Keeping Live Rock

[desertcelt]

I took down my 14 gal NanoCube and removed some LR from my main tank about a month ago and am keeping it in a plastic half barrel with heaters and circulation in an attempt to keep the live rock viable. I am gathering parts for a 65 gal tank I acquired over the Thanksgiving holiday and want to use some of it in the new tank.

The water is crystal clear, no smell or anything in that barrel, so I'm assuming that the rock is still live. I know I have to watch the evaporation and temp for the rock to remain live but is it really necessary to provide another live source of waste such as a fish for the rock to remain live?

Thanks for any input.

 

[dfm34]

I don't know if you have to but you could always "feed" with a few flakes a week. Test the water for no3 and do water changes as needed.

 

[Skydvr]

If there is nothing for the bacteria to consume, it will die. You need to feed it somehow. And at similar levels you expect you bio load to be when you get the new tank up and running if you want to avoid a cycle.

I'd dose ammonia (pure ammonia with no surfactants) over flakes as it will be easier to controll and will not cause ditritus to pile up or add other things like phosphate to the water and rocks or cause a lingering odor to the container.

 

[Thunderfan]

Where do you get pure ammonia?

 

[Skydvr]

Hardware store or dollar store. Read the bottle, make sure it only states ammonia as the ingredients and states that it contains no surfactants.

 

[Thunderfan]

I should have worded that different. I meant to ask is there a brand of something that you use. I'll check it out.

 

[Skydvr]

When I get home I'll see if I have any.