How long can I keep live rocks cycling in a rubbermaid tub?

[Rice Reef]

Seeking advice and opinions...
I will be doing a full cleaning of my main tank and then doing a new reefscape. This may take three to five weeks and while doing so can I cycle the rocks in a rubbermaid with power heads running until I am ready to rescape the tank? I plan to aerate the rocks maintain the temperature and running GFO and carbon and do water changes but is it necessary to use lights or ok to cycle the rocks in darkness?

Thanks

Wayne

[gregzz4]

You can keep the rock in a tub indefinately, but should 'feed' it and use lights if you want to keep the little critters going, and some snails or such to keep the other algaes in check
Some WCs should be involved

If you've been battling any PO4, you may as well do it in the dark and cure it a bit - weekly WCs

[Rice Reef]

Originally Posted by gregzz4

You can keep the rock in a tub indefinately, but should 'feed' it and use lights if you want to keep the little critters going, and some snails or such to keep the other algaes in check
Some WCs should be involved

If you've been battling any PO4, you may as well do it in the dark and cure it a bit - weekly WCs

Greg, thanks for sharing. I don't think PO4 will be an issue but I am fearing that there may be some die off which may affect the nitrate and PO4. Snails will be in the new frag tank however I did forget about the other critters so glad you brought that up. What is the best way to feed them?
I think I will just cycle the rocks in the dark as all the encrusted corals will be taken off and may be this will be a good way to kill them blue polyps.

[lastlight]

I'm wondering if 3 to 5 weeks without light will kill all the polyps? they seem to be very resilient.

[Werbo]

You can keep it in the dark for as long as needed. Keep it at temp and salinity. Don't overfill the container and insure the water can circulate with no dead spots. A couple times a month swirl the rock in a separate 5G bucket. You'll be amazed at the gunk that comes out of your LR. Water changes never hurt.

[gregzz4]

I was thinking Phyto for pods, and maybe the occasional fish food for the stars etc
Weekly testing, and WCs as needed, but you know this
That's all that comes to mind

You mentioned aeration
I did this when I cured my rock and it kept the pH up
I did mine in the dark, and my sponges took off, but I lost a lot of life as I was curing, so not feeding

[Rice Reef]

Originally Posted by lastlight

I'm wondering if 3 to 5 weeks without light will kill all the polyps? they seem to be very resilient.

You have a point... I will spray a shot of kalwk on them first... I did this once a while before and it melts them right off the rock.

[Rice Reef]

Originally Posted by Tyler Werbowski

You can keep it in the dark for as long as needed. Keep it at temp and salinity. Don't overfill the container and insure the water can circulate with no dead spots. A couple times a month swirl the rock in a separate 5G bucket. You'll be amazed at the gunk that comes out of your LR. Water changes never hurt.

I think I will be selling most of the rocks off once I have decided on my scaping but until then I may need to pick up one more Rubbermaid. Thanks for sharing, Tyler.

Originally Posted by gregzz4

I was thinking Phyto for pods, and maybe the occasional fish food for the stars etc
Weekly testing, and WCs as needed, but you know this
That's all that comes to mind

You mentioned aeration
I did this when I cured my rock and it kept the pH up
I did mine in the dark, and my sponges took off, but I lost a lot of life as I was curing, so not feeding

I think I can manage that.
Thanks again, Greg.