Unexpected Live Rock

[DmitryB]

So I purchased a crap loud of LifeRock for my upcoming tank. A couple of days ago I decided to contact the nearest actual fish store to me (80 miles!) if they sold any live rock. Late yesterday they said yes, come on over. This of course was after I unpacked all of my LifeRock and laid it out.

I arrive at this store in Fishkill, NY - and it's closing. They got another space in Westchester and they're leaving this one because of problems with the landlord. 95 of the store is shut down and gone except a couple of tanks with rock in it. "Pete" basically says, take whatever you can carry and what was your budget? My budget was actually $600, I wasn't going to spend anymore. He said "Fine, take whatever you can carry." I think I packed well over 200 lbs of live rock. Some of it was sitting in a few inches of water, some of it was fully submerged, but the store is shut down, so this will cycle. However, I now have this gigantic haul of actual live rock and LifeRock sitting on my floor. *le sigh* I'm going to try to sell the LifeRock on here, letting people pick the pieces they want.

Now I need to find place to put all this live rock, I only had a 42 gallon bucket ready. Most of it will fit, but I also assume since some of it wasn't fully submerged anyway, that it can stay moist covered with wet towels or something?

Also there are bristle worms on it. The aquarium guy said to keep those, they're good for the system, some fish eat them. Good idea?

 

[Fish Fan]

Can you return the LIfeRock to where you ordered it? I'd go with the live rock too, assuming there's not a ton of pests on it.

 

[DmitryB]

Can you return the LIfeRock to where you ordered it? I'd go with the live rock too, assuming there's not a ton of pests on it.

I got the LifeRock from BRS, but I doubt they'd take it back, I unpacked it. And isn't there a whole thing about not accepting returns of LifeRock?? I wish I could, I spent a ridiculous amount of money on it. More than I spent on all this live rock!

 

[Fish Fan]

I don't know if there's any special restrictions on returning Life Rock, but typically BRS has good customer service. I'd reach out and ask, it might be worth it even if it's a partial discount, since the Life Rock may be a hard item to sell to other reefers.

 

[KrisReef]

When it rains, it pours.
I collected live rock and nice pieces of dry rock for a system I thought I would set up in my garage, but I got overwhelmed with life so I gave the rocks to a buddy at a LFS. Always a good idea to share, or sell it but make someone elses day with it!

 

[DmitryB]

 

[BryanM]

So I purchased a crap loud of LifeRock for my upcoming tank. A couple of days ago I decided to contact the nearest actual fish store to me (80 miles!) if they sold any live rock. Late yesterday they said yes, come on over. This of course was after I unpacked all of my LifeRock and laid it out.

I arrive at this store in Fishkill, NY - and it's closing. They got another space in Westchester and they're leaving this one because of problems with the landlord. 95 of the store is shut down and gone except a couple of tanks with rock in it. "Pete" basically says, take whatever you can carry and what was your budget? My budget was actually $600, I wasn't going to spend anymore. He said "Fine, take whatever you can carry." I think I packed well over 200 lbs of live rock. Some of it was sitting in a few inches of water, some of it was fully submerged, but the store is shut down, so this will cycle. However, I now have this gigantic haul of actual live rock and LifeRock sitting on my floor. *le sigh* I'm going to try to sell the LifeRock on here, letting people pick the pieces they want.

Now I need to find place to put all this live rock, I only had a 42 gallon bucket ready. Most of it will fit, but I also assume since some of it wasn't fully submerged anyway, that it can stay moist covered with wet towels or something?

Also there are bristle worms on it. The aquarium guy said to keep those, they're good for the system, some fish eat them. Good idea?

Gulf Live rock ships their rock covered in wet towels, but I think this only really works for a few days tops. You really need the live rock in salt water, with heater and a wavemaker.

Bristleworms are good guys.

 

[jabberkaycee]

I’d try to sell or trade locally first. I wish this would happen to me…

 

[BeanAnimal]

Also - be safe with your buddy there, you don't want him licking or drinking any of that biology, it could be dangerous or deadly. Not just the rock, but corals. etc. Our systems are similar to the ocean in some ways, but very different in others. Pathogens can be in much greater concentrations in our captive systems.

 

[exnisstech]

I would put it all in a brute with salt water and and a powerhead. Use what you need for this tank and save the rest for the next tank The dry rock will eventually become live. I never let any live rock dry out.

 

[helmsreef]

Get those rocks in some water or you'll experience I ton of die off

 

[DmitryB]

I'm at Lowe's buying another Brute right now. It should be ok to put the Sicce utility pump in there for circulation? I don't have another regular pump. And does it need a heater? My house temp is in the 70s.

 

[exnisstech]

No heater needed for indoor temps. Mine is in the basement that varies from 60 - 70 depending on the time of year.