Live rock and sand: how long will it stay live in cold dark conditions?

[apocalypso]

So, I picked another nano from a neighbor, who has had it sitting in the basement for over a year, with the tank broken down, no heat or light, just enough water to cover the rock and sand.
The question is, how "live" will it be? Should I consider it dead, and seed it, then cycle like any other new tank? Will the biowheel and balls still contain reviveable colonies of biozymes since they were not kept wet?
It is now setup and running, heated and lit, water completly replaced twice, and the water levels are great. Im going to introduce a bioload this week and see what happens.

 

[katsafados]

It is potentially dead, but can be still alive.
Dont stock the tank for a while and test for an ammonia spike, just to be on the safe side.

 

[acrylic51]

I'm in agreeance.....The tank is going to cycle.....I'm assuming the biowheel and balls were completely dry when you got the setup? I'd honestly let the tank run and cycle.

 

[apocalypso]

Treating like a new setup then. Thanks guys!

 

[apocalypso]

Update:
As it sat, It had enough water to cover the sand, but less that half the rock.
On Saturday I "cooked" the rock, by filling the tank with clean ro saltwater, started half circulation, heaters, but no filtering or lights.
On Sunday, I drained most of the water and did 2 80% water changes, and tested it clean, 0 Amon, Trites or Trates. I started mechanical and carbon filtration, rinsing the filter and replacing about every 6 hours. I also started dosing with a commercial biozyme treatment daily to pick it up.
Monday I started 24 hour lighting, and full circulation. Temperature has come up and is holding steady at 81, turned heaters down to try and maintain 79.
Tuesday evening I put the lights on daytime timers.
Wednesday evening (Last night) I tested again with .25 amon. 0 trites an 10-15 trates, so I know its working to some extent. I was a little surprised at the trates allready, but I will take it for what its worth, there is some die-off and some good biofilter. What I will be missing is 'pods.
Going to pick up a few small seeder frags this week to add, and cycle the rock fully through before adding fish.
Will try to update a few more times when I have established either way, yes or no, live sand or rock will maintain some/most of its biofilter when sitting in cold dark, but submersed, conditions for extended periods.

 

[apocalypso]

23 Jan 2011
SG: 1.022
temp: 79
ph: 8.2
Amonia: trace -.25
Trites: 0
Trates: 0-10
Phos: 2 - color was real light, but matched between 1 and 2
Alk: 11 drops = 11 degrees, or 196.9ppm (tested twice)
Ca: 440 ppm (tested twice)
So, phos not an issue. Ill retest again in a few days and see what it looks like.
I removed biowheel and mechanical filter. Filled the channel where the filterpad was with about 1.5 pounds LR rubble. Put a small filterpad, just to temporarily catch particulates, in the well where the wheel was. Will pull it when the tank clears up / settles a bit. Now that I look at it, I can see where there were microtunicates and worms growing in the channel under the filterpads. When I think about it more, I may somehow plug the bottom of the biowheel well, and drill holes to make it more of an overflow-type, that could probably hold another half-pound of rubble.
going to add a little more LS, Rubble, or macro, just to load up on diversity of the little stuff that makes a great tank. Ive got some macro in it, but of course could use some more. Perhaps some grape caluerpa or actual cheato, the stuff I have is the ribbon-type.
Tank is an old eclipse12 system. Ive modified the hood that used to contain the lights and be completly covered, and removed the oem (completly insufficient) lights and custom cut it to hold a marineland LED set. So there is open ventilation of any heat that could build up, from the lights, but it is LED, and the set isnt warm to the touch.