algae and seaweed type hitchickers for types I don't want in my tank. bugs, mantis, ect are fine, but a good culerpa (sp) or halmidia break out is not an easy thing to get rid of. it took me 4 months of pulling picking ect to rid my tank of an infestation of grape culrupa (sp) that almost smothered my tank. somthing I would never want to go through again. short of that I would not use used or fresh liver rock with out at the very least cooking it for about 4 to 6 months to make sure the kind of stuff I don't want is gone. if you have the time and the facilities for this cooking is about the best method, then you can just sead it with scrapings of coraline algae from some one elses tank.

Steve

[Aquattro]

I personally wouldn't use anything but fresh rock. I've got 1 or 2 really nice pieces in my frag tank that I'm going to dry out and store, but the rest is getting sold. If/when I go to a bigger tank, I'll order fresh uncured rock and use that with existing rock. For me, the hitchhikers are the best part of rock

[megs_clark]

Its the aptaisia, majano, flatworms and such that I hate getting. Deffinitly not the end of the world but still a pain in the butt.

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

I personally wouldn't use anything but fresh rock. I've got 1 or 2 really nice pieces in my frag tank that I'm going to dry out and store, but the rest is getting sold. If/when I go to a bigger tank, I'll order fresh uncured rock and use that with existing rock. For me, the hitchhikers are the best part of rock

same here i like all the hitch hikers after all its a part of the ocean and what were trying to recreate. when buying liverock i just scope out the pieces i want for anything i dont want.ive gotten some cool surprises from uncured liverock that had just came in alot more than i have pests that i couldnt get rid of

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by reefwars

same here i like all the hitch hikers after all its a part of the ocean and what were trying to recreate. when buying liverock i just scope out the pieces i want for anything i dont want.ive gotten some cool surprises from uncured liverock that had just came in alot more than i have pests that i couldnt get rid of

ya we have all said this for the last what 12 years now... but if you go back, all you see is posts on "how do I get rid of this", "it must have come in on my rock... now what do I do"

I have gotten a few nice surprises.. 4 mantis shrimp, mushroom, polyps and a couple SPS..

I think for me using dry rock is because I have a idea for the next tank and I only want spicific things in it so if I don't add it I don't want it there..

Steve

[Myka]

I think dry rock is a bigger pain in the [butt] than anything you guys have listed here. First and foremost, I want the rock to be a good filter system from day one.

I have waged war on pretty much every type of algae in existence; some memorable ones were Valonia, Caulerpa, Halimeda, and Lobophora. My nano is having a Caulerpa and Halimeda issue right now even.