transporting Live Rock

[JWILL275]

I have the opportunity to get almost 100lbs of LR locally, so shipping etc. The rock is currently in an operating tank with healthy fish. If I transport the rock in water for an hour and give it a good shake, can I introduce it to my tank. I appreciate that I amy be vulnerable to some degree. My main concern is that I ensure that little or no dying takes place in the hour or so the rock is being transported from tank to tank.

Thanks

 

[90gal.newguy]

You can pack the live rock in w/ wet new paper for the hour.
Likely there will be some / minimal die off.

 

[ezrec]

Buckets, lots of buckets!

A station wagon and several 5-gallon buckets of saltwater (from *their* tank) is what you need.

Get tight-fitting lids to prevent slosh, and keep your trip under an hour.

Make sure to have a thermometer handy, and keep the car's interior at about 75F.

 

[Anonymous]

Depends on the air temperature, wet newspaper like 90gal.newguy says is good for an hour or two. You can get some of the old water in 5 gal buckets and move the rock separately. When arrive at the destination, just use the old water to risen the rock a little, and there should be very little die off if any.

 

[mr_X]

don't use the wet paper! use buckets/bins and keep the rock submerged.

make a couple trips if you have to.

you'll get die-off with the wet newspaper. you might not, with the submerged rock (i didn't)

 

[ezrec]

These crazy "wet paper" people just kill me.

And their rocks.

 

[Anonymous]

These crazy "wet paper" people just kill me.

And their rocks.

It depends on the situation. If it is just an hour, and the air temperature is not too cold, it can be done. Obviously it is not the best method, but sometimes it is good to know the less optimal method if the end result is not that much worse.

I jokingly suggested a wealthy reefer to move his new purchase with a forklift and 6 men crew, with a covered truck, portable power supply, and oxygen tank. He did not do what I suggested for the 55 gal tank by moving it as a completed setup, and I feel he is being a cheapskate.

 

[ezrec]

/me wishes for the ACME Portable Hole Moving Company.

 

[ChrisRD]

As mentioned, transporting the rock wet (submerged) would be best. Buckets, clean trash cans, rubbermaid tubs, etc. all work well for this.

In cases where it was not possible or practical to transport rock in water I've soaked some clean towels in tank water and covered the rock with them to keep them moist. Wet newspaper sounds potentially messy to me and personally I wouldn't go that route...

IME the towel thing works fine and I've never experienced any noticeable die off or ammonia spike from transporting rock like this although I always had it back in water within an hour or two.

HTH

 

[ezrec]

ChrisRD: I'll agree with the towel idea for short drives.

I think the newspaper wrapped rock from Fiji is total crap.

14 hours on a plane, in wet newspaper with petroleium derived inks leaching who-knows-what heavy metals into the rocks?

Ye gods, who came up with that?!