Big Move Coming..

[Reefer2727]

I am currently running a 75 gallon and am in the process of adding a sump. I am moving in the summer. About 22 hours away. Long trip. I figured it would be best to totally shut my system down as I am doing a major redesign anyway and the move would be rough on everything anyway. I will be returning the fish and inverts in the near future.

The only thing I want to keep is my live rock which leads me to my question. What should I do with my live rock? The layover to when my new system is set up could be as long as 6 months. There is about 80 Lbs of live rock. Would it be fine in a can or two with some powerheads going? Heat needed? Water changes? Any light requirements? I would like to keep this as low maintenance as possible as I will be preoccupied.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Konadog]

Re: Big Move Coming..

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14724078#post14724078 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Reefer2727
The only thing I want to keep is my live rock which leads me to my question. What should I do with my live rock? The layover to when my new system is set up could be as long as 6 months. There is about 80 Lbs of live rock. Would it be fine in a can or two with some powerheads going? Heat needed? Water changes? Any light requirements? I would like to keep this as low maintenance as possible as I will be preoccupied.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Put it all in a trash can with a power head to keep the water moving. You don't really have to keep the water heated, but I would do a water change every month, or as often as you can. When you do, drain some water into a 5 gallon bucket and swish each rock out and stack in a pile. When all rocks are out of the can, replace the water and place your rocks back into the can. By doing this you will be amazed as to how much junk comes out of your rocks.

 

[Reefer2727]

Thanks for the response Ken.

What about lighting? How is the coraline algae affected?

 

[Konadog]

Some of it will die off, some will stay. If it's going to be an extended stay, I would just let it sit in the dark. It will all come back when you start again.

 

[Reefer2727]

I was also wondering about the inverts. Well, mainly the snails and crabs. Should I get rid of them also or would they survive in the garbage can with all the live rock if I heat the water?

I also seem to have tonnes of little snails and I am not sure if they are wanted or not. I would assume not. Obviously there are a lot of these little snails all over the live rock. I picture them doing nothing but multiplying over and over in the can with all the rock. Should this be something I should deal with? If so, what should I do?

Thanks

 

[MeuserReef]

I would get rid of the snails and crabs. Keeping them will make your rock keeping efforts more demanding. As far as the life on/in the rocks, if you can keep the water to a reasonable temp (70° - 85°) throughout the storage period, you will likely keep alot of the life alive(ie. sponges, brittle stars, etc).

I started my tank from dried out "dead rock" and within no time, BOOM... life abundant! I guess the Adam and Eve critters came in on corals as they were added.

You are essentially "cooking" your live rock. People do this (without moving) to rid the rock of Phosphates that have become stored inside of the rock. Im certainly not the expert, but a quick search will find all the info you need.

 

[Byronc]

I will be doing the same thing this summer. I am moving across the country and wanting to keep my live rock for my next tank. My question is how much water movement should I have in the can with the rock? I will be waiting about six months as well.

 

[MikePowell]

I would put a ph near the bottom, middle, and pointed towards the surface to prevent surface film.

If you are using a 55g trash can I would say however many pumps you currntly have. You really can't have too much but you can have too little.