Live rock storage

adham88 · 03/19/2008, 05:48 PM

I'm in the process of setting up a reef tank and I'm coming across a good deal on love rock and live sand right now.
I don't have the tank setup or anything yet obviously so my question is
can i store the rock/sand and keep it alive somehow until i get my tank running in a couple months?

suzimcmullen · 03/19/2008, 05:50 PM

Of course

Get the biggest rubber maid container that you can find that has never had chemicals in it. Fill it with your saltwater at 1.025 salinity. Put in one or more powerheads and or air stones and a heater. If the rock is pretty smelly leave it with the lights off. If the rock is nice with any purple coralline or other signs of good life on it, be sure to put it under the strongest light you have until you get the right lights.

Suzi

cpl40475 · 03/19/2008, 05:51 PM

As long as you have water a heater and a powerhead for water movent you can keep it live. If not you will have to RE-cure it for up to 6 weeks to keep it from cycling your tank again. How old is the sand and how much and how deep was the sand bed. It would probably be in your best interest to get new sand though.
Tract

Aquarist007 · 03/19/2008, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by suzimcmullen
Of course Get the biggest rubber maid container that you can find that has never had chemicals in it. Fill it with your saltwater at 1.025 salinity. Put in one or more powerheads and or air stones and a heater. If the rock is pretty smelly leave it with the lights off. If the rock is nice with any purple coralline or other signs of good life on it, be sure to put it under the strongest light you have until you get the right lights.

Suzi

great answer Suzi

also, keep check on the ammonia levels and do a water change when they get high--will help preserve some of the hitch hikers and life on the live rock.

rbursek · 03/19/2008, 05:58 PM

Put the sand in a different container, warm and PH, because you will want to add after the rock. Great find!

adham88 · 03/19/2008, 06:02 PM

thanks for all the quick responses
do I need enough water to keep the rocks submerged?
Also, do I need RO/DI water?
thanks again

memorysan · 03/19/2008, 06:03 PM

This would actually be a good idea to cure the live rock anyway wouldn't it? I was thinking about doing the same thing for some live rock...seeing this thread just made it all click in my head.

adham88 · 03/19/2008, 06:04 PM

I think i'm just going to get the rock for now

adham88 · 03/19/2008, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by memorysan
This would actually be a good idea to cure the live rock anyway wouldn't it? I was thinking about doing the same thing for some live rock...seeing this thread just made it all click in my head.

the thing is that I'm buying the rock from an established tank so it should be cured

suzimcmullen · 03/19/2008, 06:14 PM

I read someplace that you could re-use the sand if it was rinsed really well and cured over in a separate container. I don't know if it's worth it at all.

Suzi

adham88 · 03/19/2008, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by suzimcmullen
I read someplace that you could re-use the sand if it was rinsed really well and cured over in a separate container. I don't know if it's worth it at all.

Suzi

yeah probably not...
do I need just enough water to keep the rocks submerged?
Also, do I need RO/DI water?
and at what temperature?
thanks again

Aquarist007 · 03/19/2008, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by adham88
thanks for all the quick responses
do I need enough water to keep the rocks submerged?
Also, do I need RO/DI water?
thanks again

yes keep the rocks submerged to keep the life alive on the rock

adham88 · 03/19/2008, 06:34 PM

do I need RO/DI water?
and at what temperature do I keep the water?

adham88 · 03/19/2008, 06:43 PM

does it matter what name brand of salt I use?
sorry for all the questions, it's obvious i'm new to this

suzimcmullen · 03/19/2008, 07:09 PM

You definitely want RO/DI water unless you want to risk having copper from pipes, too much ammonia and other impurities and phosphates. You want to take care of this rock just like it's in your display tank only it will be in a rubber container instead. Do you know how long it was in this other tank? If it's been a long time it's going to be terrific rock. Mine was over a year old and I have tons of tube worms, a tube snail, 2 nice anemones, a clam, lots of sponge and so many baby snails of all kinds. I've found a couple of conch snails that are so small it takes a magnifying glass to watch them. I've been seeing them for weeks and can almost always find them. My rock is covered in purple coralline and only a small amount of it died in the transfer. The LFS sent it home wrapped in newspaper. Now that I know better I wish I had submerged it in 5 gallon buckts of saltwater to bring it home.

