Tearing down tank, and storing my rock

We are remodeling the house, and I have to move my 75 gallon tank. Unfortunately I will have to move it AGAIN before it settles into its final spot.

The thought of having to move that thing twice makes me crazy. So, I am going to take the tank down until I am able to put it where it will stay.

Now, how do I go about storing all this rock?

Do I nuke the rocks doing the 50/50 bleach water soak, freshwater soak, rinse, freshwater/baking soda soak, rinse and dry in the sun for a couple of weeks? Then load up all the rock in a rubbermade container with a lid?

Should I just toss all this sand, or is it worth cleaning and saving for down the road?

 

I think tossing the sand is a good idea. I like nuking the rock also when you start up the tank you won't have to worry about hitchhikers.

 

Tossing the sand is the way to go. I have tried clean sand before , that much fun. But instead of 50/50 bleaching I would just set the rock out in the sun for a week or two. personally I hate using bleach on any of aquarium stuff

 

i dont know how long it will be before you set up your tank again but if it only a few mounths why not put it in a tub with your tank water or make some new saltwater up. then place a couple of power heaeds in it for flow. i have done that before with now problems. you just have to keep the tub or plastic garbge pail toped off and maybe change some water every month. it will be like cooking you rock again but with a better outcome,

 

I had a HUGE tubberware container in the boy's closet for about a year. I kept in aerated and put a little ammonia source in there.

 

I wouldn't nuke the rock, store it in a tube of heated saltwater with a power head for surface movement. replace the water every other week.

When you set up again your rock will be more porous then ever and some people claim any phosphate or nitrate it absorbed through out your tanks life, will have been removed.

the process is called cooking btw.

 

So, put them in a big tub with saltwater, a heater and a powerhead, and change out the water completely every 2 weeks?

Will they be fine indefinitely? What happens to the bristleworms in the rocks?

When I get ready to use this rock again, do I just put it back in the tank?

Lots of questions!

 

yes just do that. This will be fine for probably a few months probably longer.

The bristleworms will probably survive to some degree so will pods.


yes just give the rock a shake in water to remove any dead stuff and put it back in as most of the photosynthetic life forms will die.

be very careful handling it the rock becomes sharp and rough after doing this for a while..