How do you get rid of live rock hitchhikers?

“Helpful Tips for Controlling Unwanted Pests: Submerse the new rock into a bucket filled with saltwater with a specific gravity of 1.035 to 1.040 for one minute. Any invertebrates including mantis shrimp, bristle worms, and crabs will quickly evacuate from the rock and into the bucket of water.

How do you get rid of parasites in live rock?

To cure live rock, store it in salt water free from fish, corals & invertebrates for 2-4 weeks. This allows toxic ammonia released from decaying organisms on the rock to be converted into nitrates in a safe way. The rock is considered cured once ammonia in the water is undetectable.

What is growing on my live rock?

Coralline Algae – What is it? Coralline Algae is a type of red Algae in the order Corallinales. It is a desirable algae to have in a saltwater aquarium and its growth is an indication of a properly matured marine fish tank. It is commonly introduced into an aquarium by placing live rock into the aquarium.

Do you have to cure live rock?

Live rock must be properly cured to create a healthy marine environment. The biodiversity found on all transported live rock undergo some degree of natural die-off, especially delicate or damaged fauna and flora. As these encrusting organisms go through this process, they produce a large amount of waste materials.

How long do rocks live for?

Harvey Blatt and Richard L. Jones, in Proportions of Exposed Igneous, Metamorphic, and Sedimentary Rocks found that the areas of rock units follow a “decay curve” with a “half life” of 130 million years. This has nothing to do with radioactive decay!

Will Dead live rock come back to life?

The short answer is No, not all Live Rock needs to be cured. You will only need to cure your Live or Dry Rock if there is dead or decomposing matter present.

What is a hitchhiker rock?

This fresh live rock is almost guaranteed to have “hitchhikers” on it, little marine critters living in and on the rock. Some of these hitchhikers are beneficial to your ref, but others can quickly become a nuisance.

Are live rock hitchhikers beneficial or a nuisance to your ref?

Some of these hitchhikers are beneficial to your ref, but others can quickly become a nuisance. To help you identify the most common live rock hitchhikers, we have complied this list of the good, the bad and the ugly!

Can corals hitchhike on live rock?

These hardy corals occasionally hitchhike on live rock as they can survive extreme conditions. Not necessarily bad and they are generally sought after but nevertheless they can produce a nasty sting to other corals. Polyps such as the clove polyp can occasionally enter via live rock, and is generally an appreciated hitchhiker.

How can I add hitchhikers to my Aquarium?

Add to the biological diversity of the aquarium by transporting hitchhikers from the reef into our tank. That’s right, we’re TRYING for live rock hitchhikers! Live rock is like opening an “invertebrate of the month” box and putting it in your tank. You never know what you’re going to get. And that biodiversity often enhances your aquarium.