Suzi

adham88 · 03/19/2008, 10:31 PM

cool, thanks a lot for everyone's help

shakanoi · 03/19/2008, 11:46 PM

use RO/DI so you dont have too much algae bloom

03/19/2008, 05:48 PM	#1
adham88 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Va Posts: 172	Live rock storage I'm in the process of setting up a reef tank and I'm coming across a good deal on love rock and live sand right now. I don't have the tank setup or anything yet obviously so my question is can i store the rock/sand and keep it alive somehow until i get my tank running in a couple months?

03/19/2008, 05:51 PM	#3
cpl40475 Just hanging out Join Date: May 2007 Location: ky Posts: 786	As long as you have water a heater and a powerhead for water movent you can keep it live. If not you will have to RE-cure it for up to 6 weeks to keep it from cycling your tank again. How old is the sand and how much and how deep was the sand bed. It would probably be in your best interest to get new sand though. Tract __________________ Im just a redneck in a city slickers lifestyle Current Tank Info: WORKING ON IT

03/19/2008, 05:50 PM	#2
suzimcmullen Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Midwest Posts: 890	Of course Get the biggest rubber maid container that you can find that has never had chemicals in it. Fill it with your saltwater at 1.025 salinity. Put in one or more powerheads and or air stones and a heater. If the rock is pretty smelly leave it with the lights off. If the rock is nice with any purple coralline or other signs of good life on it, be sure to put it under the strongest light you have until you get the right lights. Suzi

03/19/2008, 05:58 PM	#5
rbursek Moved On Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: germantown,wi Posts: 2,339	Put the sand in a different container, warm and PH, because you will want to add after the rock. Great find!

03/19/2008, 06:02 PM	#6
adham88 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Va Posts: 172	thanks for all the quick responses do I need enough water to keep the rocks submerged? Also, do I need RO/DI water? thanks again

03/19/2008, 06:03 PM	#7
memorysan Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Yokosuka, Japan Posts: 177	This would actually be a good idea to cure the live rock anyway wouldn't it? I was thinking about doing the same thing for some live rock...seeing this thread just made it all click in my head.

03/19/2008, 06:04 PM	#8
adham88 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Va Posts: 172	I think i'm just going to get the rock for now

03/19/2008, 06:14 PM	#10
suzimcmullen Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Midwest Posts: 890	I read someplace that you could re-use the sand if it was rinsed really well and cured over in a separate container. I don't know if it's worth it at all. Suzi

03/19/2008, 06:34 PM	#13
adham88 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Va Posts: 172	do I need RO/DI water? and at what temperature do I keep the water?

03/19/2008, 06:43 PM	#14
adham88 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Va Posts: 172	does it matter what name brand of salt I use? sorry for all the questions, it's obvious i'm new to this

03/19/2008, 07:09 PM	#15
suzimcmullen Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Midwest Posts: 890	You definitely want RO/DI water unless you want to risk having copper from pipes, too much ammonia and other impurities and phosphates. You want to take care of this rock just like it's in your display tank only it will be in a rubber container instead. Do you know how long it was in this other tank? If it's been a long time it's going to be terrific rock. Mine was over a year old and I have tons of tube worms, a tube snail, 2 nice anemones, a clam, lots of sponge and so many baby snails of all kinds. I've found a couple of conch snails that are so small it takes a magnifying glass to watch them. I've been seeing them for weeks and can almost always find them. My rock is covered in purple coralline and only a small amount of it died in the transfer. The LFS sent it home wrapped in newspaper. Now that I know better I wish I had submerged it in 5 gallon buckts of saltwater to bring it home. Suzi

03/19/2008, 10:31 PM	#16
adham88 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Va Posts: 172	cool, thanks a lot for everyone's help

03/19/2008, 11:46 PM	#17
shakanoi Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 52	use RO/DI so you dont have too much algae bloom