For those with super old tanks....

[wontonflip]

Have you changed out rocks, even gradually? I've heard from different sources (like online articles and other seasoned aquarists) who say that live rock becomes useless after a few years, and that it should be changed out to be an effective part of our tank's ecosystem. Thoughts on this?

I'm doing major maintenance on my tank, and I'm about to make more garf rock but I will probably end up making more to replace a lot of my rocks that are 8+ years old. Some of the rocks I started with were inherited from my brother, who had them for a few years.

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

I have heard this about sand, but not on the lr.

Apparently the sand can absorb so much phoshates and then can release them back into the water column. I wouldn't think so on lr, it doesn't seam like it could trap. Makes you wonder though, 7.99 a pound...

 

[wontonflip]

Well I make my own rocks. I can spend $30 in materials and fill up a 60g+ tank pretty easily.

I heard that about sand, too. It's suggested that you scoop out a couple of cups of sand, and replace it with new one every now and then.

It'd be hard though to replace rocks because usually, you have corals colonizing them.

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

It's been 2 years now and I haven't replaced either. So the tank is not super old. it sounds like a maintenance issue.

The rocks need to be turkey basted and the gravel vacuumed once and a while.

 

[Ulta]

Hard to believe that is true with the rocks, but with the sand, yes. Some of the best aquariums I have seen do not use sand at all.

 

[wontonflip]

Yeah I love my rocks, and they are fine. I just figured since I'm doing a major overhaul I might as well change them out if age is an issue.