What to do with old scape when upgrading tank.

[TheBeta100]

What the title says, I’ve bought a new tank and new dry rock (I’m going from a Nuvo 20 peninsula to a JBJ 45) and the LR from the nuvo won’t fit as is. It also is too thin to use as a base and if I use it I don’t want to kill it by keeping it out of water since it’s super healthy. I’m going to use some excess pieces that are in the tank to seed the new tank, but I don’t know what to do with the rest.
Can I sell it? Or should I just cure it with bleach and hang onto it? Should I just toss it?
I think I want to leave a few places on the new scape that I can extend with this old rock when it’s finnaly time to transfer everything, but that’s not going to use very much.
If this rock wasn’t so healthy (no pests as far as I know but I have recently noticed some small snails, no dinos/cyano, very little green algae, past 60% coverage of coralline algae) I wouldn’t be so conflicted. Any input or advice is welcomed and appreciated!

 

[brmreefer]

Personally I would hang onto the rocks for now. I keep several large and small extra pieces in my fuge if I ever get an inch to make minor rock scape adjustments. Either way you go, you won't be wrong. Happy reefing.

 

[sergifed91]

I'm waiting for my new tank. Got it ordered through my lfs. But I guess there's a glass shortage. But I don't plan on using the rocks I have now. Aptasia. I have new rock in several small tanks cycling. The sump and skimmer are going to be cleaned with bleach to kill the aptasia. And then the tank will be setup.

 

[vlangel]

Personally, I never throw rock away and if I have a way to keep it live, (sump/refugium) I choose that. I have been reefing for over 20 years and ya never know when you might need more rock. QT tanks are one place that it was nice to automatically set up without worrying about a cycle. Also I have had a hankering to set up pico and jar reefs and it was great to not have to cycle.

 

[wenliu51]

Never throw it away, if you absolutely do not have space to keep it. Make a trip to the ocean and toss it right in.

 

[TheBeta100]

Does live rock have to be kept in reef tank temp water?
I may try to keep some in a bucket but I don't know if I have enough heaters haha.
And I should be able to keep most of it. Throwing it in the ocean isn't very easy for me since I live in Michigan, though.

 

[Doctorgori]

if its not full of macro life, you can sorta keep it alive in a 32 gal trash can. Put a pump in the bottom, fill maybe 1/5 or whatever and run a hose to the top...put your rock in with the hose keeping the upper rock moist, like a trickle filter sorta.
cover and forget ..check to make sure it isn’t dry but I’ve kept rock for months like that at room temp

 

[mike550]

Not to hijack this thread, but can't you just let it dry out and then re-cure later? Could you simply drop it into a mature tank if it's only one piece if needed?

 

[Islandvib3s]

Yea if there no coral on it and just a rock with aptasia,throw in a busket with bleach for a few days,then sit it outside where the sun can bake it for a week. Then just recure it later if needed

 

[Waters]

I use old rock like that for frag plugs....just break it up into small pieces into whatever size/shape you want.

 

[Islandvib3s]

I actually just recently bleached rocks that had aptasia and mushrooms i didn't want. Bucket w h20 and bleach for 3days outside,rinsed off and brushed, left outside in sun for 4 days and rinsed off again and went into my tank again.went well and yes some rocks were white but not all.

 

[NashobaTek]

If you don't want to keep it, you can always put a ad on Craigslist for your area and sell it.