Ready to start !!

[Chewy]

I am ready to start my setup woot woot .... I have about 30-40 lbs of live rock ... that was dryed out by unibob and I am ready to clean if up and start my tank ... My question is everything is dead the rock .... what do I need to do to get the rock ready .... it look pretty good .... but there is some white dryed worms on it other then that I don't see anything wrong with it .... what should I do to get the rock ready or everything being dead on it .... I can just use it and test my water or ??? thoughts

Thanks

Chewy ;D

 

[spyd]

I would soak it in RO/DI water for a good 12 hrs or so. Remove, then soak it again, for 12 hrs, in a new batch of RO/DI water. Test to ensure no phosphates. If there are phosphates, keep repeating until all phosphates are cleared up. Put it in your tank and let the cycle begin.

You are probably better off getting a piece or 2 of live rock to start the cycle. Even if you put the pieces in your sump just to add some beneficial bacteria into the tank.

 

[Chewy]

thank u spy ... yea I was thinking getting some more anyways like new live rock

 

[Giglio324]

To really clean off everything from the rock I have used muriatic acid. You can get it from home hardware. If there is anything still on the rock that'll get it off. Look it up online. if its already really clean a couple of good soaks in RODI should suffice, as already said. Good luck

 

[MrHermit85]

I also bought old live rock that had been dried out. Had a bunch of white worms and GSP on it. I soaked them in a Rubbermaid with vinager and RO/di for a couple days with a powerhead. Then sprayed off and soaked in murriatic acid until it stopped bubbling. They came out super white and clean apart from some coralline algae which was fairly thick, I just figured that would help get an ammonia spike whilst cycling... The muriatic thing is super easy!!! I am now on my 4th week of the cycle and all looks good so my method seemed to do well. I think I got the acid from lowes in the pool section. 

 

[Chewy]

how much vinigar do i use white or dark vinigar??

 

[Petercar (RIP Dec 2017)]

Maple ...lol...smells better on fries.... :?

 

[MrHermit85]

Maple ...lol...smells better on fries.... :?

Lol, I dont like the smell of either 

I used white vinegar and I only used about 2 small cups full in 20 gallon drums of RO/DI. for the acid I used far less than I was told to as I could only find one large container of it. It was a 4L container from what I remember so I just used half the container per 20gallon drum of rock. I think the recommended is 1 part acid per ten parts water (gallons) and I bet if I used more the coralline would have been no more but its nearly all gone now in any case...  Just make sure your careful as it is acid after all!!! High gloves and goggles are a must and pour the acid into the water not the other way around  . I also had a face/dust mask on just in case but my fan blew all the fumes out the garage quite easily. I then waited for the bubbling and frothing to stop and then poured baking soda in the solution to neutralize it. A High Tech hose down with the garden hose and then a RO/DI rinse and all was done. I had it all done in 1 day.

I know I went a little over the top with the safety stuff like baking soda as from what I understand the dissolved outer layer of the rock neutralizes the acid but I am very clumsy and have hurt myself quite a bit thoughout my build so thought I would play it safe!  :?

Let us know how it goes!  opcorn2:

 

[Neopimp]

I used bleach.  I've used acid.  Both are good and will completely remove anything organic from the rock.  I let it soak for a day or two .  Rinsed with a garden hose/bucket.  Let air dry for 5 days out in the sun. 

Dump a couple pieces in a bucket with rodi  Test the water, look for any trace smells.  But after 5 days the stuff will not smell.

 

[Pistol]

Soak in bleach and tap water, 10 parts water 1 part bleach, for 24 hrs, rinse with tap water then take outside and soak in 10 parts water and 1 part muriatic acid, add acid slowly to water, it will foam a lot, after done foaming, about an hour, rinse with RODI a couple times and let soak for 24 hrs in RODI, the rock is now dead and clean, now cook it in saltwater in the dark without heat with a powerhead for 3 months, periodically seed it with microbacter7 or equivelant, now ready to cycle in your tank.