Storing Live Rock

[Hamsnacks]

So I took a gamble and started a new SW tank about 5 months ago, I think the dry rock I started with looks great now, was seeded with live sand, live rock and bacteria bottles. Lots of coralline growing, no pests, no bad algae.
Unfortunately I'm moving now and realistically I don't see myself starting up again for probably 5 years.
So keeping the rock alive I don't see myself doing.

My question would be, should I just bleach it all and store away until ready to use. Or should I pull it out, store it in a bucket as is and let it die and when I come to use it again all that good stuff that died will help prevent bad algae growing? Almost like that purple rock companies sell, or will it just stink at that point?

Thanks

 

[Drewerd7]

Five years?!
Give it to another hobbyist, and ask for a chunk of "seeded" rock from his sump in five years.

 

[Hamsnacks]

Five years?!
Give it to another hobbyist, and ask for a chunk of "seeded" rock from his sump in five years.

Tank would be going in the basement in the new place, but the basement needs to be renod which I don't plan on touching for 4-5 years. Issue with selling the live rock, I'd end up selling it for less than what I would pay for dry rock in the future, hate to say it but the people in the hobby in my area are so cheap. So I'd be better off keeping it and starting over with it again.

 

[Drewerd7]

Tank would be going in the basement in the new place, but the basement needs to be renod which I don't plan on touching for 4-5 years. Issue with selling the live rock, I'd end up selling it for less than what I would pay for dry rock in the future, hate to say it but the people in the hobby in my area are so cheap. So I'd be better off keeping it and starting over with it again.

You can bleach it if you're worried about potential smell.. it may help. But I believe drying it in the sun will suffice.
Main thing to remember is that when you're ready to start your new tank, it may take two months to cycle the dead debris within the rock.
You can "cycle" the rock in a bucket with saltwater and flow for weeks while you set-up your new tank. Just change the saltwater every week or so, and when you put it into your new tank, you won't have all the die-off and phosphates poluting your new tank.

Congratulations on the new basement!
That's exactly what I need before I can upgrade. Lol.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Personally I would bleach the rocks and then store them in a box. No need to deal with a dirty messy problem 5 years from now.

 

[gbroadbridge]

My question would be, should I just bleach it all and store away until ready to use. Or should I pull it out, store it in a bucket as is and let it die and when I come to use it again all that good stuff that died will help prevent bad algae growing? Almost like that purple rock companies sell, or will it just stink at that point?

As long as you understand that your rock (no matter whether you bleach it of leave it in the sun) will simply be dead rock in 5 years.

It will not magically become live rock again once you add water.

I'd sell it for whatever I can get, and then buy new live rock when you decide to restart.