Hi all. So I have a 100g marine system plus sump and I am moving soon. I am leaving the old tank as it's bespoke and having a new one built eventually. I am moving the fish and corals (softies) into temporary tanks until my new one is built.

I have always struggled with nitrates and phosphates despite trying literally everything!! Including 6 50% water changes over 12 days. Still 60+

I bought my live rock second hand and was full of algae and stupidly put it straight in and think it might be leaching out.

My question is.... if I was to keep most of my live rock out of water for which will be definitely a few weeks so it dries out completely. I know all the good bacteria will die... but will it also solve the problem of the nitrates and phosphates that have been leaching out? Will they be eliminated too? Or will they still be present and 'leach able' when I put them back in?

Thoughts and ideas please.

Thanks. S.


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That’ll exacerbate the issue as it’s not just the bacteria that’ll be killed, it’ll be all the other critters and micro fauna living throughout the rock including bristle worms, etc.

If you’re happy to basically sterilise the rock, what I’d do is put it in a bucket outside and run a fresh water hose into it, flooding it out several times a day for as long as you can be bothered. That only works if your local water is clean though. It’s around 50ppm TDS here in Manchester so very pure, and most of that is chlorine etc added to keep it safe.

It seems an extreme measure though. What are your stock levels like? It seems maybe there’s just a lot going in, and then obviously a lot coming out the other end. 

Thanks for your reply. 50!?!? Definately not like that round here. I think it was around 450 at the tap last time I checked it!

Ive only got 2 tangs, 2 clowns and a trigger. Used to have loads more but had an outbreak of something which killed about 7 fish and never replaced them. It has literally always been like it. Right from day 1 and now 6 years later it's been a nightmare setup!

Only feeding once a day sometimes once every two days so not that. Skimmers, sponge filters, UV, reactors of all kinds and nothing happens. Currently trying a sulphur de-nitrater but that don't seem to be touching it either. Tried carbon dosing too... zilch.

I just thought if I let or go dry everything would die. Then jet wash/rinse really well and it might turn back into pure rock to start from again. Was just thinking aloud really.


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