How long can my live rock survive re-aquascaping???

I'm not happy with my rock work and will be doing it over. I'm waiting for my fuge to establish and some warmer weather so I don't have to worry about cold water.

So how long can my LR be out of water?

I'm not talking about leaving it out. I'll put it in tubs to make room for rework. I have just been looking at various rock work techniques and was wonder how much time do I have to drill and all that type of stuff.

I have various small sponges growing. Polyps I'm not worried about. Ones with my corals or what not will not be out of water.

 

As long as they stay damp, they are good.

 

Sponges should never be exposed to air.

 

I don't have a lot, but that is what I've heard.

At all??? When I moved the tank, they certainly were.

 

When we have transfered from tank to bucket, etc., the only obvious losses on sponges have been the ones that end up with a rock upside down and the sponge ended up being in the light as opposed to the dark. They grow though and spread so if you lost a couple I don't think it'd be a big deal. (unless you have special ones you've purchased) Mine always just kinda show up.

 

sponges, if they get air trapped in them they will die.

 

Does the rock need to be damp as in wet newspaper damp...or actually in water better ?? and will the drop in temp....77 to say 65 for sitting in a bucket of unheated water hurt it ??

 

Temperature drop is no problem. Newspaper damp is OK.

 

When we moved the tank, we just covered them with wet towels. I had them out for a while though. My tank never cycled from the move.

 

Thank You