Storing Live Rock

[awillemd1]

This probably sounds like a weird question, but I have too much live rock. The person who gave me the aquarium had a much different idea on aquascaping than I do. I don't want to bring it to my local fish store as I won't get very much for it and I may want to use it in the future. Can I simply wash it off and allow it to dry out. Then if I want to use it again, simply put it back in the aquarium?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Willem

 

[zacdl]

You COULD.

It would die and become non-live again.

I had extra in mine and I sold my extra (Its worth more alive than dead)



If you want to keep it because you think you want to have some later on, go ahead you can dry it out, but it will take a while to become live again.

 

[malkore]

Willem,

Did the previous owner really have 'too much'...as in, more than 2lbs per gallon of tank capacity?
I'm one of those people that likes the look of live rock, but there's the other camp that hates how 'ugly' it is, and they tend to use a lot less rock than they should (at least, if the LR is for primary bio-filtration).

For all I know, you're right, and they had too much live rock...but I just can't take the chance that you're misinterpreting how much rock you should be using.

This is my 40gallon tank, with 65 lbs of live rock. Its just about perfect in my eyes.

Now all of that aside, if you do have too much, you could still use it for LR rubble in a sump or fuge. Otherwise I'd sell it to another hobbyist or an LFS, because if you let it die, its nothing more than a piece of base rock, and its value drops about 300-500% (from more than $5 per pound to $1 per pound).

If you still wanna keep it dead, let it die first, for a couple weeks, then scrub it. When the stuff dies it'll be easier to scrub off.

 

[awillemd1]

Wow, thanks for all the information. I have no idea how much I have since I didn't have to purchase it in the beginning. I can tell you that I took 6 pieces out a couple of weeks ago and with those pieces in place it would stack all the way across the bottom of my 90 gallon aquarium to the top, i.e. it made a wall covering the entire aquarium. I have added a shallow sand bed as my substrate and a dsb in my refugium both using aragonite. These were added in the last 4 months or so, so I don't thing I should have a biofiltration issue if I remove a few more rocks.

I am hesitant to take it to my lfs since I may want to use it at some time in the future. I like the idea of chopping it up and using some of it in my refugium.

If I let it die off, I still should be able to recover it by putting it back in the aquarium for a few months right? :?

Willem

 

[Salttanker]

Left overs for the refugium would be a nice addition.

Mike

 

[pearsont74]

I dont see how you can have too much LOL
I got 80 lb for my 80 gal and it doesnt look like i have even a quarter of enough LR. I hope to double that soon.
Add some smaller peices to your sump if you have one....

 

[electrikat]

The rock wall look doesn't look good but you could build it out into the tank to make islands towards the front of the tank. I have about 2 pounds per gallon.

 

[Salttanker]

I made two islands with mine and a swim channel in the middle for swimming and good filtration. I have over 100lbs. in my 90G, and wish I had more. I'm sure someone here would take the left over lr off your hands for you.

Mike

 

[pearsont74]

i will if shipping isnt too much hehe

 

[SALTYDAWGY]

Once the live rock is dead, it is dead! You can reseed it with some other life forms from other or existing rock but it is no longer live when it dries out. It is just like the stones in your front yard, but more porous. Chunk it up with a hammer and a chisel. Sounds like smaller pieces would be easier to work with then the giant chunks you have. I threw away about 10lbs of cool fiji rubble about 2 months ago and I am still kicking myself for it. Once its dead, its dead!

 

[skennelly]

I have 135# in my 90 gallon. And I feel like I could add more.

 

[awillemd1]

THanks. That actually looks a lot like mine. Mine might be stacked a little higher as I have a couple of pieces that poke out of the water when I do a 10 gallon water change.

Willem

 

[pearsont74]

gezz....i have an 80gal and have about 150lb and it doesnt look near that full
maybe i need to get my tank measurement and recalulate the size LOL