Storing live rock

[Solstice]

Hey folks!

I'm about a week away from finishing my stand and getting my tank up and running. I'm looking to purchase some live rock ahead of time (want to hit the ground running and found a good deal on a local forum). I have a tub that I can store it in and have a heater and a powerhead to keep the water circulating. Questions:

1. How concerned should I be about die-off? I'll transport the rock in water and it's only about 20 minutes from my house.
2. Do I need light over the rock?
3. Will I be safe adding 40lbs of rock directly to a new 50g tank? I've read some places that you should add a little at a time.
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   Thank you!

 

[Aquarist007]

When just setting up you can add all your live rock at once(actually its preferred).Then you leave the tank alone for 3-5 weeks monitoring the ammonia and nitrate levels. When each have spiked then gone down to zero you tank has cycled and you are good to go.

The cyling time of your tank starts when when you add the live rock.

There will be little die off in that small trip.

Light isn't necessary but running it 3-4 hours a day will help preserve corraline algae and any other macro algae that has hitchhiked in.

 

[Fazulka]

1. Transporting it in water should make it so there is little die off.
2. Light is only needed if there are cratures in the rock that need it. Often rocks can have some mushrooms or other small corals on them that need light. If not, then no.
3. It there is nothing else in the tank you can put all the rock in. Just be sure to wait a few weeks before adding anything else in case there is some die off.

 

[Solstice]

Thank you, Cap!