A few questions

[crossxfire2]

Hey guys. I will be going off to college here in a few weeks, and I have pretty much decided to tear down my tank. There is no way I will be able to keep it up. Anyway, I plan on draining all the water from it, selling anything that lives in it, and keeping the live rock and sand. Now, the sand isn't "live sand", so I'm not worried about it dying off when I drain the water, but what about the rock? Well, obviously, it would become dead rock, lol, but would it be worth keeping at all? After a very long time out of water, would the "dead" live rock have a chance of becoming live again if I were to cure it myself? Personally, I would rather just keep the stuff. Once it started to dry out, I would imagine that it would stink quite a bit.

[ErikH]

It will stink... As Peter had mentioned in another post, you must cook the rock prior to adding it to another tank. Google "cooking live rock". Make SURE you don't search for just "cooking rock" as you may see pictures of Bobby Brown

[SABOB]

That was funny,Erik

[ErikH]

That was funny,Erik

I used to tell people that they "rocked like crack". I always thought it was fun. Yes, people give me funny looks at times, but I just can't help but crack jokes. My girlfriend thinks I am a supernerd.

[Zoofan]

Van,

First off your sand is live. If it is an established tank it has developed the microbial community that make us consider it alive. I would keep the rock if you plan on another tank. If you use it in a start up tank and will let it cycle then you can just though it back in tank. It will start the tank cycle with the dead organic material on it and as long as it is new tank and no inhabitants then it will do fine. It will surely become live again with proper care, however it would be nice to find a piece of rubble with some coralline on it from a friends tank to help out the process when you start.

Mike