How to transport LR and inverts

[AnimalBabe]

I am going to purchase 50 lbs of live rock from a guy who is breaking down his tank. I will pick it up after work but then will have a roughly 1.5-2 hr drive home from there. I plan to bring some buckets (not sure if they have lids) with me, as well as newspaper/paper towels. I'll soak the newspaper or paper towels in the water the LR is currently in, and wrap up the LR in that. Will that be enough to ensure there isn't significant die off?

He said he will also include snails and inverts, but will they need to be bagged? Should I just bring some ziploc bags to transport them? What if they're hiding on the rock...will they survive the trip? Finally, can I just throw the LR into my tank when I get home?

Thanks!

 

[Lotus]

If at all possible, cover the rocks with saltwater. That will give you minimal die-off. If you have a 2-hour drive, it's probably better to put the rock in a Rubbermaid for a few days (with saltwater and powerhead) just to be sure you won't get an ammonia spike in your main tank.

Bag the inverts, and put them in a cooler to keep the temperature stable.

 

[AnimalBabe]

Thanks, Lotus. I'm pretty worried about saltwater getting in my car, so I may just need to wrap them in wet paper towels and hope for the best. I'll fill a 5 gal bucket at home with saltwater (and put in a heater and powerhead) the night before, and let it sit in there for a few days then. Do you think a 5 gal container is big enough to fit all of the LR? Also, is it ok to leave a heater on those plastic containers?

Or do I even need a heater in the LR container??

 

[AnimalBabe]

I forgot to say that I will also be getting corals along with the LR. I have never had corals in my tank before and am worried about the transport and what I need to do differently with my tank after putting the LR in there. Do I need to add any supplements to the water, like calcium? Is the temp range of 76-78 still okay? Thanks.

 

[Lotus]

You'll probably need three or four buckets for 50lbs. of live rock.

You might need heaters, depending on how cold it is in your house.