Need help with these live rocks

Hello everyone,
Kinda new here so I hope this is the right section.
I have recently picked up an used aquarium setup with some live rocks in it, about 50lbs or so. The tank itself is half full with only a few hermit crabs, and the rocks are still submerged, but I feel like they're either very ill (due to water pollution) or dead rocks. I guess my question is what I would do to have them become live again? I saw the thread about curing them, wonder if that would be the right thing to do?

I'll add a few pictures for better insight.

I will start a new setup and get rid of everthing in it, except for the rocks.

 

Do you have a powerhead running in that tank and is that an octopus in the lower right?

 

Regardless, welcome to the hobby.

When I started my first tank a little over a year ago I started off just like you. A used tank of craigslist with 'everything it needed'.

I ran the tank for about 3 months and had terrible algae growth and flatworms. I inherited all of the previous owners problems and didn't realize it until after I had it up and running in my house. It's very hard to jump into this hobby. You really need some time to figure things out and ask questions before you get bombarded with tons of problems.

I would recommend with any used system to tear it apart. Put the rock in lidded bins for a month with and change the water 100% every week for a month. This will help clean out the rock while you get everything else setup.

Remove all of the substrate and replace it! It's cheap compared to rocks and just like the rocks, you may have a ton of problems waiting for you in the substrate.

Leave the tank outside in the sun for a few days and let it bake in the sun. Ahhh... a fishtank with a tan... Bring it inside set it back on the stand and then check for leaks with freshwater. I recommend buying a leakfrog in case it springs one in your sleep. Afterwards, clean it out (not with cleaning solution) thoroughly.

Fill it with ro/di saltwater that you checked with a refractometer (not a hydrometer) and turn your equipment on. Make sure everything works and then put a some of your substrate in the tank. Not all of it because you want to save some for after you put your rocks in. Put a very small piece of raw deli shrimp in the tank to start getting some bacteria in your tank. Take a deep breath... you are getting close!

After your rock has been out of light and cleaned for a month take the rock out, rinse it in a bucket of fresh saltwater, and then put it in your tank. You want the base rock almost on the bottom glass so it doesn't move or shift if you buy any sand dwellers. Put the rest of the substrate in the tank after you have all of your rock in (I used a clean milkjug to put the rest of the substrate down without causing a sand storm in the tank).

Let the tank run for a few weeks, check the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate readings and figure out if your first cycle is complete. If so, add a small test fish. I used a chromis. Make sure the fish is something you want to keep!

Wait a month, make sure everything is still going well (test your water frequently in the first month) and then start stocking.

Just my two cents, but I wish I started this way from the very beginning. I eventually demoed my tank and followed the plan above. Everything is running as smooth as a baby's bottom now.

 

Leave them be. Their fine and will cycle fine.

Jeff

 

Very impressive, I will do above if at all I start another new tank

 

welcome to 3reef, nothing should be done in a hurry, this is a mistake i have made also, hurry hurry hurry but, the truth is, no matter where you get the rock it can have lots of well nasty critters in there that is why you put all the stuff together and just look in there a long time before adding livestock corals and such. i would set the tank up and run it and test for the cycling, test test test add some raw shrimp to get it started and you will be find change some water to lower nitrate after the tank has cycled, add fish and coral slowly the rock you have may be in great shape, if not it will be when you get through, looking is what its all about.

 

Thanks everyone for the warm welcoming
I've taken your great advices and decided to take the system apart. Just finished cleaning it, and now sits on my balcony to dry. As for the rocks, they have been stored shut in a salt water filled container and the rest has been discarded. Found half a dozen hermit crabs, and I have em in a bucked filled with their original saltwater.
Will be doing a lot of tests as proreefer mentioned.
Quick questions, do I want to throw in live sand as base substrate?

As for the powerhead, I don't think this system has one, and that thing on the right is a type of coral..I think? Double checked on the octopus though lol.

 

Welcome to 3reef.

You will need a power heard to provide flow and oxygenation.

If you plan on having a sand bed, than yes you should add it when you put the rocks back in. It need not be live sand, any substrate you add will need become established with beneficial bacteria.

 

corailline, are you reading the same way i am, the rocks are in a bucket with no flow, i must not be reading it right ???

 

Yeah I am a little confused (nothing new there), but I believe the rocks are in a bucket and not sure if the question regards flow in bucket or in tank. Also really curious as to what is said to be a coral, that looks very similar to an octopus.