Rock dead or alive?

Gizmo

Reefing newb
Hi, I didn't find a live rock forum so i'm posting here. I have a plastic garbage can I have been storing five large pieces of live rock in for four and a half years in water, and i am wondering if it is still alive I tested nitrate & nitrite levels and they were pretty high. The rock has been through some stress the last few years from moving, having my power shut off once and the water being cold for a few days, and I havent always kept up on monthly water changes. There is tube worms on some of it but I cant tell if they are alive. Is it dead & should I reseed it? Set up a skimmer? or do more water changes? Any feedback will be very appreciated as trying to figure this out is driving me nuts!:frustrat:
 
I would think that even if some things on the rock died it can't be completely dead...I would put it in some new water with a pump, skimmer, light for a couple weeks and you should be good...
 
Welcome to the site...has the rock stayed wet with saltwater the whole time, and have you been circulating the water or has it been stagnant? You should also be able to smell it and see if it has an odor to it. To be on the safe side, I'd probably re-treat it.
 
That's kinda what I was thinkin I thing I will do that and eventually put a new piece in just for good measure.
 
It has a powerhead & heater. But it did spend a night without water once when I was moving, & about a week once with no power to run the haeter & powerhead.
 
Hello and Welcome!

Its probably still live, but would test it just to make sure. All live means is that it has a population of bacteria on it that can process fish waste. Live says nothing about all the little hitchhikers, which are probably dead if they have had nothing to feed on for several years.

Im also going to move this to "new to reefing"
 
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