Live Rock / Sand question?

Pandicorn · Dec 14, 2017

Hello everyone!
I have recently purchased a 55 gallon with stand used, for what I think was quite a steal (175, it came with live rock and live sand).

My question is, I left some of the live sand exposed and dry-ish (not fully submerged) for maybe a couple of hours, but the rest of it was mostly underwater/wet. The tank is currently NOT filled as I'm picking up some more salt later today. The live rock has sat in 2 5 gallon buckets overnight, no heat or circulation. Will the live rock/sand be OK? I've seen a few reddish brown worms in the sand which I assume are bristle worms, and a few that are definitely alive, and a few that are probably? dead (haven't moved in ~18 hours). Should I keep the sand? Remove the dead worms? Thanks so much!

brandon429 · Dec 14, 2017

for sure check out the sand rinse thread in the general forum its meant for your question I just kicked it up.

You should rinse and even better replace the sand, but use the rock. The sand has nothing you need it has waste.

Palyzoa · Dec 14, 2017

I agree with above statement. I would for sure rinse the sand before starting up your aquarium. I would also dunk the live rick in a tub of fresh salt water and blow out the crevices with a turkey baster. Allot of detritus like to accumulate in the nooks and crevices. Just make sure you use salt water for rinsing the live rock to keep the bacteria alive.

Radman73 · Dec 14, 2017

+1 to both of the above. Rinse the sand well and then let it dry completely. Me being me, I would take a small cupful of sand containing a worm or three and put it in the new tank though if they are indeed bristle worms. Plenty are likely in the rock too though. Bristle worms are good CUC.

Turkey baster and swish around the rock to remove as much loose detritus as possible.

Pandicorn · Dec 14, 2017

Thanks so much to everyone for the responses!
Seems like when I get my salt mix I should clean out the sand completely, dry it, and clean up my live rock in some new saltwater. I accidentally made 2 posts (bad internet! agh!), and in the other post someone was saying that my live rock might have died (from being cold and stagnated overnight), is this a major concern?