Storing LR question

cam78

cam78

Active Member
I am eventually going to set up my new 120 which will also have a 20 gallon LR tank and a 55 refuge. I wanna start buying LR and found some on CL for $2 a lbs or so. My question is this. If I get a bunch of it and store it in a bin with powerheads can it sit in there for a month or two without artificial lighting, heater, and no water changes?
I am even considering just buying base and throwing some LR in there to seed. Will it work out? Suggestions?
 
browniebuck

browniebuck

Active Member
having some sort of light will help as well...nothing too intense. I have a lamp in my family room (pole light from Target) that has 3 separate bulbs that can be aimed where you want them. I used this while storing the excess LR when upgrading from 55 to 125 (everything else went into a 30 that is now my QT).
 
cam78

cam78

Active Member
Just read about it. Seems interesting. Not a bad idea I suppose.
Lets say I wanna add some base rock in with the LR while it is Cooking, will this still seed the base rock? How little LR can seed base rock to become LR?
 
socal57che

socal57che

Active Member
A single rock can seed the rocks you add to the container with bacteria. By cooking the rock, you will likely lose the other critters that make up a "live" rock. Cooking the rock starves it and forces the bacteria to break down the nutrients contained within the pores of the rock. If you are only concered about bacterial colonies, this will be fine. If you are trying to preserve all the life currently living in the rock, you would want to set it up with light, heat and a p/h. You will also want to feed it and perform water changes if need be. If your LR is fresh cured from the ocean I wouldn't cook it. Cooking is generally for rocks that have been confined to a closed system and might be saturted with nutrients.
 
cam78

cam78

Active Member
My idea is to buy LR on CL and some base rock. Until my tank new tank is set up I was going to add the base in with the LR. Let the LR cook and hopefully seed the base. I am hoping not to create a cycle in the new tank because I am just transferring everything from my 46 into a 120. Except sand, Im prob going to get new sand
 
socal57che

socal57che

Active Member
You could buy all base rock and seed it from rock that is currently in your 46. Pull out a couple chunks and leave it in the containers with your base rock while you set up the new tank. You could even add the new sand to get a head start on it, too.
 
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