Is it possible to store live rock after letting it dry and use it later? I have about $400 of Vanuatu liverock that I have no clue how I would sell it. I dont want to just dump it or toss it into the ocean. Could I dry it out and use it later, would it come back to life? Im moving into a second story apartment and would rather wait to have a tank this once I have my house built in a few years (with a basement or "water room"). I dont feel comfortable being a renter and feel this is just a huge disaster waiting to happen since I've already had a slow mystery leak...

Thanks.

it will be fine as far as the filtration with the rock, but there want be any other life on the rock. and will probly have to cycle again.

you could sell it on ebay!

You can sell it by advertising on a reef central, preferably in a local reef club or you can store it. It wont be live when you use it again, and youll want to clean it when your ready to place it in a tank again. You would want to get some new live rock to help seed the dead rock in the new tank. After some time, it will be 'live' again.

Have you called Circle Pet to see if they would take the live rock and give you credit for later?

Haven't called yet. Any credit they give is only good for a year... I honestly dont think I will be setting up a tank for at LEAST a few more years. Until then, I'm looking into getting my kicks by volunteering at the Aquarium of the Pacific.

Maybe the Aquarium of the Pacific will take a donation???

Yes, you could dry it and store it, and years later put in a tank with new live rock it would gradually become live rock again, could have coralline algae growing on it but it probalby has some unique organisms on it now that wouldn't be there the second time.

Nancy

I'd say find someone to take it. That rock was plucked right off the reef and you paid premium bucks for it. Even if you give it away for free it would be terrible to see it all die!

Dan

I agree with Dan, what you have is worth something as it is but worth almost nothing after a short time when it dries. There is also another consideration. Have you ever smelled live rock that is left to dry? Where in an apartment are you going to store something that weighs that much and stinks for at least 6 months?

I know you planned to sell your tank and the rest but that is the stuff I would consider keeping over the LR. We used our first 55 gallon for over 20 years varying from saltwater, to freshwater to iguana pen to mouse house and I have forgotten what else in between. None of the equipment will be unusable and if you go larger when you have your wet room, this tank will be great for a sump, frag tank or a miriad of other thoughts.

PackRat