Do you have to replace Live Rock???

[TMartinez]

A buddy of mine who is considering going to salt picked up a magazine at a local chain petstore, and in that magazine it said 'A percentage (10-20%) of live rock should be added or replaced in captive marine systems after a year or so, then every six months or so after, to reset the diversity and provide soluble components."

I've never heard this before. Is this true? Do any of you guys abide by this? I get maybe the ides that the rock no longer excretes minerals into the water but the BB would just stay on the rock and reproduce or mitosis or whatever...

 

[Zoodiver]

I'll say BS. I've never done anything like that, nor have I ever heard of anyone doing that.

 

[TMartinez]

OK good... Thats what I said but I wanted to make sure lol

 

[Heathd]

Ive heard of people doing this on really mature tanks, like 7 plus years old, but im not sure I follow or believe the reasoning behind it. Some people have gone so far as to blame tank crashes on having old LR, but beneficial bacteria is beneficial bacteria, and so long as you have good husbandry practices I dont think there is anything to worry about.

If anything, this seems counter-intuitive to me. Pulling and replacing LR not only can cause a small cycle to start since youve disturbed the cycle, but you can also introduce pest.

 

[jworth]

agreed with everything said above 100%. Only benefit perhaps is adding some new micro organisms, whether that be a pest or beneficial is up in the air as always.